research presentation 2010 - center for dirt and gravel roads … · 2013-06-18 · research...

1/11/2011

1

Dirt and Gravel Road Maintenance Program

www.dirtandgravelroads.orgCenter for Dirt and Gravel Road Studies

Update on Research and Other Projects

Steve Bloser - Danielle Lombardi

www.dirtandgravelroads.org

9/2010


www.dirtandgravelroads.org Introduction

Goals:

Update you on things going on outside the

Center’s D&G Program support.

Open potential avenues for future

collaboration.



Outline:

Steve: Overview and update on past and

current research – hold on tight, note projects of interest

Danielle: Update on two current projects:

• DOE oil access road sediment study

• Aggregate research for Thesis



Center’s Dirt and Gravel Road Tasks:

• Annual Workshop

• ESM Training: creation, updating, presenting, etc.

• GIS Program: creation, upkeep, trainings

• Technical Assistance to Districts on road projects

• General help resource for Program issues.

• Demonstration Projects

• Annual Summary Reports: Collection and analysis

• Seasonal newsletter

• Technical bulletins and other educational documents

• Website: creation and upkeep

• Maintain Program Advisory Groups

• Other activates as requested by SCC and Bureau of

Forestry



Center for Dirt and Gravel Road Studies

• Center is NOT funded by PSU.

• Center’s “core funding” is from D&G Program.

• State Conservation Commission

• Bureau of Forestry

• Center needs to pursue outside research &

education grants and contracts.

Dirt and Gravel funding is NOT used for research or outside projects.


www.dirtandgravelroads.orgCentre interest outside PA

text

1/11/2011

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www.dirtandgravelroads.orgPROJECT NAME

YEAR COMPLETED

TYPE: Demo, Research, Education etc.

Brief Summary


www.dirtandgravelroads.orgWhite Deer Creek2003

Demo and Research

Side by side comparison of Dust

Suppressants in Union County.



Purpose:

Compare effectiveness of different topical

dust suppressants.

- Side by side

comparisons

- Done in 2002

- Union County

Done: White Deer Creek Dirt and Gravel Road Maintenance Program


2A - tailgatedDSA - paver


Done: White Deer Creek


www.dirtandgravelroads.orgCrowfield Road

2006

Demo and Research

Side by Side Comparison of Surface

Aggregates in Centre County.



2ADSA 2RC

Aggregate specifications

Done: Crowfield Road

1/11/2011

3



Placement Methods Tested

Paver-placement Tailgating

Done: Crowfield Road Dirt and Gravel Road Maintenance Program




Done: Crowfield Road


www.dirtandgravelroads.orgDust Effect Study

2008

Research

Master’s Thesis by Center graduate student to

determine long term effects of dust on

forest soils and plants.



Purpose:

Determine effects of road dust on the soils and

plants along the road.

Done: Dust Effects



Purpose:

Determine effects of road dust on the soils and

plants along the road.

- Is there a significant difference upwind and down?

- Is there a difference caused by limestone dust?

- on soils? Yes!

- on plant species? Yes!

- on invasive species? Likely!

- Done in 2007 by Center Grad Student

- In Centre County (Bald Eagle SF)

Done: Dust Effects Dirt and Gravel Road Maintenance Program




Done: Dust Effects

1/11/2011

4


www.dirtandgravelroads.orgGreat Lakes Grant

2008

Demo and Education

Grant through Great Lakes Basin

Commission:

• Demo road and trail project in Erie, PA

• Two ESM trainings, on in PA, one in MI



• Through Great Lakes Basin Commission

• Demonstration of ESM practices in Erie County’s

Headwaters Park

• Two ESM trainings

– One in Erie (including demo walkthrough)

– One in Michigan

• Completed in 2008

Done: Great Lakes Grant

You will see this project on

Wednesday and receive an

information packet about it.



parking

parkingConveyor diversions

Re-profile outlets

Erie

Cons

District

Loop road

French

Mattress

French

Mattress

French

Mattress

0+00

0+00 6+90

0+10

1+30

1+90

3+40

0+70

4+35Widen Existing Ford

Geogrid

landing

5+10

5+906+70

Fr Mattress

pavilion

8+25

8+56

9+25

Install 12”

plastic pipes

Headwaters Park

Great Lakes Grant

Fr. Mattress

with 6” pipe

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

89

10

11

12

7 Numbers refer to items on bid

document





www.dirtandgravelroads.org Done: Great Lakes Grant





www.dirtandgravelroads.orgArkansas Nature

Conservancy

2008

Demo and Education

Educational effort to “jumpstart” a similar

effort to D&G Program. Basically held a

“workshop” in Arkansas.


