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“C H A N G E I S T H E O N L Y C O N S T A N T”
en routeCTRE
Center for TransportationResearch and Education
CTRE
Inside2 CTRE participates in
national consortiumon remote sensing
3 Fly ash: the “poorman’s portlandcement”
5 New PCC centeradministeredthrough CTRE
7 CTRE facilitiespromote training,communication
8 New Eisenhowerand Eno fellows atCTRE
8 Student wins trafficsafety award
9 CTRE sponsors aunique studentorganization
9 Iowa State’s TSAnamed outstandingstudent chapter
10 New faces at CTRE
12 Biennial researchconference draws300-plus
JULY 2000
From the Director
Steve Andrle
There is a new faceassociated with thiscolumn. I succeededTom Maze as CTRE’sdirector in Novem-ber 1999. I saysucceeded ratherthan replaced,because no one canreplace Tom. Overthe last 12 years hebuilt CTRE into an
organization of more than 30 transportationprofessionals and 30–40 student researchers,while also working as a full-time facultymember in Iowa State’s Department of Civiland Construction Engineering. Largelybecause of his efforts, CTRE enjoys greatrespect both in Iowa and nationally. I amhonored to be CTRE’s new director and wishTom all the best in his new endeavors withHoward R. Green Company.
As you may know, I worked for the Trans-portation Research Board for the last sevenyears, managing the Transit CooperativeResearch Program, a sister program of theNational Cooperative Highway ResearchProgram. Prior to that, I was vice presidentof a small consulting firm. After 25 years inthe Washington, DC, area, in the monthsthat I have been on the job here at CTRE Ihave been continually impressed by thegoodwill I encounter everywhere I go. I’msure the people of Iowa chiefly account formy perception, but I have learned that CTREalso earns the goodwill by providing servicesto the transportation community.
That tradition of service is continuing withnew developments initiated before my arrival
that are coming to fruition. The Center forPortland Cement Concrete Technology (thePCC center) is now a reality. The first organi-zational meetings were held in the spring of1999, and in April 2000 Iowa’s Board ofRegents approved the center. DaleHarrington, formerly of Snyder & Associates,Inc., has been hired to direct the new center.(See a short article about the PCC centerbeginning on page 5.)
Another new challenge for CTRE is managingthe proposed Statewide Urban StandardDesign and Specification Manuals for PublicImprovements. In 1995 the Governor’s BlueRibbon Transportation Task Force wascharged with finding better methods tomaximize the benefits of dollars spent fromthe Road Use Tax Fund. A 1997 surveyconducted by the Iowa Department ofTransportation (Iowa DOT) indicated thatstatewide, standardized urban designs andspecifications would go a long way towardachieving that goal. A statewide steeringcommittee has recommended that CTRE playa key role in developing the statewidemanuals. CTRE will build on existing manu-als being used in central Iowa by 28 units ofgovernment cooperating through interagencyagreements. CTRE has begun working withthis group and the Iowa DOT to develop aplan to expand the program to the entirestate. Construction cost savings could exceed$7 million annually, primarily throughincreased competition for road constructionprojects facilitated by standardized specifica-tions.
The Iowa Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureaurecently funded CTRE to provide trafficsafety analysis services for transportationofficials in the state through the Iowa Traffic
DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE CONTINUES ON PAGE 2
SPECIAL
INSERT
INSIDE:MTC Asset
JULY 2000
2 CTRE en route
CTRE en route is a free newsletter of theCenter for Transportation Research andEducation (CTRE) at Iowa State University.It is financed by CTRE and the IowaDepartment of Transportation. The opinions,findings, or recommendations expressedherein do not necessarily reflect the viewsof the Iowa Department of Transportation.
Center for TransportationResearch and Education
ISU Research Park2901 S. Loop Drive, Suite 3100
Ames, IA 50010-8632Voice: 515-294-8103Fax: 515-294-0467
www.ctre.iastate.edu/
CTRE’s mission is to develop andimplement innovative methods, materials,
and technologies for improving transporta-tion efficiency, safety, and reliability, whileimproving the learning environment of
students, faculty, and staff intransportation-related fields.
