Reforming the Iowa Civil Justice System, January 30, 2012

Executive Summary I. Survey The Task Force conducted a wide-ranging survey of more than 9,000 licensed Iowa attorneys and judges to obtain their input on a variety of civil justice system topics. The survey results helped inform the Task Force of problem areas in Iowa’s civil justice system. II. Two-Tier Justice System The Task Force recommends a pilot program based on a two-tier civil justice system. A two-tier system would streamline litigation processes—including rules of evidence and discovery disclosures—and reduce litigation costs of certain cases falling below a threshold dollar value. III. One Judge/One Case and Date Certain for Trial Some jurisdictions in Iowa have adopted one judge/one case and date certain for trial in certain cases. The assignment of one judge to each case for the life of the matter and the establishment of dates certain for civil trials could enhance Iowans’ access to the courts, improve judicial management, promote consistency and adherence to deadlines, and reduce discovery excesses. IV. Discovery Processes Reforms addressing inefficient discovery processes will reduce delays in and costs of litigation. Such measures include adopting an aspirational purpose for discovery rules to “secure the just, speedy, and inexpensive determination of every action,” holding discovery proportional to the size and nature of the case, requiring initial disclosures, limiting the number of expert witnesses, and enforcing existing rules. V. Expert Witness Fees The Task Force acknowledges the probable need to revisit the statutory additional daily compensation limit for expert witness fees. Leaving the compensation level to the discretion of the trial court is one potential solution. VI. Jurors Additions to the standard juror questionnaire would provide a better understanding of the potential jurors’ backgrounds and suitability for jury service. The Task Force encourages adoption of more modern juror educational materials and video. Rehabilitation of prospective jurors who express an unwillingness or inability to be fair should include a presumption of dismissal. VII. Video and Teleconferencing Options When court resources are constrained both by limited numbers of personnel and budget cuts, it is logical to look to video and teleconferencing technology to streamline the court process and reduce costs. The judicial branch should embrace technological developments in ways that will not compromise the fairness, dignity, solemnity, and decorum of judicial proceedings. VIII. Court-Annexed Alternative Dispute Resolution(ADR) Litigants and practitioners in Iowa are generally satisfied with the current use of private, voluntary ADR for civil cases. There is concern, however, that maintaining the status quo may have steep future costs. Court-annexed ADR is an important aspect of any justice system reform effort, and the Task Force perceives benefits and detriments to reforming this aspect of the Iowa civil justice system. IX. Relaxed Requirement of Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law A rule authorizing parties to waive findings of fact and conclusions of law could expedite resolution of nonjury civil cases. X. Business (Specialty) Courts Specialty business courts have achieved widespread support across the country. In addition, specialty courts provide excellent vehicles for implementing or piloting other court innovations that may be useful in a broader court system context. A business specialty court should be and could be piloted in Iowa within the existing court system framework of the Iowa Judicial Branch. Appendix included as a separate document, is 176 pages.

Thin Maintenance Surfaces - Phase I, TR-435, 1999

The first phase of a two-phase research project was conducted to develop guidelines for Iowa transportation officials on the use of thin maintenance surfaces (TMS) for asphaltic concrete and bituminous roads. Thin maintenance surfaces are seal coats (chip seals), slurry seals, and micro-surfacing. Interim guidelines were developed to provide guidance on which roads are good candidates for TMS, when TMS should be placed, and what type of thin maintenance surface should be selected. The guidelines were developed specifically for Iowa aggregates, weather, traffic conditions, road user expectations, and transportation official expectations. In addition to interim guidelines, this report presents recommendations for phase-two research. It is recommended that test section monitoring continue and that further investigations be conducted regarding thin maintenance surface aggregate, additional test sections, placed, and a design method adopted for seal coats.

Performance of Poly-Carb, Inc. Flexogrid Bridge Overlay System, MLR-86-04, 2001

Intrusion of deicing materials and surface water into concrete bridge decks is a main contributor in deck reinforcing steel corrosion and concrete delamination. Salt, spread on bridge decks to melt ice, dissolves in water and permeates voids in the concrete deck. When the chloride content of the concrete in contact with reinforcing steel reaches a high enough concentration, the steel oxidizes. In Iowa, the method used to reduce bridge deck chloride penetration is the application of a low slump dense concrete overlay after the completion of all Class A and Class B floor repairs. A possible alternative to the use of dense concrete overlays, developed by Poly-Carb, Inc., is the MARK-163 FLEXOGRID Overlay System. FLEXOGRID is a two component system of epoxy and urethane which is applied on a bridge deck to a minimum thickness of ¼ inch. An aggregate mixture of silica quartz and aluminum oxide is broadcast onto the epoxy at a prescribed rate to provide deck protection and superior friction properties. The material is mixed on site and applied to the deck in a series of lifts (usually two) until the desired overlay thickness has been attained.