www.dirtandgravelroads.orgArkansas Nature Conservancy

“Workshop-like” event sponsored by the Nature

Conservancy in Arkansas

1/11/2011

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www.dirtandgravelroads.orgArkansas Nature Conservancy

2010


www.dirtandgravelroads.orgCBC Sediment Study

2009

Research

Research effort to quantify sediment

reductions achieved by implementing ESM

practices.



Spray nozzles

½” Riser

1½” Line

Sample Points

Water flowing in wheel tracks

Dry Road

pond

Rainmaker Dirt and Gravel Road Maintenance Program


Procedure: one run of rainmaker

-Set up rainmaker

-Wet road until runoff reaches

sample point

-Let dry for 15 minutes, or until no

runoff

-Run 1, 30 min

-Drying Time 60 min – 20 car passes

-Drying Time 60 min – 20 car passes

-Run 2, 30 minutes

-Run 3, 30 min

Repeat procedure with

sediment and flow

samples

Diehl Road - Columbia

Rainmaker



Flow (cfs) - limestone- after

0.000

0.010

0.020

0.030

0.040

0.050

0.060

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

Run 1

Run 2

Run 3

TSS (mg/l) - limestone - after

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

Run 1

Run 2

Run 3

Sed

imen

t co

nc

FL

OW

LEBO ROAD Driving Surface Aggregate

Sediment Loss (lbs/min)- averages for 3 runs

0.00

0.01

0.02

0.03

0.04

0.05

0.06

0.07

0.08

0 10 20 30 40

Time (min)

Sedim

en

t Flo

w (lb

s/m

in)

after - limestone

timetime

3 runs are combined

and averaged for

total sediment yield.

Sed

Lo

ss (

lbs/m

in)

time

Rainmaker Dirt and Gravel Road Maintenance Program


• Quantify the sediment reduction of specific

environmentally sensitive maintenance practices:

– Road Surfacing with DSA - Raising the Road

– Additional Discharge Points - Grade Breaks

– Berm Removal

• Extrapolate sediment reduction findings to Dirt and

Gravel projects statewide

• Began in 2006, runs through 2008.

Done: CBC Sediment Study

1/11/2011

6


www.dirtandgravelroads.org Done: Lebo Road

LimestoneLimestone

SandstoneSandstone



Preliminary Results – Lebo DSA

Native SurfaceSandstone DSA

(1 month)




Native SurfaceLimestone DSA

(1 month)

Preliminary Results – Lebo DSA

Done: CBC Sediment Study Dirt and Gravel Road Maintenance Program


LEBO ROAD Driving Surface Aggregate

Total 30 Minute Sediment Loss - averages for 3 runs

Native Surface

pre-DSA

Native Surface

pre-DSA

DSA

1 month

DSA

1 monthDSA

1 yearDSA

1 year

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

limestone sandstone

Avg

To

tal

Sed

ime

nt

So

ss

(lb

s)

5.2

6.8

1 month

DSA

1 year

sandstone

1 month DSA

1 year

limestone

0.50.7

DSA

1 month

limestone

DSA

1 month

sandstone

1.8

1.2




Preliminary Results - DSA

Percent Reductions from native surfaces

Sandstone DSA

Limestone DSA

1 month 1 year

76%

75%

87%

93%

no difference in performance of limestone –vs- sandstone



SUB-SOIL

ROADWAY

IDEAL

CROSS-

SECTION

SUB-SOIL

ROADWAY

FILL

Raising the Road Elevation

Before After


1/11/2011

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ditch

no ditch



Preliminary Results – Raising the Road Elevation

Existing Elevation

After Raising the

Road Elevation

9.6 lbs sediment

2.3 lbs sediment

*erosion rate kept constant in calculations







www.dirtandgravelroads.orgConservation Innovation

Grant

2009

Demo and Research

Several ESM projects implemented on farm

lanes in Mifflin County. Sediment sampling

of storm runoff to quantify sediment and

nutrient reductions.



