Contents |
Employee Safety
Driver Protection
Autonomous Shadow Vehicle Project
Heller, Mallon, Joan Al-Kazily, Jean-Pierre Bayard, Mike Cooke, Mahesh Nagarajaiah, Nalini Anekonda, and Jesus Castro, "Autonomous Shadow Vehicle Project: Phase I", UCD-ARR-94-08-15-01, 135 pp, August, 1994.
Abstract — The subject of this report is the research performed to determine the feasibility of designing and constructing a prototype autonomous Shadow Vehicle that follows a Lead Maintenance Vehicle for use in highway maintenance operations to protect highway maintenance personnel from injury by highspeed highway vehicles. An autonomous Shadow Vehicle is driverless and follows a Lead Maintenance Vehcile. Hence, personnel who would normally be driving a Shadow Vehicle are removed from potential danger and injury. Furthermore, highway maintenance productivity is increased. The research results presented are: (1) the identification of current Shadow Operations and the highway geometric parameters and operational characteristics that must be considered by the tracking systems of an autonomous Shadow Vehicle, (2) the identification of current Shadow Operations in which an autonomous Shadow Vehicle could be used, (3) comparison and evaluation of technologies that potentially could be used for designing a tracking system(s) for an autonomous Shadow Vehicle, (4) a conceptual desing of an Antenna Array Tracking Systems, a Relative GPS Tracking System, and a Machine Vision Tracking System, (5) the design and simulation of control systems to control the steering, throttle, and brake actuators of an autonomous Shadow Vehicle, and (6) a Tracking System recommendation that proposes the use of the Antenna, GPS, and Vision tracking systems for redundancy and safety of operation.
Work Zone Protection
Barriers
Balsi Beam Cost-Benefit Analysis
Click here for full report in pdf format: UCD_ARR_08_09_30_01.pdf .
Mary C. Arico, Bahram Ravani, "A Risk Assessment and Cost Benefit Analysis for the Balsi Beam Mobile Work Zone Crash Protection System", UCD-ARR-08-09-30-01, 63 pp, June 2009.
Project Overview
The Balsi Beam Crash Protection System has been developed by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to provide positive protection for the highway workers working adjacent to on-going traffic in highway work zones. The system was developed as a mobile work zone protection device to protect Caltrans employees working on highway pavements during highway maintenance operations. It was originally designed by Ms. Angela Wheeler of the Division of Maintenance using research data from Mr. Gary Gauthier of the Division of Research and Innovation.
The Balsi Beam is an innovative concept that allows for rapid deployment of a guardrail type device to provide positive protection for workers within a lane closure. One unit of this system is in use as a form of on-site evaluation. Limited crash testing was performed on the system demonstrating its effectiveness. There was, however, a need for further studies evaluating this system and understanding its safety potential, as well as work zone types that would fully benefit from these safety improvements. In particular, there is a need for a proper risk assessment and safety benefit analysis study for this innovative concept.
The purpose of this work is to perform such an analysis of risks and the potential safety benefits of the Balsi Beam system for working and mobility safety enhancements and improvements. The scope of the work is limited to a paper study involving development of quantitative and qualitative models for such an assessment and a cost benefit analysis. The aim is to develop injury cost models for work zone safety evaluation, and to develop an understanding and prioritization of highway maintenance projects that would receive the most benefit from the Balsi Beam system.
Mobile Safety Barriers
Click here for full report in pdf format: UCD_ARR_09_02_28_01.pdf
George Burkett, Vue Her, Steven A. Velinsky, "Development of New Kinds of Mobile Safety Barriers", UCD-ARR-09-02-28-01, 34 pp, February 28, 2009.
Abstract — This document reports on two studies supported under the task order. The first part of the report discusses the status of intrusion alarms for work zones. An intrusion alarm detects when a vehicle breaches the work zone and alerts people in the proximate area. The main selling point is to capitalize on being rapidly deployed, while providing advance warning to the workers when a vehicle penetrates the work zone. These devices have an audible alarm (typically 130-120 db) to notify workers and the general public when a work zone breach has occurred.