Stephen J. Andrle, [email protected]
Marcia Brink, [email protected]
Dale Harrington, Associate Director [email protected]
Bill McCall, Associate Director of AdvancedTransportation [email protected]
David Plazak, Associate Director of [email protected]
Duane Smith, Associate Director [email protected]
Reginald Souleyrette, Associate Directorof Transportation Planning andInformation [email protected]
Terry Wipf, Associate Director of Bridgesand [email protected]
Iowa State University and the Center forTransportation Research and Educationprovide equal opportunities and complywith ADA requirements in programs andemployment. Call the Affirmative ActionOffice at 515-294-7612 to reportdiscrimination.
Center for TransportationResearch and Education
CTRE
DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Safety Data Service (ITSDS). This programbuilds on the research CTRE has done forthe Iowa DOT and the bureau, mappingthe data in the Iowa DOT’s AccidentLocation and Analysis System usinggeographic information systems software.Through the ITSDS, transportation officialsin Iowa can receive custom analyses ofcrashes at any location and presentation-quality graphics for use in public meetings.
CTRE just completed a roadway weatherinformation system that went live on theIowa DOT website in January 2000. Nowanyone can obtain real-time roadwayweather conditions around the state withthe click of a mouse. Check it out atwww.dot.state.ia.us/index.htm.
Our pavement management activitiescontinue to expand. CTRE has beenassisting the Iowa DOT in developing asystem to automatically record pavementcondition data, organize them in a data-base, and provide analysis tools for deci-sion making. A private contractor is usinglaser technology to collect data on the stateroadway system. The data are automati-cally added to the database, and CTRE staffprovide quality control, technical assis-tance, and analysis services. The opera-tional system was rolled out at a seminar inNovember 1999, and since then nearly 30communities have contracted to haveroadway condition data in their jurisdic-tions added to the system. This is anotherexample of a valuable service that CTRE,in conjunction with the Iowa DOT,provides to local governments in the state.
There are several new faces around theoffice besides mine; see their brief biosbeginning on page 10. Descriptions ofCTRE’s new training and meeting facilitiesare also in this issue. With new programs,facilities, and staff, CTRE is a hub ofactivity. Stop by and say hello if you are inAmes. You are always welcome, and ourservices are just a phone call away. •
Iowa State University is part of the newlyformed National Consortium on RemoteSensing in Transportation—Infrastructure,which will research the potential of remotesensing technology for transportation. TheIowa Department of Transportation, theUS Department of Transportation, and theNational Aeronautics and Space Adminis-tration are among the consortium’s spon-sors. Other university members includethe University of California–Santa Barbara(lead institution), the University ofWisconsin–Madison, and the University ofFlorida.
Remote sensing may be broadly defined asemploying electromagnetic energy todetect and measure target characteristicsabout objects (like traffic) without makingphysical contact with them. Satelliteimagery, aerial imagery, and video/magnetic detection are among the remotesensing alternatives that are replacing orsupplementing traditional traffic gatheringmethods such as travel surveys, aerialphotographs, and traffic detectors. Remotesensing methods are also an alternative toother technologically sophisticated datagathering methods, including transpon-ders, infrared detection, acoustic detection,and microwave detection, which havelargely abandoned the sight-basedapproach. Remote sensing methods oftraffic data collection retain the firsthand,sight-observation approach of traditionalmethods, while generally being lessintrusive and more economical.
With research support from CTRE, IowaState’s contributions to the consortiumfocus on four goals: determining theaccessibility of high-resolution satellitedata, assessing and theorizing methods forprocuring data, establishing criteria forevaluating data, and utilizing remotesensing to gather asset, access, linear
CTRE participates innational consortium onremote sensing
REMOTE SENSING CONTINUES ON PAGE 3
JULY 2000
3 CTRE en route
FACULTY AFFILIATE RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS
Editor’s note: Kenneth Bergeson, professor ofcivil and construction engineering, will retirefrom Iowa State University in December2000. Ken is not only an award-winningteacher but an active member of manyresearch groups, including the Iowa Fly AshAffiliates.
Ken has been a valuable research affiliate ofCTRE, and we will miss his importantcontributions to transportation research inIowa.
Kenneth Bergeson has dedicated the past15 years of his research career to animportant material in highway construc-tion—fly ash. Researching fly ash has ledhim throughout Iowa as he works todiscover new ways to use this product.