• Through NRCS (Natural Resource Conservation

Service in US Department of Agriculture)

• Three Year Project

– Implement Projects on Farm Lanes in Kish

Valley

– Study Sediment and Nutrient runoff

– Hold trainings for local landowners

Current: Cons. Innov. Grant Dirt and Gravel Road Maintenance Program


Farm Lanes also transport Farm Runoff

Sediment & Nutrients

Farm Lanes also transport Farm Runoff

Sediment & Nutrients

Current: Cons. Innov. Grant

1/11/2011

8



Yoder Farm

- Vegetated swale

- Durable road surface



Stuck Farm

-Raised Road

-Durable Road Surface

BEFORE AFTER




Snyder Farm

-Shaped road

-Conveyor Belt Diversions



Pruss Farm

-Hardened road

-Broad Based Dip



www.dirtandgravelroads.org Current: Cons. Innov. Grant Dirt and Gravel Road Maintenance Program

www.dirtandgravelroads.org Current: Cons. Innov. Grant

1/11/2011

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www.dirtandgravelroads.orgInvasive Species

Ongoing

Research

Partnership with PSU Weed Ecology

Department on the spread of Japanese

Stiltgrass via unpaved roads in Rothrock

State Forest.



Purpose:

To better understand Japanese

Stiltgrass (Microstegium):

• Road maintenance factors that affect

the spread of along forest roadways

• How it spreads from roadways into

forested lands.

Current: Invasive Species



Stiltgrass is everywhere!

Current: Invasive Species Dirt and Gravel Road Maintenance Program


• Road maintenance– Grading

– Mowing

– Snowplowing

• Vehicle traffic– Cars, bicycles, off-road vehicles

• Foot traffic

• Bringing in infested material– Gravel, fill containing seeds

A photograph of my boot exiting a study site. Coveredwith Taraxicum and Stellaria seeds, my boots serve as an effective seed dispersal agent

Current: Invasive Species



http://www.cityofpickering.com

Quantify the spread of seeds

along roads during grading

Quantify movement of seeds

off roads into the forest by

culverts

Model the resulting spread of Microstegium through forests

Current: Invasive Species Dirt and Gravel Road Maintenance Program

www.dirtandgravelroads.orgMarcellus

Ongoing

Triage

1/11/2011

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www.dirtandgravelroads.org Marcellus Shale

2 main concerns

- Impact of hauling on existing roads

- Impact of new access roads

The Center has presented to gas organizations and

is discussing the potential for training road crews

on several fronts.


www.dirtandgravelroads.orgAcid Rain Remediation

Ongoing

Research

Partnership with PAFBC and ANF to see if

limestone road surface and ditches can

remediate the effect of Acid Rain in McKean

County.


www.dirtandgravelroads.orgCurrent: Acid Rain Remediation

- Joint Project with PAFBC & PSU college of

engineering

- Effect of DSA and “Modified Underdrain” on runoff

from acidic precipitation

- Work done in 2009

- Study still underway


www.dirtandgravelroads.orgATV Trail Improvements

Ongoing

Demonstration and Education

DCNR project to implement ESM practices on

several miles of ATV trail in Michaux State

Forest


www.dirtandgravelroads.org Michaux ATV Trails

Proposed Project

on Log Sled Trail

SR 233

Piney Mountain Ridge Road


www.dirtandgravelroads.org Michaux ATV Trails

ESM Practices on ATV Trail System

- reduce maintenance costs and erosion

- Michaux State Forest

- beginning in 2011

- Funded by Community Conservation

Partnership Program (C2P2) through DCNR

1/11/2011

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www.dirtandgravelroads.orgTrail Mix

Ongoing

“hobby”

Development of a trail surface aggregate to

reduce maintenance costs and sedimet

generation from trails (think DSA for trails).



TRAIL MIX

Penn State’s Center for

Dirt and Gravel Roads

has developed a mixture

of aggregate specifically

designed for surfacing

trails.

