Laboratory and Field Testing of an Accelerated Bridge Construction Demonstration Bridge: US Highway 6 Bridge over Keg Creek, RB02-012, 2013

The US Highway 6 Bridge over Keg Creek outside of Council Bluffs, Iowa is a demonstration bridge site chosen to put into practice newly-developed Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) concepts. One of these new concepts is the use of prefabricated high performance concrete (HPC) bridge elements that are connected, in place, utilizing advanced material closure-pours and quick-to-install connection details. The Keg Creek Bridge is the first bridge in the US to utilize moment-resisting ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) joints in negative moment regions over piers. Through laboratory and live load field testing, performance of these transverse joints as well as global bridge behavior is quantified and examined. The effectiveness of the structural performance of the bridge is evaluated to provide guidance for future designs of similar bridges throughout the US.

Iowa Budget Book Fiscal Year 2010

Our FY 2010 General Fund budget is balanced, fiscally conservative, and does not raise sales or income taxes. We have already proposed and signed three balanced state budgets and have demonstrated the leadership to ensure that the current year (FY 2009) budget is balanced in the face of dramatic and quick declines in state revenues last year that occurred as a result of the national recession.

Development of a GPS-Based Sign Inventory Tool for Iowa’s Statewide Management System, May 2011

This report is on state-of-the-art research efforts specific to infrastructure inventory/data collection with sign inventory as a case study. The development of an agency-wide sign inventory is based on feature inventory and location information. Specific to location, a quick and simple location acquisition tool is critical to tying assets to an accurate location-referencing system. This research effort provides a contrast between legacy referencing systems (route and milepost) and global positioning system- (GPS-) based techniques (latitude and longitude) integrated into a geographic information system (GIS) database. A summary comparison of field accuracies using a variety of consumer grade devices is also provided. This research, and the data collection tools developed, are critical in supporting the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) Statewide Sign Management System development effort. For the last two years, a Task Force has embarked on a comprehensive effort to develop a sign management system to improve sign quality, as well as to manage all aspects of signage, from request, ordering, fabricating, installing, maintaining, and ultimately removing, and to provide the ability to budget for these key assets on a statewide basis. This effort supported the development of a sign inventory tool and is the beginning of the development of a sign management system to support the Iowa DOT efforts in the consistent, cost effective, and objective decision making process when it comes to signs and their maintenance.

Iowa Office of Energy Independence Annual Report, 2010

The Office of Energy Independence (Office) is the state agency responsible for setting the strategic direction, directing policy, conducting energy related outreach and administering programs that optimize energy production and efficiency to secure Iowa’s clean energy future. The Office performed its duties as set forth in Iowa Code 469.3(2), managed the Iowa Power Fund and federal U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) grants funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), as well as an annual federal appropriation that supports the Office’s operational costs. As part of the national network for energy security, the Office is responsible for ensuring state emer- gency preparedness and quick recovery and restoration from any energy supply disruptions.

Pieces of Iowa’s Past, March 21, 2012

Pieces of Iowa’s Past, published by the Iowa State Capitol Tour Guides weekly during the legislative session, features historical facts about Iowa, the Capitol, and the early workings of state government. All historical publications are reproduced here with the actual spelling, punctuation, and grammar retained. March 21, 2012 THIS WEEK: Quick Work at Carlisle(From the Indianola Tribune, December 20, 1877) BACKGROUND: Lewis Todhunter was born in Fayette County, Ohio, April 6, 1817. He was admitted to the bar in Highland County, Ohio, in 1848. Todhunter came to Iowa in 1850, settling along the Des Moines River in Polk County, where he was engaged in farming and selling goods. In 1854, he moved to Indianola and began the practice of law, continuing in that profession for more than a quarter of a century. He served as prosecuting attorney, county auditor, treasurer, and mayor of the city. He was a member of the third constitutional convention, which met at Iowa City in 1857, representing Warren, Madison, Adair, and Cass counties in that body and had the honor of assisting in making the first laws of the state. Todhunter served in the army during the Civil War from 1863-1865 as assistant quartermaster with rank of Captain. He is perhaps widest known, however, as a temperance leader and earnest worker. He joined in the Washingtonian movement in 1840 and was active in temperance reformation for the rest of his life.

Iowa Motorcycle Ride Meter, HR-1019, 1980

The Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) through the Highway Division is responsible for the design, construction and maintenance of roadways that will provide a high level of serviceability to the motorist. First, the motorist expects to be able to get where he wants to go, but now he also demands a minimum level of comfort. In the construction of new roadways, the public is quick to express dissatisfaction with rough pavements. The Highway Division of the Iowa DOT (formerly Iowa State Highway Commission) has a specification which requires a "smooth-riding surface". For over 40 years, new portland cement concrete (pcc) pavement has been checked with a 10-foot rolling straightedge. The contractor is required to grind, saw or mill off all high spots that deviate more than 1/8" from the 10-foot straight line. Unfortunately, there are instances where a roadway that will meet the above criteria does not provide a "smooth-riding surface". The roadway may have monger undulations (swales) that result in an undesirable ride. The objective of this project was to develop a repeatable, reliable time stable, lightweight test unit to measure the riding quality of pcc pavement at normal highway speed the day after construction.