Fly ash is a waste product generated whena power plant burns coal. It has beenshown to be effective in many transporta-tion-related applications because of itsunique strength-gain properties.
Fly ash historically had been relegated tolandfills. By the 1980s, however, the USDepartment of Energy realized that thecountry’s landfills rapidly were filling withthe material and searched for alternativedisposal methods. Bergeson’s work hasdeveloped some of those alternatives since
Fly ash: the “poor man’s portland cement”
1985. “We were looking for high-volumeapplications for fly ash, primarily to keepit out of the landfills and utilize it inconstruction,” he explains. “Why shouldwe waste it when meanwhile our mineralresources are being depleted?”
The unique physical properties of fly ashfrom subbituminous coal make it useful ina variety of transportation constructionapplications. When moisture contacts thecalcium-rich crystalline material, calciumsilica hydrates form, which in turn bondthe glass particles in the ash. This reactionis similar to portland cement hydration.
“That’s why it’s often referred to as the‘poor man’s portland cement,’” Bergesonsays.
Since 1990 researchers have been investi-gating the potential of reclaimed hydratedClass C fly ash. This material is typicallyproduced at a utility sluice pond site bydumping raw ash into the pond andallowing it to hydrate and harden into aworking platform. Additional raw ash isplaced on top of the platform in thin lifts,watered, compacted, and allowed tohydrate and harden. This process contin-ues until 10 to 20 feet of hardened ash hasbeen placed. Reclaiming the material foruse as an aggregate is accomplished whenrecycling/reclaiming equipment scarify theash.
When the reclaimed, hardened ash iswatered and recompacted, it exhibits theunique property of resuming its strength-gain characteristics. The continuedstrengthening of the reclaimed fly ash isattributed to the gradual dissolution of itsreactive glass components, which releaseadditional calcium, silica, and aluminum.These then continue to hydrate andharden.
Researchers now are working to determinethe full extent of fly ash’s hardening
referencing, and inventory infrastructuredata.
For more information about Iowa State’srole in the consortium, contact RegSouleyrette, CTRE’s associate director oftransportation planning and informationsystems, 515-294-8103, [email protected];Shauna Hallmark, CTRE’s programmanager for the consortium,515-294-8103, [email protected];or the consortium’s website,www.ncgia.ucsb.edu/ncrst/. •
Hydrated glass components inreclaimed fly ash will continue toform calcium, silica, and aluminum.
REMOTE SENSING CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2
FLY ASH CONTINUES ON PAGE 4
Ken Bergeson
JULY 2000
4 CTRE en route
FACULTY AFFILIATE RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS
propensities and the amount of timenecessary to reach this maximumstrength. Recent core samples taken froma fly ash–based access road at theSutherland Power Plant in Marshalltown,Iowa, averaged 2,600 psi. Such strength-ening properties of a fly ash subbase cancontribute to the endurance and durabil-ity of the roadway it supports.
An additional benefit of reclaimed fly ashfor transportation construction is thepotential applicability of traditionaltesting methods. Bergeson reveals thatthe dynamic cone penetrometer appearsto be one reliable method for testing flyash–based roadways “because it has suchan extensive research background.There’s been so much work done withthis test by the Corps of Engineers. It’s aquick, economical method.”
Other testing procedures, including theClegg hammer and nuclear densometer,are being studied for their ability totransfer to reclaimed fly ash testingsituations.
Of the many uses for fly ash thatBergeson has studied during the past 15years, a few are chronicled below:
As highway base material. In a 1991 study,fly ash from a Council Bluffs, Iowa,power plant, reclaimed with a single passof a scarifier, was determined to nearlymeet Iowa Department of Transportationspecifications for low quality Class Bcrushed stone. The fly ash demonstratedhigh absorption and low specific gravi-ties, and when activated by portlandcement kiln dust, revealed significantgains in strength and resistance to freeze-thaw conditions. The study consequentlysuggested that the fly ash had potentialas highway base material.
As construction working platforms. Alsoduring the 1991 study, it was noted how
the unloading trucks at the Council Bluffsplant end-dumped fly ash into the sluicepond, where it would quickly self-harden.Continuous, subsequent dumps resulted ina six- to eight-foot hardened ash platform,on which the trucks drove their ash loadsincreasingly farther into the pond. Conse-quently, the potential value of fly ash forconstruction platforms built on soft soilswas implied during this study.
