Immunization Update, Winter 2013

Monthly newsletter for the Iowa Department of Public Health

The Potential of Friction as a Tool for Winter Maintenance, TR-400, 1998

It is intuitively obvious that snow or ice on a road surface will make that surface more slippery and thus more hazardous. However, quantifying this slipperiness by measuring the friction between the road surface and a vehicle is rather difficult. If such friction readings could be easily made, they might provide a means to control winter maintenance activities more efficiently than at present. This study is a preliminary examination of the possibility of using friction as an operational tool in winter maintenance. In particular, the relationship of friction to traffic volume and speed, and accident rates is examined, and the current lack of knowledge in this area is outlined. The state of the art of friction measuring techniques is reviewed. A series of experiments whereby greater knowledge of how friction deteriorates during a storm and is restored by treatment is proposed. The relationship between plowing forces and the ice-pavement bond strength is discussed. The challenge of integrating all these potential sources of information into a useful final product is presented together with a potential approach. A preliminary cost-benefit analysis of friction measuring devices is performed and suggests that considerable savings might be realized if certain assumptions should hold true. The steps required to bring friction from its current state as a research tool to full deployment as an operational tool are presented and discussed. While much remains to be done in this regard, it is apparent that friction could be an extremely effective operational tool in winter maintenance activities of the future.

The Use of Abrasives in Winter Maintenance, TR-434, 2001

The use of abrasives in winter maintenance is a well-established practice. The sand or other abrasive is intended to increase friction between vehicles and the (often snow or ice covered) pavement. In many agencies (and in many Iowa Counties, the focus of this study) the use of sand is a standard part of winter maintenance. Yet very little information exists on the value of sanding as a winter maintenance procedure. Some studies suggest that friction gains from sanding are minimal. In addition, there are increasing environmental concerns about sanding. These concerns focus on air quality and stormwater quality issues. This report reviews the state of the practice of abrasive usage in Iowa Counties, and classifies that usage according to its effectiveness. Possible changes in practice (with respect to abrasive usage) are presented and discussed.

Iowa fish and wildlife news, Special Winter Issue [1999]

This DNR periodical contains current information on Iowa Fish and Wildlife Management.

The White Cane Magazine, Winter 2013, Vol. 4, no. 1

Quarterly newsletter produced by the Iowa Department of Blind, about the information and activities that are on going in the department.

Iowa Militiaman, Winter 2004

The Iowa Militiaman is an unofficial publication authorized under the provisions of AR 360-81. It is published by the 135th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, Camp Dodge, Johnston, Iowa 50131, and is printed four times annually. The news and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Adjutant General of Iowa, or the Department of the Army.

Iowa Militiaman, Winter 2008

The Iowa Militiaman is an unofficial publication authorized under the provisions of AR 360-81. It is published by the 135th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, Camp Dodge, Johnston, Iowa 50131, and is printed four times annually. The news and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Adjutant General of Iowa, or the Department of the Army.

Iowa Militiaman, Winter 2009

The Iowa Militiaman is an unofficial publication authorized under the provisions of AR 360-81. It is published by the 135th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, Camp Dodge, Johnston, Iowa 50131, and is printed four times annually. The news and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Adjutant General of Iowa, or the Department of the Army.

Iowa Militiaman, Winter 2011

The Iowa Militiaman is an unofficial publication authorized under the provisions of AR 360-81. It is published by the 135th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, Camp Dodge, Johnston, Iowa 50131, and is printed four times annually. The news and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Adjutant General of Iowa, or the Department of the Army.

Iowa Militiaman, Winter 2012

The Iowa Militiaman is an unofficial publication authorized under the provisions of AR 360-81. It is published by the 135th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, Camp Dodge, Johnston, Iowa 50131, and is printed four times annually. The news and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Adjutant General of Iowa, or the Department of the Army.

Iowa 2008 Summer Storms After Action Report, April 27, 2009

In the summer of 2008, the state of Iowa suffered from a series of severe storms that produced tornadoes and heavy rainfall, which resulted in widespread flooding. The Summer Storms1 lasted from late May through mid-August, with the most intense storms occurring over a month-long period from May 25 to June 25. The Summer Storms exacted a major human and economic toll on Iowa, resulting in 18 fatalities and 106 injuries, forcing the evacuation of approximately 38,000 Iowans, and impacting 21,000 housing units. Iowa’s public and private sectors suffered significant monetary damages. Eighty-six of the ninety-nine counties in the state were included in the Governor’s disaster declarations. Presidential disaster declarations made residents in 84 counties eligible for Public Assistance and 78 counties for Individual Assistance. The Rebuild Iowa Advisory Commission estimated $798.3 million in damages to publicly owned buildings and infrastructure, including damages of $53 million to public transportation and $342 million to public utilities.

Quantifying Uncertainty in Real Time Performance Measurement for Highway Winter Maintenance Operations – Phase 2, RB03-013, 2014

Winter weather in Iowa is often unpredictable and can have an adverse impact on traffic flow. The Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) attempts to lessen the impact of winter weather events on traffic speeds with various proactive maintenance operations. In order to assess the performance of these maintenance operations, it would be beneficial to develop a model for expected speed reduction based on weather variables and normal maintenance schedules. Such a model would allow the Iowa DOT to identify situations in which speed reductions were much greater than or less than would be expected for a given set of storm conditions, and make modifications to improve efficiency and effectiveness. The objective of this work was to predict speed changes relative to baseline speed under normal conditions, based on nominal maintenance schedules and winter weather covariates (snow type, temperature, and wind speed), as measured by roadside weather stations. This allows for an assessment of the impact of winter weather covariates on traffic speed changes, and estimation of the effect of regular maintenance passes. The researchers chose events from Adair County, Iowa and fit a linear model incorporating the covariates mentioned previously. A Bayesian analysis was conducted to estimate the values of the parameters of this model. Specifically, the analysis produces a distribution for the parameter value that represents the impact of maintenance on traffic speeds. The effect of maintenance is not a constant, but rather a value that the researchers have some uncertainty about and this distribution represents what they know about the effects of maintenance. Similarly, examinations of the distributions for the effects of winter weather covariates are possible. Plots of observed and expected traffic speed changes allow a visual assessment of the model fit. Future work involves expanding this model to incorporate many events at multiple locations. This would allow for assessment of the impact of winter weather maintenance across various situations, and eventually identify locations and times in which maintenance could be improved.

CenterLines, Winter 2014

CenterLines for Families, the newsletter of the Center for Disabilities and Development at the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital, is published four times a year. It provides families with current information on child and adult development, issues affecting people with disabilities, and CDD resources available to them and their families.

CenterLines, Winter 2013

CenterLines for Families, the newsletter of the Center for Disabilities and Development at the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital, is published four times a year. It provides families with current information on child and adult development, issues affecting people with disabilities, and CDD resources available to them and their families.

CenterLines, Winter 2012

CenterLines for Families, the newsletter of the Center for Disabilities and Development at the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital, is published four times a year. It provides families with current information on child and adult development, issues affecting people with disabilities, and CDD resources available to them and their families.