Investigation of Field Corrosion Performance and Bond/Development Length of Galvanized Reinforcing Steel, TR-666, 2014

In reinforced concrete systems, ensuring that a good bond between the concrete and the embedded reinforcing steel is critical to long-term structural performance. Without good bond between the two, the system simply cannot behave as intended. The bond strength of reinforcing bars is a complex interaction between localized deformations, chemical adhesion, and other factors. Coating of reinforcing bars, although sometimes debated, has been commonly found to be an effective way to delay the initiation of corrosion in reinforced concrete systems. For many years, the standard practice has been to coat reinforcing steel with an epoxy coating, which provides a barrier between the steel and the corrosive elements of water, air, and chloride ions. Recently, there has been an industry-led effort to use galvanizing to provide the protective barrier commonly provided by traditional epoxy coatings. However, as with any new structural product, questions exist regarding both the structural performance and corrosion resistance of the system. In the fall of 2013, Buchanan County, Iowa constructed a demonstration bridge in which the steel girders and all internal reinforcing steel were galvanized. The work completed in this project sought to understand the structural performance of galvanized reinforcing steel as compared to epoxy-coated steel and to initiate a long-term corrosion monitoring program. This work consisted of a series of controlled laboratory tests and the installation of a corrosion monitoring system that can be observed for years in the future. The results of this work indicate there is no appreciable difference between the bond strength of epoxy-coated reinforcing steel and galvanized reinforcing steel. Although some differences were observed, no notable difference in either peak load, slip, or failure mode could be identified. Additionally, a long-term monitoring system was installed in this Buchanan County bridge and, to date, no corrosion activity has been identified.

Electronic Construction Collaboration System – Phase III, December 2011

This phase of the electronic collaboration project involved two major efforts: 1) implementation of AEC Sync (formerly known as Attolist), a web-based project management system (WPMS), on the Broadway Viaduct Bridge Project and the Iowa Falls Arch Bridge Project and 2) development of a web-based project management system for bridge and highway construction projects with less than $10 million in contract value. During the previous phase of this project (fiscal year 2010), the research team helped with the implementation process for AEC Sync and collected feedback from the Broadway Viaduct project team members before the start of the project. During the 2011 fiscal year, the research team collected the post-project surveys from the Broadway Viaduct project members and compared them to the pre-project survey results. The results of the AEC Sync implementation on the Broadway project were positive. The project members were satisfied with the performance of the AEC Sync software and how it facilitated document management and its transparency. In addition, the research team distributed, collected, and analyzed the pre-project surveys for the Iowa Falls Arch Bridge Project. The implementation of AEC Sync for the Iowa Falls Arch Bridge Project appears to also be positive, based on the pre-project surveys. The fourth phase of this electronic collaboration project involves the identification and implementation of a WPMS solution for smaller bridge and highway projects. The workflow for the shop drawing approval process for sign truss projects was documented and used to identify possible WPMS solutions. After testing and evaluating several WPMS solutions, Microsoft SharePoint Foundation’s site pages were selected to be pilot-tested on sign truss projects. Due to the limitation on the SharePoint license that the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) has, a file transfer protocol (FTP) site will be developed alongside this site to allow contractors to upload shop drawings to the Iowa DOT. The SharePoint site pages are expected to be ready for implementation during the 2012 calendar year.

Investigation of Two Bridge Alternatives for Low Volume Roads - Phase II Volume 1 of 2 Concept 1: Steel Beam Precast Units, TR-410, 2000