As access roads. In 1994, an access road wasconstructed near the Sutherland PowerPlant in Marshalltown, Iowa, the base ofwhich included reclaimed fly ash and wasactivated with cement kiln dust andcombustion ash. Five years later, the 1999Iowa Fly Ash Affiliate Research ProgramAnnual Research Report stated that “the roadis performing very well” and continues todemonstrate significant strength gains.
As structural fill. In 1998, a haul roadbetween Chillicothe and the Monroe-Wapello county line was constructed using10 inches of reclaimed fly ash as select fillunder portland cement concrete (the fillwas necessary because of the Class 10 soilin the area). Subsequent testing revealedthat those areas of the road with fly ashselect fill showed greater stability thanareas supported only with soil fill.
As railroad subballast. Given the ever-increasing strength and weather enduranceof a reclaimed fly ash subbase, in 1997 thematerial was used to build a foot-thickrailroad track subballast over the soft soilof the Missouri River’s flood plain nearCouncil Bluffs, Iowa. Not only does thereclaimed fly ash provide a uniform, high-strength support for the rail system, it alsominimizes loss of ballast into the subgradesoil.
For more information, contact KenBergeson, 515-294-9470;[email protected]. •
Reclaimed fly ash has been used(top to bottom) in building borrowpit haul roads, as select fill in someroad projects, and as railroad track
subballast.
FLY ASH CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3
JULY 2000
5 CTRE en route
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Recognizing the critical need to reducepavement life cycle costs, Iowa’s portlandcement concrete paving industry issupporting a major new program atCTRE. The Center for Portland CementConcrete Pavement Technology (the PCCcenter) will focus on applied research todevelop better designs and processes forbuilding longer-lasting, better-performingPCC pavements. The center will alsodevelop education and training programsthat move the best new designs andprocesses out of the laboratory and intothe hands of design engineers, materialssuppliers, contractors, and constructionmanagers.
Partners in this effortare the Iowa ConcretePaving Association,the Iowa Departmentof Transportation(Iowa DOT), IowaState University’sDepartment of Civiland ConstructionEngineering, andCTRE, where thePCC center is housed.
Why Iowa?In the heart of the PCC pavement indus-try, the PCC center will take advantage ofIowa’s unique combination of resources:
• a PCC manufacturing and constructionindustry that strongly supports re-search, innovation, engineering educa-tion, and technical training;
• the Iowa DOT’s nationally recognizedpavement engineers and researchers, 40years of pavement data and a maturestatewide pavement managementprogram, and a century of leadership inpavement research and tech transfer(including the conduct of more than165 PCC pavement–related researchprojects);
New PCC center administered through CTRE
• a stellar statewide network of communitycolleges that will form the foundation fortechnical training in PCC pavementdesign and technology;
• a statewide fiber optic network linked todistance education facilities at all com-munity colleges and many high schoolsthroughout the state; and
• a central geographic location with a widerange of climatic conditions for testingPCC pavements.
In addition, Iowa State University offers
• one of the premier civil engineeringprograms in thecountry with40 facultymembers,many of whomare renownedfor theirpavement-related scholar-ship;
• advancedtesting labora-tories in
materials, soils, and structures, as well asstate-of-the-art computer labs and a newvirtual reality lab;
• technology transfer facilities and pro-grams through engineering extensionand Iowa’s Local Technical AssistanceProgram; and
• state-of-the-art training facilities andexpert researchers and staff at CTRE.
Focus on training/partneringThe vision of the PCC center is to becomean internationally recognized resource andleader for research, education, and tech-nology transfer in PCC pavement technol-ogy. Training programs will be conductedlocally, regionally, and nationally via
Iowa’s “PCC manufac-turing and construc-tion industry . . .strongly supportsresearch, innovation,engineering educa-tion, and technicaltraining.”
The mission of the Center for PortlandCement Concrete Pavement Technology
is to advance the state of the art ofportland cement concrete pavementtechnology. The center will focus onimproving design, materials science,
construction, and maintenance in orderto produce a durable, cost-effective,
sustainable pavement.
PCC CENTER CONTINUES ON PAGE 6
JULY 2000
6 CTRE en route
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
hands-on training, videoconferences, andthe Internet.