While the concept of an intrusion alarm seems promising, there are many limitations to these systems which make them generally impractical. Additionally, based on the fact that many companies have looked into intrusion alarms and that only one company has an active product line suggests that current systems have significant limitations both from their technical implementation as well as worker acceptance.
Additionally, this report covers the finite element crash test simulations on the low-profile barrier to determine the geometry that had the least permanent deflections and best met construction feasibility. The simulations were completed under the guidelines of test level 2 of the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 350. Prior to the crash test simulations, a foundation had to be designed. A 2-dimensional finite element parametric study of various cross-sections for the foundation was studied and one as selected because of its simpler constructability and ability to resist impacts. There were two crash test case studies. The first case tested the maximum permanent deflections (installed in weak soil) whereas the second case tested the barrier structure (installed in rigid soil). The study concluded that both the weak and rigid soil simulations were within acceptable limits.
Toolbox for Temporary Barriers
Click here for full report in pdf format: FinalReportTempBarriers_080821.pdf
Cristopher Lohse, Duane A. Bennett, Steven A. Velinsky, "Temporary Barrier Usage in Work Zones", UCD-ARR-07-06-30-01, 55 pp, June 30, 2007.
Abstract — The objective of this document is to report on the creation of a toolbox of safety barriers in order to help Caltrans more easily develop their work zone designs. The current work zone designers lack a comprehensive set of guidelines for proper design of safety barriers that are used to protect work zones. They rely on previous work zone designs and barrier deployment history in order to develop their work zone designs. By using existing information from the Federal Highway Administration, new guidelines were created for the deployment of barriers in work zones. A web based version of the toolbox of safety barriers was developed as an example of how the toolbox could be implemented throughout Caltrans statewide.
There are currently many new and innovative barriers that have been developed in Europe and tested under the European testing standard EN 1317. These barriers are not tested to the required standard for the United States, NCHRP 350. In order to help facilitate the use of European technology in the United States, a correlation was developed to use test results from EN 1317 tests to estimate the results from NCHPR 350 test 3-11.
A two-dimensional dynamic model was created to simulate a NCHRP 350 crash test. The model was based on a crash test that was already performed to correlate the deflection and exit angle of the vehicle. The model did not accurately predict the results from the actual crash test, but it can still be used to determine the qualitative aspects of a vehicle impact. This model can be used to help analyze the new concepts that AHMCT will develop during the project for conceptualizing new mobile barrier designs.
Cone Placement and Retrieval
Assessmemt of Cone Placement Methods
Click here for report in pdf format: UCD_ARR_94_10_30_01.pdf
Wilderich A. White, James P. Siacunco, Peter K. Tseng, Joseph S. Spano, Duane A. Bennett, Steven A. Velinsky, "Assessmemt of Cone Placement Methods and the Development of Automated Machine Specifications and an Integrated System Concept", UCD-ARR-94-10-30-01, 43pp, October 30, 1994.
This document reports on the development of the Automated Cone Machine at the Advanced Highway Maintenance and Construction Technology (AHMCT) Center at the University of California, Davis. This application of automation has the primary objective of improving the level of safety of the traffic cone laying operation by reducing worker exposure to traffic.
Development of a Prototype Automated Cone Machine
Click here for full report in pdf format: UCD_ARR_99_06_30_07.pdf
Michael B. Cline, Cornelis J. Belltawn, John B. Mcleod, Wilderich A. White, Steven A. Velinsky, "Development of a Prototype Automated Cone Machine and a High Capacity Storage System", UCD-ARR-99-06-30-07, 188 pp, June 30, 1999.
This report describes continuing development of automated equipment for deploying and retrieving traffic cones. In this phase of the project, AHMCT has created a fully functional automated cone machine prototype which is being used in tests and demonstrations on the highways of California.
Multistack Automated Cone Machine
Click here for full report in pdf format: UCD_ARR_04_06_30_01.pdf
Young-Chul Lee, Widerich A. White, Steven A. Velinsky, "Integration and Testing of a Multistack Automated Cone Machine", UCD-ARR-04-06-30-01, 111 pp, June 30, 2004.