Innovative Leak Test for Pavement Joint Seals, Progress Report, HR-318, 1993

Premature failure of concrete pavement contraction joint seals is an ongoing and costly problem for the Iowa Department of Transportation. Several joint seal test sections consisting of variations in sawing methods, joint cleaning techniques, sealant installation, and sealant types have been established over the past few years. Laboratory analysis and field inspections were done as a part of the tests, and core samples were taken for laboratory adhesion pull tests. Such methods often cover specifically small areas and may not expose hidden failures. Some tests are also labor-intensive and destructive, especially that of coring. An innovative, nondestructive, broad coverage joint seal tester that yields quick results has been designed and developed for evaluation of pavement joint seal performance. The Iowa vacuum joint seal tester (IA-VAC) applies a low vacuum above a joint seal that has been spray-covered with a foaming water solution. Any unsealed area or leak that exists along the joint will become quickly and clearly visible by the development of bubbles at the leak point. By analyzing the results from the IA-VAC tests, information on the number and types of leaks can be obtained; such information will help identify the source of the problem and direct efforts toward a solution.

Plastic Air Content versus Hardened Air Content by High Pressure Air Meter, MLR-99-03, 2001

Plastic air content is typically tested by the pressure method, ASTM C138. Loss of air content through the paver has been shown to exceed 2 percent at times. Research has shown that early deterioration of pavements in Iowa may be directly or indirectly related to low or inadequate air content. Hardened air content is typically checked using the linear traverse method, ASTM C457. The linear traverse method is very time consuming and could not be used on a production scale. A quick and effective method of testing in place air content is needed. Research has shown a high degree of correlation with the high-pressure method of determining air content of hardened concrete versus plastic air content in laboratory conditions. This research indicated that air contents are more variable when comparing core results to plastic air content, although the overall average for the air content was comparable. Perhaps, the location of the plastic air content test, obtained from construction records, versus location of the cores was not as accurate as needed.

Summary of Legislation: Iowa General Assembly, 1972

This summary of legislation enacted by the General Assembly has been prepared for the use of legislators and other interested parties. The summary of each legislative enactment has been assigned to a major subject category. This compilation provides interested persons with quick reference to legislation enacted in specific areas and generally informs persons of the contents and effective date of the legislation. NOTE: This is a large file and may take a few minutes to load.

Summary of Legislation: Iowa General Assembly, 1974

This summary of legislation enacted by the General Assembly has been prepared for the use of legislators and other interested parties. The summary of each legislative enactment has been assigned to a major subject category. This compilation provides interested persons with quick reference to legislation enacted in specific areas and generally informs persons of the contents and effective date of the legislation. NOTE: This is a large file and may take a few minutes to load.

Summary of Legislation: Iowa General Assembly, 1969

This summary of legislation enacted by the General Assembly has been prepared for the use of legislators and other interested parties. The summary of each legislative enactment has been assigned to a major subject category. This compilation provides interested persons with quick reference to legislation enacted in specific areas and generally informs persons of the contents and effective date of the legislation. NOTE: This is a large file and may take a few minutes to load.

Summary of Legislation: Iowa General Assembly, 1970

This summary of legislation enacted by the General Assembly has been prepared for the use of legislators and other interested parties. The summary of each legislative enactment has been assigned to a major subject category. This compilation provides interested persons with quick reference to legislation enacted in specific areas and generally informs persons of the contents and effective date of the legislation. NOTE: This is a large file and may take a few minutes to load.

Summary of Legislation: Iowa General Assembly, 1971

This summary of legislation enacted by the General Assembly has been prepared for the use of legislators and other interested parties. The summary of each legislative enactment has been assigned to a major subject category. This compilation provides interested persons with quick reference to legislation enacted in specific areas and generally informs persons of the contents and effective date of the legislation. NOTE: This is a large file and may take a few minutes to load.

Summary of Legislation: Iowa General Assembly, 1973

This summary of legislation enacted by the General Assembly has been prepared for the use of legislators and other interested parties. The summary of each legislative enactment has been assigned to a major subject category. This compilation provides interested persons with quick reference to legislation enacted in specific areas and generally informs persons of the contents and effective date of the legislation. NOTE: This is a large file and may take a few minutes to load.

Summary of Legislation: Iowa General Assembly, 1975

This summary of legislation enacted by the General Assembly has been prepared for the use of legislators and other interested parties. The summary of each legislative enactment has been assigned to a major subject category. This compilation provides interested persons with quick reference to legislation enacted in specific areas and generally informs persons of the contents and effective date of the legislation. NOTE: This is a large file and may take a few minutes to load.