Training will focus on the following areas:
• exploiting existing outreach resources atIowa State University and the IowaDOT—facilities, instructors, materials,and electronic and digital media;
• compiling PCC training and technologytransfer reference materials;
• developing curricula for high-prioritytraining;
• publishing a quarterly PCC pavementtechnology newsletter;
• publishing training materials on thecenter’s web site; and
• serving as the PCC pavement technologyclearinghouse.
One of the PCC center’s primary directivesis to work in teams and partner withlaboratories, centers, institutions, andagencies on projects of common interest.Working with its advisory board, the PCCcenter will seek sustainable support withinand outside Iowa. Staff will work withfoundations and organizations to identifypotential future partners and fundingsources and to help develop an under-standing of research, technology, andtraining priorities.
Want to know more?For more information contact the directorof the PCC center, Dale Harrington,515-294-8103, [email protected]. •
The PCC center has access to a wealth of resources (like the low-vacuumelectron scanning microscope, left) at research laboratories at the IowaDepartment of Transportation, Iowa State University, and CTRE, all withina three-mile radius.
PCC CENTER CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5
JULY 2000
7 CTRE en route
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
CTRE’s new videoconference room andcomputer classroom are getting a work-out. In addition to being used for CTRE’straining programs, the facilities areavailable to CTRE’s partners, including theIowa Department of Transportation, Iowa’scity and county transportation agencies,and transportation-related associations, aswell as Iowa State University centers,institutes, and departments and IowaState’s Research Park.
Videoconference (VC) roomThe VC room enhances CTRE’s ability toconduct long-distance training andmeetings. It can be connected to morethan 400 Iowa facilities, as well as to sitesaround the world via private networkslike Sprint and AT&T, and to the IowaDepartment of Transportation’s videonetwork and the Iowa CommunicationsNetwork, Iowa’s fiber-optic system.Broadcasting at least 15 frames persecond, the facility gives the impression offull-motion video.
The Iowa DOT has used the VC room toconduct several weeks of “CoolCareers”training —the department’s education andtraining program for engineering techni-cians—for students on site and at remotelocations. CTRE’s partners are using thefacility to involve people at distant loca-tions in “face-to-face” meetings andworkshops, saving travel costs and timeand enhancing convenience.
Computer classroomWith large, comfortable seating arrange-ments for up to 40 students, CTRE’scomputer classroom provides a conve-nient facility for hands-on training.Trainers can install their own software andconfigure the computers to meet theirtraining needs, while trainees can cometogether to share experiences with soft-ware and to network about softwareapplications.
In its first year, the room has hosteddozens of classes on topics such as
• computer-aided design
• geomedia
• pavement management system
• hydraulic design of culverts
• intelligent transportation systems
For more information about thevideoconference room or computertraining laboratory, contact TraciStewart, secretary, 515-294-8103,[email protected]. •
CTRE facilities promote training, communication
Movable tablesin the videoconference room (right)
accommodate a variety of roomarrangements for meetings and
distance training events.
CTRE’s computer classroom(right and immediately above)
accommodates up to 40students.
JULY 2000
8 CTRE en route
STUDENT ACTIVITIES
Two CTRE research assistants recentlywere honored with fellowships in trans-portation education.
2000 Dwight David Eisenhower FellowRichard Storm continues a CTRE tradi-tion—since 1996, at least one CTREresearch assistant has won an Eisenhowerfellowship each year. Only 25 studentsacross the nation receive this awardannually; the program is administered bythe US Department of Transportation.
The fellowship will provide Richard witha monthly stipend along with tuition andschool expenses for up to two years. Hecurrently is pursuing a Master of Sciencedegree in civil engineering at Iowa State,having earned his Bachelor of Sciencedegree here in 1999. Richard’s researchinterests lie in the transportation model-ing area.
CTRE also is pleased to announce thatEric Padget was one of only 20 studentsnationally who were honored this yearwith an Eno Fellowship, an awardsponsored by the Eno TransportationFellows Leadership Development Pro-gram and meant “to develop a cadre ofcompetent, motivated people who arecapable and willing to assume leadershiproles in tomorrow’s transportationindustry.” Each year’s recipients attend afive-day transportation conference inWashington, DC, where they interactwith policy officials in transportation.
