Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Kyle Riding
|
|
Dr. Kyle Riding is an associate professor in the Department of Civil and Coastal Engineering at the University of Florida where he is active in concrete durability research. He has been with the university since 2016 and is involved in the Materials and Infrastructure Research Initiative within the UFTI. This month we took the opportunity to get to know Dr. Riding and his research a little better.
|
|
Research Spotlight: Older Driver Perceptions of Autonomous Vehicles
|
|
Dr. Sherrilene Classen and Dr. Justin Mason from the Department of Occupational Therapy and the Institute for Mobility, Activity and Participation recently had two papers accepted for publication related to their
STRIDE
project,
UF & UAB’s Phase I Demonstration Study: Older Driver Experiences with Autonomous Vehicle Technology
. The first publication, published in Transportation Research Records, details how they developed survey items to be understandable for the general public and incorporate pertinent constructs, variables, and domains.
|
|
The second publication, published in Frontiers in Sustainable Cities, reports the interim findings from the STRIDE project.
|
|
FDOT Final Report: Mitigation of Cracking in Florida Structural Concrete (BDV31-977-47)
|
|
A group of researchers led by Dr. Mang Tia, professor in the Department fo Civil and Coastal Engineering, conducted a laboratory study to evaluate the possible beneficial effects of incorporating shrinkage-reducing admixture (SRA), polymeric microfibers (PMF), and optimized aggregate gradation in internally cured concrete mixes. Two sets of control slabs using internally cured concrete mixes in concrete pavement slab application were included.
All the internally cured concrete (ICC) and optimized aggregate gradation (OAG) mixes with or without incorporation of reduced cement paste content, shrinkage-reducing admixture, or polymeric microfibers were able to be produced to meet the FDOT specifications for Class I (Pavement), Class II (Bridge Deck), and Class V structural concrete.
Based on visual inspection, the test slabs using ICC mixes had similar performance as the test slabs using a standard concrete mix. However, based on the results of critical stress analysis, all the test slabs using ICC mixes showed better performance than the control slabs using the standard mix. According to the predicted performance from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) pavement design equation, seven of the ten ICC mixes outperformed the standard reference concrete. The results of critical stress analysis showed the same conclusion; the use of ICC and OAG improved the predicted performance of the concrete mixes. It is recommended that ICC mixes incorporating OAG be used in concrete pavement application in Florida to increase pavement life and cost-effectiveness. The method of mix design as presented in this report can be used for design of these concrete mixes. It is recommended that ICC mixes incorporating OAG be tried out in some in-service pavement sections in Florida so that the performance of these mixes can be evaluated. The use of ICC mixes in Florida Class II and Class V concretes could result in some reduction of unit cost for the concrete. It is recommended that a few bridge decks be constructed with ICC mixes to evaluate their actual performance in service.
|
|
FDOT Final Report: Implementation of Down-Hole Geophysical
Testing for Rock Sockets (BDV31-977-33)
|
|
Many structures are built on foundations constructed by drilling a hole down to the local rock layer and filling it with steel-reinforced concrete. To properly design and install these drilled shafts, engineers must understand the nature of the soil in which they will be placed and, particularly, the variability of rock near the rock socket. Traditional invasive exploration methods sample only a small volume of material and insufficiently assess the spatial variability of the rock socket. Surface-based methods such as seismic reflection are an alternative to invasive exploration, and they can identify large-scale spatial variability; however, because they are surface based, they may fail to provide sufficient detail of the rock quality at the intended depth of the socket.
In a previous project, the research team showed that the concept of a special probe in a borehole to identify the location and extent of subsurface features could be successful. For this project, a team of researchers led by Dr. Dennis Hiltunen, professor in the Department of Civil & Coastal Engineering, created a prototype probe and accompanying software. The researchers tested the probes in lab-scale setups and at a field site. Cycles of testing and adjustment resulted in a working concept for a borehole probe and analysis software. The method developed in this project both simplifies and improves the imaging needed for reliable drilled shaft acceptance to ensure as-built foundations meet or exceed design requirements.
|
|
Transportation Research Board 2021 Annual Meeting paper submissions are due August 1
|
|
STRIDE Webinar: Macroscopic Fundamental Diagram Approach to Traffic Flow with Autonomous/Connected Vehicles
July 1: 12:00 PM Eastern
A lane-changing algorithm was developed for connected autonomous vehicles (CAVs) to avoid the regular human-driven vehicles (HVs); through simulations, the lane-changing algorithm was verified to accelerate both CAVs and HVs. Furthermore, in a transportation system that CAVs and HVs mix together, the macroscopic characteristics of urban streets were analyzed theoretically. Finally, by utilizing the macroscopic characteristics of a traffic network, the method of building new roads when necessary was established.
Webinar Presenters:
- Dr. Robert Whalin, Jackson State University
- Guojing Hu, Ph.D. Candidate at Jackson State University
The Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development, and Education (STRIDE) Center is the 2016 USDOT Region 4 (Southeast) University Transportation Center (UTC) housed at the University of Florida Transportation Institute (UFTI).
|
|
STRIDE Webinar:
Creation of graduate curriculum explaining relationships between Public Health, Physical Activity, Urban Mobility and The Built Environment
July 8: 12:00 PM Eastern
Evidence-based research from the public health profession has determined adverse factors associated with the built environment, transportation system, urban land use patterns, and travel mode choices are contributing to declining public health and rising healthcare costs in U.S. metropolitan areas. The objective of this project was to develop a multidisciplinary graduate-level course addressing the intersection between public health, transportation and the built environment. This course focused on establishing basis of need for and potential benefits from implementation of optimal solutions to the challenging dilemma of how the built environment impacts urban mobility, transportation infrastructure, network connectivity, sustainability, livability, and public health. Interconnections between the fields of physical activity, public health, public policy and engineering planning and design will be identified. The goal was for students with diverse backgrounds, in a variety of academic fields, to be able to evaluate urban, suburban communities, and neighborhoods to identify positive and adverse effects of the built environment on levels of physical activity and measures of public health, with an emphasis on adoption of polices and approaches for improving desirable outcomes supporting healthier communities.
Webinar Presenters:
- Dr. William J. Davis, The Citadel
- Dr. Daniel B. Bornstein, The Citadel
The Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development, and Education (STRIDE) Center is the 2016 USDOT Region 4 (Southeast) University Transportation Center (UTC) housed at the University of Florida Transportation Institute (UFTI).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