This project continues the research which addresses the numerous bridge problems on the Iowa secondary road system. It is a continuation (Phase 2) of Project HR-382, in which two replacement alternatives (Concept 1: Steel Beam Precast Units and Concept 2: Modification of the Benton County Beam-in-Slab Bridge) were investigated. In previous research for concept 1, a precast unit bridge was developed through laboratory testing. The steel-beam precast unit bridge requires the fabrication of precast double-tee (PCDT) units, each consisting of two steel beams connected by a reinforced concrete deck. The weight of each PCDT unit is minimized by limiting the deck thickness to 4 in., which permits the units to be constructed off-site and then transported to the bridge site. The number of units required is a function of the width of bridge desired. Once the PCDT units are connected, a cast-in-place reinforced concrete deck is cast over the PCDT units and the bridge railing attached. Since the steel beam PCDT unit bridge design is intended primarily for use on low-volume roads, used steel beams can be utilized for a significant cost savings. In previous research for concept 2, an alternate shear connector (ASC) was developed and subjected to static loading. In this investigation, the ASC was subjected to cyclic loading in both pushout specimens and composite beam tests. Based on these tests, the fatigue strength of the ASC was determined to be significantly greater than that required in typical low volume road single span bridges. Based upon the construction and service load testing, the steel-beam precast unit bridge was successfully shown to be a viable low volume road bridge alternative. The construction process utilized standard methods resulting in a simple system that can be completed with a limited staff. Results from the service load tests indicated adequate strength for all legal loads. An inspection of the bridge one year after its construction revealed no change in the bridge's performance. Each of the systems previously described are relatively easy to construct. Use of the ASC rather than the welded studs significantly simplified the work, equipment, and materials required to develop composite action between the steel beams and the concrete deck.

Investigation of Two Bridge Alternatives for Low Volume Roads - Phase II Volume 2 of 2, Concept 2: Beam in Slab Bridge, TR-410, 2000

This project continues the research which addresses the numerous bridge problems on the Iowa secondary road system. It is a continuation (Phase 2) of Project HR-382, in which two replacement alternatives (Concept 1: Steel Beam Precast Units and Concept 2: Modification of the Benton County Beam-in-Slab Bridge) were investigated. In previous research for concept 1, a precast unit bridge was developed through laboratory testing. The steel-beam precast unit bridge requires the fabrication of precast double-tee (PCDT) units, each consisting of two steel beams connected by a reinforced concrete deck. The weight of each PCDT unit is minimized by limiting the deck thickness to 4 in., which permits the units to be constructed off-site and then transported to the bridge site. The number of units required is a function of the width of bridge desired. Once the PCDT units are connected, a cast-in-place reinforced concrete deck is cast over the PCDT units and the bridge railing attached. Since the steel beam PCDT unit bridge design is intended primarily for use on low-volume roads, used steel beams can be utilized for a significant cost savings. In previous research for concept 2, an alternate shear connector (ASC) was developed and subjected to static loading. In this investigation, the ASC was subjected to cyclic loading in both pushout specimens and composite beam tests. Based on these tests, the fatigue strength of the ASC was determined to be significantly greater than that required in typical low volume road single span bridges. Based upon the construction and service load testing, the steel-beam precast unit bridge was successfully shown to be a viable low volume road bridge alternative. The construction process utilized standard methods resulting in a simple system that can be completed with a limited staff. Results from the service load tests indicated adequate strength for all legal loads. An inspection of the bridge one year after its construction revealed no change in the bridge's performance. Each of the systems previously described are relatively easy to construct. Use of the ASC rather than the welded studs significantly simplified the work, equipment, and materials required to develop composite action between the steel beams and the concrete deck.

Electronic Construction Collaboration System – Final Phase, SPR RB02-008, 2014

This phase of the research project involved two major efforts: (1) Complete the implementation of AEC-Sync (formerly known as Attolist) on the Iowa Falls Arch Bridge project and (2) develop a web-based project management system (WPMS) for projects under $10 million. For the first major effort, AEC-Sync was provided for the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) in a software as a service agreement, allowing the Iowa DOT to rapidly implement the solution with modest effort. During the 2010 fiscal year, the research team was able to help with the implementation process for the solution. The research team also collected feedback from the Broadway Viaduct project team members before the start of the project and implementation of the solution. For the 2011 fiscal year, the research team collected the post-project surveys from the Broadway Viaduct project members and compared them to the pre-project survey results. The result of the AEC-Sync implementation in the Broadway Viaduct project was a positive one. The project members were satisfied with the performance of AEC-Sync and how it facilitated document management and transparency. In addition, the research team distributed, collected, and analyzed the pre-project surveys for the Iowa Falls Arch Bridge project. During the 2012 fiscal year, the research team analyzed the post-project surveys for the Iowa Falls Arch Bridge project AEC-Sync implementation and found a positive outcome when compared to the pre-project surveys. The second major effort for this project involved the identification and implementation of a WPMS solution for smaller bridge and highway projects. During the 2011 fiscal year, Microsoft SharePoint was selected to be implemented on these smaller highway projects. In this year, workflows for the shop/working drawings for the smaller highway projects specified in Section 1105 of the Iowa DOT Specifications were developed. These workflows will serve as the guide for the development of the SharePoint pages. In order to implement the Microsoft SharePoint pages, the effort of an integrated team proved to be vital because it brought together the expertise required from researchers, programmers, and webpage developers to develop the SharePoint pages.