Eric received his Bachelor of Sciencedegree in community and regionalplanning from Iowa State and soon willgraduate with a Master of Science degreein transportation with an emphasis intransportation planning and economics.He currently works on the MissouriDepartment of Transportation’s accessmanagement project and a pilot study ofsport utility vehicle speeds and safety onwinter roadways. •
CTRE research assistant Jerry Rocherecently was honored with the AmericanTraffic Safety Services Foundation Mid-Career Scholarship, an award that supportsa federal, state, or local agency staffmember’s education in the transportationfield. Jerry was the sole recipient of theaward this year, and he received almost$8,000 to support four semesters ofcoursework. Having received a Bachelor ofScience degree from Iowa State Universityin 1999, he currently is pursuing a master’sdegree in civil engineering with an empha-sis in transportation.
The award comes in response to Jerry’swork with the Iowa Traffic Safety DataService (ITSDS), a program that synthesizesinformation from several Iowa Departmentof Transportation traffic safety and geo-graphic information systems tools in orderto generate reports, tables, and maps abouta jurisdiction’s crash statistics. ITSDS issponsored by the Iowa Governor’s TrafficSafety Bureau and is administered byCTRE.
“It’s a tremendous honor to receive thisaward,” Jerry says. “It helps promote trafficsafety as well as helps pay for the risingcosts of a college education.” •
New Eisenhower and Enofellows at CTRE
Student wins trafficsafety award
Richard Storm
Eric Padget
Jerry Roche (at the ITSDS service desk)
JULY 2000
9 CTRE en route
STUDENT ACTIVITIES
The Transportation Student Association(TSA) “provides an opportunity forstudents from all facets of transportationto come together and take a cooperativelook at the issues facing today’s transpor-tation professionals,” says JerryShadewald, TSA’s past president and agraduate student in civil engineering.
TSA was formed at Iowa State Universityin 1997 as a joint organization composedof Iowa State’s student chapters of theInstitute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)and the Intelligent Transportation Societyof America (ITS-A). TSA provides aunique venue for these two groups tobuild on their common interests and goalsinstead of competing for members, funds,and sponsors.
“As far as we know, ISU is one of only afew organizations to combine ITE andITS-A,” says Karen Giese, a foundingmember and former president of TSA.
TSA’s initial membership consisted mostlyof student research assistants working atCTRE. CTRE supported the fledglingorganization by providing funding foractivities, program advice, and administra-tive support.
Since that first year, TSA has taken on alife of its own. Its membership hasdoubled to 30 and now includes under-graduate and graduate students from IowaState’s Departments of Community andRegional Planning in the College ofDesign; Civil and Construction Engineer-ing in the College of Engineering; andLogistics, Operations and Management inthe College of Business. The group is nowself-sustaining, raising over $3,500 in1999, says Giese.
Each year TSA offers its members moreopportunities for professional develop-ment and growth. Activities this past yearincluded the following:
The Institute of Transportation Engineers(ITE) recently named Iowa StateUniversity’s Transportation Student Asso-ciation (TSA) the District 4 OutstandingStudent Chapter. The district includesuniversities from 11 Midwestern states.
TSA acts as a parent organization for IowaState’s student chapters of ITE and theIntelligent Transportation Society ofAmerica (ITS-A); see the article about TSAon this page.
Applicants for the District 4 award wereassessed according to chapter activities (60percent), relations with other ITE organiza-tions (25 percent), and organizationalstructure (15 percent). TSA submitted its1999–2000 annual report for consider-ation, a document that already has provedits mettle—it won the chapter the MissouriValley ITE outstanding chapter award and$400 cash prize.
In its report, the TSA chronicled a varietyof activities including its recruitmentefforts, community service activities, andsocial events, all of which demonstrate thegrowing strength of the association andcommitment to transportation engineering.Of special mention was TSA’s hostingduties at Iowa State’s first TransportationCareer Days event in fall 1999, wherestudents had the opportunity to meet andinterview with transportation companiesfrom the Midwest.
This honor comes only three years after thefounding of the Iowa State chapter, whichnow will submit its annual report tocompete for the national student chapteraward against chapters at the likes of TexasA&M, Purdue University, and PennsylvaniaState University.