The Advanced Highway Maintenance and Construction Technology (AHMCT) Research Center has been developing robotic equipment and machinery for highway maintenance and construction operations. It is a cooperative venture between the University of California at Davis and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans). The research and development projects have the goal of increasing safety and efficiency of roadwork operations through the appropriate application of automation solutions. This report describes the continuing development of automated equipment for deploying and retrieving traffic cones.
In this latest phase of the project, the center has continued the development of the automated cone machine (ACM) through further testing and development of the first generation integrated prototype ACM and the design and fabrication of an integrated Multi-stack ACM developed to maximize the number of cones carried by the automated cone machine. Included in this report is the development of an improved control system for the retrieval arm which is a critical component used to pick up the traffic cone off the road. A first generation ACM prototype (ACM 1) is being used in tests and demonstrations on the highways of California. Operators using ACM 1 can place and retrieve cones without any set up and control the machine from within the confines of the cab. These machines can easily be run by a single operator and are very compatible with the process of closing a lane. The ACM 1 design was integrated into the existing Caltrans manual cone body truck and was limited to two stacks of 40 cones each. The new ACM multistack is designed to carry six stacks of 50 cones for a total of 300 cones. These machines are unambiguous demonstrations of the successful application of automation in a very demanding environment. This development work and the continued support of commercialization at AHMCT support the Caltrans goal of making these machines available to the maintenance operations.
Hazardous Spill
Sample Retriever System (HSSR)
Hoff, Philip, "Hazardous Spill Sample Retriever System (HSSR)", UCD-ARR-93-01-31-01, 77 pp, January, 1993.
Abstract — A Hazardous Spill Sample Retriever System (HSSR), dispatched to a spill site, consists of the control van and the small Hazardous Spill Pickup Vehicles (Hazzy Vehicles). The lightweight Hazzy vehicles are carried to a safe point near a spill site and used, under remote control, to pick up samples of possible hazardous material, which are safely brought back to the HSSR van. The Hazzy vehicles are equipped with television cameras, to monitor activities at the site and transmit back to the control van, which contains two video receivers, a television set, a video cassette recorder and the remote control equipment for Hazzy control. This report states and describes the electrical and mechanical equipment which comprise the HSSR.
Teleoperated Hazmat Laboratory
Demsetz, Laura A., "Improved Response to Hazardous Spills: Conceptual Design of the Teleoperated Hazmat Laboratory", UCD-ARR-93-06-30-01, 53 pp, August, 1995.
Abstract — Spills of hazardous materials expose emergency response personnel and the public to the risk of explosion, fire, and contamination. This report investigates the use of automation and remote control to reduce response time and improve safety in the identification phase of highway spill response. Currently available technologies for identification are reviewed. A survey of Caltrans Hazardous Materials Specialists was undertaken to assess the usefulness of improved identification technology; results indicate that automated or remotely controlled systems with a cost of $5,000 to $10,000 would be attractive to Caltrans districts. A variety of conceptual approaches to improved identification technology are presented. Three of these (two versions of a remotely controlled laboratory and a prepackaged set of test cells) warrant further investigation by Caltrans. Two other approaches (a fully automated laboratory and test strips capable of detecting commonly spilled materials) are promising, but require substantial research and development investment.
Worker Protection
HANDL — Development of Human-Assist Device for Lifting
Click here for full report in pdf format: UCD_ARR_04_12_31_01.pdf
Development of a Human-Assist Non-Stationary Device for Lifting
Danny V. Lee, Young Chul Lee, Shujun Lu, Duane A. Bennett, Steven A. Velinsky, Jae H. Chung. AHMCT Research Report UCD-ARR-04-12-31-01, 87 pp, February 1, 2006.
The Advanced Highway Maintenance and Construction Technology (AHMCT) Research Center has been developing robotic equipment and machinery for highway maintenance and construction operations. It is a cooperative venture between the University of California at Davis and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans). The research and development projects have the goal of increasing safety and efficiency of roadwork operations through the appropriate application of automation solutions.
In this report, the development of a human-assist non-stationary device for lifting (HANDL) is presented.
