Accelerated pavement testing (APT) facilities has been demonstrated for years as a multi-purpose solution for pavement and non-pavement research. Even though APTs are widely known in the pavement industry, little has been publicized about their successful applications in non-pavement research. This paper provides a survey of APT applications in non-pavement research. The purpose of the survey is to review and encourage APT owners and agencies to explore the opportunities that APT facilities can present to promote non-pavement research initiatives. The survey demonstrates the ability of APTs to conduct research for bridges, transportation technology, drainage, geotechnical engineering, automobiles, environmental engineering, highway safety, among others. Non-pavement research can be incorporated into APT programs to diversify funding sources for research operations and promote cooperation with other agencies. Finally, suggestions for future and current APTs are made in this paper, including evaluating connected vehicles, work zone applications, smart infrastructure, truck platooning effects on bridge performance, sustainable drainage systems, bridges, advancement in geotechnical methods, sustainable fuels, and unmanned aerial systems.
The ability to identify and collect low-volume roads’ data, especially gravel roads, is critical in transportation planning. Developing an effective method for gravel-road data collection allows both decision-makers and local agencies to efficiently obtain information regarding road conditions. In this study, a geographical information system (GIS)-based decision- support system was applied to assist local agencies in determining reliable access routes to all gravel roads in Wyoming. The routing criteria were developed using the Network Analyst tool of ArcGIS software based on the restrictions on average daily traffic (ADT) volume values, speed limits, driving distances and driving hours per day. Results indicated that the routing maps created by ArcGIS software were an easy-to-use method to plan and schedule data collection on gravel roads. The routing analysis provided a reliable means to minimize driving time and distance. The methodology developed in this study may be employed by local transportation agencies for road-maintenance purposes in rural areas. KEYWORDS: Low-volume roads, Gravel roads, Route optimization, ArcGIS, Data collection.
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