The Grainger College of Engineering
Illinois Center for Transportation

New ICT-IDOT reports

10/12/2024 McCall Macomber

Illinois Center for Transportation is pleased to announce the publication of reports from the following Illinois Department of Transportation-sponsored projects, in order of publication.

R27-SP66: Anti-Graffiti Protection Systems
Yasser Khodair, Bradley University
Mark Shaffer, Illinois Department of Transportation

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates graffiti removal to cost $12 billion a year nationwide.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates graffiti removal to cost $12 billion a year nationwide.

Anti-graffiti coatings reduce the amount of effort required to remove graffiti on items such as concrete and steel.

This project provided IDOT with an overview of anti-graffiti products and guidance for their use. Researchers reviewed anti-graffiti protection systems as well as surveyed state agencies’ practices and policies.

Effectively selecting anti-graffiti protection systems will provide cost savings by allowing for the quick and easy removal of graffiti from state infrastructure.

R27-232: Utilizing a Particle Packing Approach for an Illinois-specific, Nonproprietary, Low-Shrinkage UHPC
Nishant Garg, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Matthew Gombeda, Illinois Institute of Technology
James Krstulovich and Mark Shaffer, Illinois Department of Transportation

Ultra-high-performance concrete has high compressive strength, high ductility, superior impact resistance and extended service life compared to traditional concrete.
Ultra-high-performance concrete has high compressive strength, high ductility, superior impact resistance and extended service life compared to traditional concrete.

Ultra-high-performance concrete is a class of concrete with extremely high strength and durability properties. This allows it to be used in situations where normal concrete would not be effective, such as situations with tension or high flexure, situations where low permeability is needed or situations where existing conditions prevent the placement of large amounts of concrete.

Researchers developed a mix of ultra-high-performance concrete for IDOT that is primarily sourced using component materials already approved in Illinois. This increases availability and allows it to be more widely used statewide.

Use of ultra-high-performance concrete will allow higher strength and more durable details and repairs to bridges, saving the motoring public time and money due to fewer construction projects as well as bridge repairs.

R27-ALS: Enhanced Capabilities of the Illinois Accelerated Pavement Tester
Greg Renshaw, Imad Al-Qadi and Erwin Kohler, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
John Senger, Illinois Department of Transportation

I-APT while under construction in Rantoul, Illinois, on March 19, 2024.
Photo Credit: Nicholas Morse
I-APT while under construction in Rantoul, Illinois, on March 19, 2024.

This report outlines upgrades made to the Illinois Accelerated Pavement Tester, previously known as the Accelerated Transportation Loading Assembly System.

I-APT is an accelerated pavement testing device that simulates real-life, long-term pavement loading conditions using truck or aircraft loads over a span as short as a few months. Benefits of APT include better predicting pavement performance, optimizing pavement design, validating new roadway technologies and increasing the benefit-cost ratio.

Key upgrades include a newly designed load carriage, which allows for testing with a tandem half-axle, axle yaw, and shear loading (breaking and accelerating).

R27-251: Optimum Traffic Signal Condition Assessment and Strategic Maintenance Planning
Ryan Fries and Yan Qi, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Kenneth Davis and Kyle Armstrong, Illinois Department of Transportation

Over 300,000 traffic signals help control intersections throughout the U.S., according to the Federal Highway Administration. Traffic signals typically consist of three components: a system that coordinates the timing of the traffic signals, equipment such as steel poles, and devices that communicate with sensors that detect vehicles and the system that controls traffic.
Over 300,000 traffic signals help control intersections throughout the U.S., according to the Federal Highway Administration. Traffic signals typically consist of three components: a system that coordinates the timing of the traffic signals, equipment such as steel poles, and devices that communicate with sensors that detect vehicles and the system that controls traffic.

This project collected the latest information for maintaining all components of traffic signals and identified when those components should be replaced. Researchers developed procedures for determining the conditions of existing traffic signal components, established standards for minimum acceptable conditions and determined the proper procedures for maintaining components.

Providing clearer guidance to local and district agencies on when components of traffic signals should be replaced will lead to more efficient use of funds and help ensure signalized intersections are maintained with up-to-date technology when necessary to move traffic safely and efficiently.