In preparation for this competition, ISUTSA president Jerry Roche suggests, “Hopeand pray!” •
CTRE sponsors a uniquestudent organization
Iowa State’s TSA namedoutstanding student chapter
TSA CONTINUES ON PAGE 10
JULY 2000
10 CTRE en route
STUDENT ACTIVITIES / NEW STAFF
Figure 2
• A trip to the Transportation ResearchBoard in Washington, DC. The 16students who attended, says Shadewald,received “invaluable knowledge of workon the cutting edge of transportationresearch.”
• The First Annual TSA Career Days.Five firms from Omaha to Chicagoparticipated in the fair, with approxi-mately 30 students attending.
• A trip to Chicago to tour both the Metratransit system and the Illinois Depart-ment of Transportation.
• TSA business meetings, with presenta-tions from regional and nationaltransportation professionals. Approxi-mately 20–30 students attended eachmeeting. “Several additional firms haveexpressed interest in participating infuture TSA meetings,” says Shadewald.
• Community service. During Iowa State’sannual VEISHEA celebration, 12 TSAmembers helped young children learnabout traffic signs and safety. Fivestudents volunteered for Story CountyHabitat for Humanity, a nonprofitorganization that builds housing forlow-income families.
• Recreational activities. Students partici-pated in a TSA-sponsored golf outing, acanoe trip, and an evening at a local skihill.
Although CTRE continues to support TSAby providing advisors and meeting space,the future direction of the organization isfirmly in the hands of TSA members.
“TSA has been growing since its inceptionin 1997 and is poised for continuedgrowth in the years to come,” saysShadewald. “By bringing together a widerange of students and transportationprofessionals, we will continue to advancethe transportation industry both in Iowaand beyond.” •
TSA CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9
Mark Anderson-Wilk joins CTRE’spublications group as a writer and editor.Mark comes from the University ofChicago Press, where he was an editor atthe Astronomical Journal. His specializationhas been in editing technical and scien-tific manuscripts. He earned his MAdegree in English at the University ofMinnesota. Mark will be writing articlesfor various publications and editingreports and software manuals.
Randy Boeckenstedt is CTRE’s newesttransportation research specialist, focus-ing on asset management and transporta-tion policy. He’ll be working with DavidPlazak and the Midwest TransportationConsortium, the US Department ofTransportation’s University TransportationCenter for region 7. Randy earned abachelor’s degree in manufacturingtechnology/mechanical design and anMBA from the University of NorthernIowa (UNI). He worked at UNI for severalyears, first as the business manager for theMetal Casting Center and then as theprogram manager for the Ag-BasedIndustrial Lubricants Research Program.
Mahmoud Halfawy is a post-doctoralresearch associate at CTRE working withTerry Wipf. His work focuses on struc-tural analysis of bridge structures andsoftware development of integrated bridgeCAD systems. He’ll be assisting in anumber of research projects in collabora-tion with the Iowa Department of Trans-portation to assess and evaluate thestructural performance of existing bridges(e.g., using load testing techniques).Mahmoud has a PhD in civil engineeringfrom Ohio State University. Before comingto CTRE he worked as a software engineerat Engineering Animation, Inc., in Ames,Iowa, developing object-oriented CADsystems for industrial facility layout anddesign. Before that he worked as anengineering scientist at EMH&T, Inc., inColumbus, Ohio, where his work focused
New faces at CTRE
Mark Anderson-Wilk
Randy Boeckenstedt
Mahmoud Halfawy
JULY 2000
11 CTRE en route
NEW STAFF
on the development of GIS for sanitary/storm water sewers evaluation andsimulation.
Shauna Hallmark comes to CTRE fromGeorgia where she recently completed aPhD in civil engineering at the GeorgiaInstitute of Technology. At CTRE she’ll beworking as a transportation engineer,applying her expertise in traffic engineer-ing and air quality modeling to a varietyof projects. She will be involved with theNational Consortium on Remote Sensingin Transportation—Infrastructure and willwork on emergency response informationservice projects. Shauna also holds ahalftime appointment as an assistantprofessor in Iowa State’s Department ofCivil and Construction Engineering.
