Performance Assessment of Secondary-Roadway Infrastructure in Iowa after 2011 Missouri River Flooding

The infiltration of water from precipitation through the hot mix asphalt layers in flexible pavements can lead to significant decrease in the moduli of the underlying layers, especially the base layer. As a result, the weakened pavement structure can suffer more damage and deteriorate faster compared with the same pavement under its normal condition. The objective of this study is to develop a framework that can lead to public-domain software that highway agencies can use on a regular basis to conduct a rigorous analysis of the moisture-related structural damage in flexible pavements. A framework of a numerical analysis that integrates the unsaturated hydraulic analysis with finite element structural performance has been developed using two open-source software packages. The framework has been applied to different pavement structures with different drainage systems. Analyses show a significantly longer period of time when the base layer experiences high degrees of saturation in a pavement with poor drainage compared with that for a pavement with proper drainage. Consequently, it is demonstrated that the pavements weakened because of moisture infiltration suffer a significantly higher amount of damage for a longer period of time under traffic, and thus experience shorter service lives. The proposed framework can be potentially used to evaluate and improve the resilience of pavement networks against extreme events that cause heavy precipitation, as well as to evaluate the impact of drainage structures and conditions on life during structural analysis and design of pavements.

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Framework for Rigorous Analysis of Moisture-Related Structural Damage in Flexible Pavements

Asadi

Kottayi

Tirado

et al. 2019

“…Flooding in Iowa in 2011 was triggered by three main factors: melting of above normal snowpack in plains from March to April 2011, melting of above normal snowpack in mountains from May to July 2011, and heavy rainfall in the upper Missouri river basin from March to October 2011 ( 19 ). Due to the cumulative effect of these three factors, the average runoff was about 246% of the normal runoff for the state.…”

Section: Impact Of Extreme Events On Transportation Infrastructure In Iowamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A systematic study of damage to transportation infrastructure caused by flooding events was carried out after the 2011 flood in Iowa ( 19 ). The study consisted of visual observations and field tests.…”

Section: Impact Of Extreme Events On Transportation Infrastructure In Iowamentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of Extreme Events on Transportation Infrastructure in Iowa: A Bayesian Network Approach

Kulkarni

Shafei

2018

Iowa’s roadway network is an important part of the state’s transportation infrastructure and plays a critical role in the functionality and economic development of the entire state. This network primarily consists of three interstate highways that pass through Iowa, connecting it to the neighboring states and eventually Canada. Various businesses are located near this roadway network and rely on it for everyday operation. In recent years, however, the growth of agricultural and biofuel industries has intensified the demand on the roads and bridges in Iowa. The state’s roads and bridges have also witnessed a number of flooding events, which have caused extensive traffic disruptions and economic losses. Thus, it is imperative to develop a fundamental approach to evaluate the impact of extreme events on the transportation infrastructure of Iowa and other similar states. Towards this goal, the current study investigates the existing condition of Iowa’s transportation infrastructure, possibility of occurrence of extreme weather events, and scenarios that may lead to the failure of transportation infrastructure components. For this purpose, the capabilities of Bayesian belief networks are utilized to quantify the effects of extreme precipitation and extreme temperature on the performance of transportation infrastructure and then predict the probability of damage to roads and bridges. This will be achieved through the identification of the most influential factors using a set of sensitivity analyses, assessment of overall vulnerability with evidence-based propagation analyses, and quantification of response to extreme weather events, taking into consideration climate projections.

“…Considerable research has been conducted in recent years to evaluate the impacts of inundation on pavement functional and structural conditions ( 9 – 14 ). Yet, limited studies quantified how the change in pavement conditions affect the long-term pavement performance (in relation to reduction in the pavement service life [PSL]) and pavement life-cycle costs.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of the Great Flood of 2016 on the Asphaltic Concrete Road Infrastructure in Louisiana

Elseifi

Mousa

Gaspard³

2022

Extreme weather events, including inundation, are the major causes of weather-related disruption to the transportation sector. Considerable research has been conducted in recent years to evaluate the impacts of inundation on pavement functional and structural conditions. Yet, limited studies quantified how inundation may affect the long-term pavement performance and pavement life-cycle costs. As such, the main objective of this study was to quantify the impact of the 2016 inundation event in Louisiana, U.S., on the long-term pavement performance (in relation to reduction in the pavement service life [PSL]) and on pavement life-cycle costs. To achieve this objective, a total of 10 inundated pavement sections were evaluated. Pavement conditions, fatigue, and rutting indices for these sections were analyzed over a monitoring period of up to 15 years (11 years before and 4 years after inundation). Results indicated that the 2016 inundation event reduced the PSL of the inundated sections to an extent that depended on their pre-flooding pavement condition, traffic level, and asphalt concrete thickness. This reduction was attributed to the accelerated fatigue, rutting damage, or both, that resulted from prolonged water submergence and heavy traffic loading during debris hauling that took place after the inundation event. A logistic regression model with adequate accuracy was developed to predict whether an inundated pavement would experience reduction in its PSL based on the project conditions. The study findings were incorporated into a simple tool to assist transportation agencies make effective decisions for the maintenance and rehabilitation of inundated pavements.