Current: Trail Mix



4 parts unwashed AASHTO #10

(or B3 sand)

4 parts AASHTO # 8

1 part -#200 fines (collector fines)

Instructions: Add water and mix well

Current: Trail Mix Dirt and Gravel Road Maintenance Program


4 parts AASHTO #10

(or B3 sand) 4 parts AASHTO # 8

1 part -#200 fines

(collector fines)


www.dirtandgravelroads.org Current: Trail Mix Dirt and Gravel Road Maintenance Program

www.dirtandgravelroads.org Current: Trail Mix

1/11/2011

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www.dirtandgravelroads.org Current: Trail Mix Dirt and Gravel Road Maintenance Program

www.dirtandgravelroads.orgESM Field Guide

Ongoing

Educational

Working with USFS to develop a “ESM Field

Guide” based on the ESM training and

technical bulletins the Center has produced.


www.dirtandgravelroads.org Current: USFS Manual

Sample Technical Bulletin:



Project Through US Forest Service

- Write Technical Bulletins into a 8.5”x 5.5”

FIELD GUIDE with nationwide applicability.



Project Through US Forest Service

- 8.5”x 5.5” FIELD GUIDE

- nationwide applicability

- Organized by

Problem – Cause – Solution

- expected late 2010 completion


www.dirtandgravelroads.orgWestern Pa

Conservancy

Ongoing

Demo and Educational

Oversight on a number of “dirt and gravel-

like” projects in Fulton and Bedford

Counties.

1/11/2011

13


www.dirtandgravelroads.org WPC

- Implementation of ESM practices in

watersheds in Fulton and Bedford County

-Begins this fall, most of work to be done in

2011.


www.dirtandgravelroads.orgDOE Sediment

Reduction

Ongoing

Educational

Quantification of sediment from oil and gas

roads in the ANF. Funded by DOE NETL

and in cooperation with ANF and Clarion.


www.dirtandgravelroads.org DOE Sediment Study

OLD oil roads in ANF

-Two Watersheds

-Grunder: 50+ miles of gas roads

-Hedgehog: <5miles of gas roads

-Stream comparison being conducted by

Clarion University

-Flow regimes

-Macro Invertebrates

-Quantification and comparison of sediment

generation from roads- CENTER





Rainmaker 2.0

- New nozzle configuration

- New type of nozzles (rotary)

- More even rainfall

distribution

- Larger (and more

realistic) drop size

- Less “misting”

- More consistent


www.dirtandgravelroads.org VIDEO

1/11/2011

14



18 total road segments

COMPLETED

- 14 “as-is” segments

- Native material and “pit run” aggregate

- Slopes range from 3% to 21%

TO DO

- 4 “after aggregate” segments

- Will give comparison of sediment from

native material to limestone and sandstone

DSA





Preliminary Findings

Sediment from one 30 minute storm of 0.6” (1.5

month return interval) on 100’ of road:

Low: 7 pounds*

High: 60 pounds*

Average: 25 pounds*

25 pounds = 1,300 pounds per mile

in one storm



Status

14 “as-is” segments complete

Aggregate currently being placed

4 “after aggregate” sites to go in 2010

Study ends in November


www.dirtandgravelroads.orgAggregate Research

Ongoing

Thesis

Testing Rural Road Surfaces Using the

One-Third Scale Model Mobile Load

Simulator (MMLS3)


www.dirtandgravelroads.org Aggregate Research

Scope

•Crowfield Road vs Laboratory

•Himrod Road

•Other scenarios

•Your roads

1/11/2011

15



Motivation

•Time

•Money

•Controlled road surface testing

•Prediction



Pavement Testing

Full-scale vs. One-third Scale

•LTI Test Track

MMLS3 Picture(s)



Pavement Testing

Full-scale vs. One-third Scale

•MMLS 3



One- Third Scale Pavement Testing

•MMLS3

•Field and Laboratory

•Hot/Cold

•Wet/Dry

Picture



Comparison Study

•Crowfield Road



Comparison Study

•Laboratory

1/11/2011

16



Results

•Profile of Rut Depth

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

0 50 100 150 200 250 300

Su

rfa

ce P

rofi

le (

mm

)

Cross Section Distance (mm)

100,000 Cycles

50,000Cycles

10,000 Cycles

1,000 Cycles

500 Cycles

0 Cycles



Results

•Picture of Rut Depth



Results

What this means:

•Very strong material when relatively dry

•Environment plays a big role in the fatigue

of aggregate surfaces



Future

Comparing other surface material:

•Manufactured DSA

•PennDOT 2a

•Non-surface treated

Exposed to “elements”



PSU Center for Dirt and Gravel Road Studies

Steven Bloser [email protected]

Danielle Lombardi [email protected]

www.dirtandgravelraods.org

9/2010

QUESTIONS?

research presentation 2010 - center for dirt and gravel roads … · 2013-06-18 · research...

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