Dale Harrington is the director of theCTRE’s new Center for Portland CementConcrete Pavement Technology. Afterearning a degree in applied science inconstruction technology from Iowa StateUniversity in 1964, Dale worked for theUS Naval Civil Engineering Laboratory inCalifornia for three years. He then re-turned to Iowa, earning his professionalengineering registration in 1971. Dale wasthe principal chief engineer for theCentral Iowa Regional Association ofLocal Governments (now the Des MoinesArea Metropolitan Planning Organization)in the mid-1970s. From 1975 to 1988 hewas assistant Polk County (Iowa) engi-neer. For the last 12 years, he has beenproject director and a partner for Snyder& Associates, Inc., in Ankeny, Iowa. Aftersuch a varied career, what challenges wereleft? A chance to work in academia, Dalesays. He looks forward to developingresearch programs and providing trainingand technology transfer opportunities tostate and local governments and privatecontractors.
Gary Thomas joins CTRE as a transporta-tion engineer, and Iowa State’s Civil and
Construction Engineering Department asan assistant professor. At CTRE he con-ducts research in traffic engineering andtraffic safety, and at Iowa State he teachescourses in traffic safety and traffic opera-tions and engineering. Gary is also theeducation program coordinator for theMidwest Transportation Consortium, theUS Department of Transportation Univer-sity Transportation Center for region 7,which is administered at CTRE. Originallyfrom Wisconsin, Gary returns to theMidwest after 10 years studying andworking in Arizona. He has a PhD in civilengineering with an emphasis in transpor-tation from Arizona State University. Beforecoming to CTRE he was the city trafficengineer for Gilbert, Arizona, a city of100,000 people in the Phoenix metropoli-tan area. He also worked as a transporta-tion engineer/consultant for several years inPhoenix.
Terry Wipf joins CTRE as the associatedirector for bridges and structures. Terryhas been a professor in Iowa State’s Depart-ment of Civil and Construction Engineer-ing for 17 years; he will continue with ahalftime appointment in that capacity.Terry is also the manager of Iowa State’sBridge Engineering Center. By restructur-ing his time, Terry will concentrate onsponsored bridge research through CTRE’sDivision of Bridges and Structures. Thegoals of the division are to continue toprovide bridge research and trainingservices to the Iowa Department of Trans-portation (Iowa DOT) and to be a leader atthe national level in bridge engineering.Together with Mahmoud Halfawy, Terry isworking on several Iowa DOT projects,including one to refine the testing of bridgeload limits. Terry earned his PhD inmechanics and energetics from the Univer-sity of Nebraska–Lincoln and previouslyserved as a bridge engineer for three and ahalf years with HNTB. •
Terry Wipf
Gary Thomas
Dale Harrington
Shauna Hallmark
P 486-1024
Center for TransportationResearch and EducationIowa State University Research Park2901 S. Loop Drive, Suite 3100Ames, IA 50010-8632
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JULY 2000
12 CTRE en route
EVENTS
During Transportation Week 2000, CTRE sponsored itsthird biennial regional research conference: the Mid-Continent Transportation Symposium 2000. Cosponsorswere the Iowa Department of Transportation and theMidwest Transportation Consortium. For the first time,the Missouri Valley section of the Institute of Transporta-tion Engineers (MOVITE) was also a cosponsor, and thesymposium served as MOVITE’s spring 2000 conference.
More than 300 participants attended their selections ofmore than 80 technical presentations offered in concurrentsessions during the two-day event. Plenary speaker RobertSkinner, executive director of the Transportation ResearchBoard, shared his vision of the future of transportation andtransportation-related research. Other special guest speak-ers were Charles Nemmers, director of the TransportationInfrastructure Center at the University of Missouri–
Columbia, and Francis “Frank” B.Francois, former executive director ofthe American Association of StateHighway and Transportation Officials.
Four Awards for Excellence in Transpor-tation were presented at the symposiumbanquet: Richard Drake, State Senator;David Forkenbrock, Professor, PublicPolicy Center, The University of Iowa;Robert Given, Associate Engineer, IowaConcrete Paving Association; and JerryWelter, State Representative. Theserecipients were honored based on theirlifelong contributions to transportationresearch and/or transportation practicein the state of Iowa. •
Biennial research conference draws 300-plus
Robert Skinner, executive director of the Transportation Research Board (right foreground), and CTREstaff and board members listen to discussion during CTRE’s advisory board meeting, part of the eventsduring the Mid-Continent Transportation Symposium 2000.
