Appraisal of mechanistic-empirical pavement design guide for highways being implemented in the United States and complementary needs for pavement asset management

2015 ◽  
pp. 195-202
Author(s):  
W Uddin
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Asset Management ◽  
The United States ◽  
Pavement Design ◽  
Design Guide

Maintrainenance: Keeping Heavy Rail Maintenance on Track

2019 ◽  
Vol 2673 (7) ◽  
pp. 192-203
Author(s):  
Sreekar Shashank Boddupalli ◽  
Andrea Sherman ◽  
Joe Zerkus ◽  
Alice Grossman
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
New York ◽  
Asset Management ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
The United States ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Rapid Transit ◽  
Bay Area ◽  
Transit Agencies ◽  
Heavy Rail

Infrastructure management is an important aspect of transportation engineering. Contrasting views have emerged on feasible best practice in asset management for various transportation modes. The differences in current practice can provide insight into best practices and lessons learned. This paper focuses on heavy rail maintenance state of practice in the United States and compares the maintenance practices, strategies, and procedures implemented by four transit agencies across the country. The objective of the paper is to provide guidance and examples for other transit agencies in the United States to meet the short-term challenges they face and provide recommendations to improve services nationwide. This paper examines rail maintenance practices at the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), and the New York Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA). The paper found that out of the four agencies studied, MARTA has the highest maintenance to operations budget ratio, and most of the maintenance expenditure is on labor. WMATA found that automation of inspection improved maintenance efficiency, and BART is working toward adopting more automated processes. New York City’s MTA shows an example of the importance of clear governance in effective budgeting.

Steam Generator Asset Management Program

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Padmanabha J. Prabhu ◽  
Damian A. Testa
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Steam Generator ◽  
Asset Management ◽  
Strategic Plan ◽  
The United States ◽  
Management Program ◽  
Diagnostic Tools ◽  
Steam Generators ◽  
Pressurized Water

The Steam Generator Asset Management Program (SGAMP) is a long term program designed to maximize the performance and reliability of the steam generators. The SGAMP focuses on plant specific conditions and hence is applicable to the original or the replacement steam generators. It is recommended that the utility and the vendor form a joint steam generator management team (SGMT) to develop, monitor and implement a long-term plan to address steam generator operation, maintenance and life extension goals. The SGMT will consist of representatives from operations, chemistry, maintenance and engineering functions and will be responsible for making decisions related to the steam generators. The charter of the SGMT is to develop a steam generator strategic plan that will cost-effectively manage steam generator options. The strategic plan is consistent with the Steam Generator Program Guidelines (NEI 97-06 in the United States). The strategic plan is a living document and is revised periodically to incorporate inspection results, new technology developments, lessons learned and industry experience. Cost-benefit analyses of strategies may be performed to prolong steam generator operability through steam generator performance modeling (tube degradation, fouling, etc.), diagnostic tools, regulatory strategy, condition monitoring and operational assessment strategy, and maintenance strategy. The SGMT will provide input regarding potential maintenance of the steam generators with schedule and cost impacts for each outage. It will also recommend engineering evaluations to be performed in support of program goals and will develop short- and long-term recommendations. These recommendations will address action plans, performance measures and results. Secondary side inspection and cleaning strategy should be developed (techniques and frequency) to maximize performance cost-effectively. This paper is based on Westinghouse experience gained by working with several pressurized water reactor (PWR) plant operators in the United States (US).

Hybrid Approach for Clustering Vehicle Classification Data to Support Regional Implementation of the Mechanistic–Empirical Pavement Design Guide

2013 ◽  
Vol 2339 (1) ◽  
pp. 112-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Reimer ◽  
Jonathan D. Regehr
Keyword(s):  
Hybrid Approach ◽  
The United States ◽  
Pavement Design ◽  
Vehicle Classification ◽  
Traffic Classification ◽  
Truck Traffic ◽  
Canadian Prairie ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Traffic Characteristics ◽  
Design Guide

This paper develops a hybrid approach for analyzing vehicle classification data and applies the approach to a fused data set from multiple jurisdictions in the Canadian prairie region. Application of the approach results in a set of regional default truck traffic classification groups for use in the Mechanistic–Empirical Pavement Design Guide. The hybrid approach is a conglomeration of three components: statistical clustering procedures, expert judgment, and industry intelligence. By applying the hybrid approach, analysts receive the joint benefits of analytical rigor and industry-oriented pragmatism. Application of this approach results in eight truck traffic classification groups for the Canadian prairie region that exhibit distinct differences from the default distributions developed for national use in the United States. The benefits of applying the hybrid approach on fused data sets include (a) the statistical strength gained from use of additional classification data, (b) the development of truck traffic classification groups that better reflect the diversity of patterns in a region, and (c) the potential for improved ability to capture future shifts in truck traffic characteristics because of experience gained in other jurisdictions. The paper also identifies limitations to the hybrid approach that should be considered. These limitations include varying data quality between jurisdictions, the sensitivity of low-volume sites to changes in industry patterns and the ability to track these changes, and potential shortages of continuous classification sites. When its benefits and limitations are well understood, the hybrid approach can be applied to truck traffic data analyses in any jurisdiction.

SEC fines non-US entities for unregistered cross-border brokerage and advisory activities

2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-77
Author(s):  
James Burns ◽  
Kimberly Beattie Saunders
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Asset Management ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
Financial Institution ◽  
The United States ◽  
Securities And Exchange Commission ◽  
Foreign Firms ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Regulatory Guidance ◽  
The Us

Purpose To explain a settlement involving a foreign financial institution, its non-US subsidiaries, and the US Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) that reveals an SEC focus on policing the activities of foreign firms that reach into the United States and helps further define the scope of activities that require registration under the federal securities laws. Design/methodology/approach Provides insight into a recent area of focus for SEC regulators and introduces the potential regulatory implications for non-US firms with activities that reach into the United States. Findings Given the SEC’s current enforcement focus, it is critical that financial institutions take care to conduct their activities with an understanding of the regulatory requirements associated with the provision of brokerage and advisory services to US clients and customers – including, for many firms, registration as an investment adviser, broker-dealer, or both. Originality/value Practical regulatory guidance regarding SEC registration requirements that may reach non-US firms from experienced financial services lawyers specializing in asset management.

Book Reviews

2011 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 1264-1265
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Asset Management ◽  
International Monetary System ◽  
The United States ◽  
University Of California ◽  
Monetary System ◽  
Exorbitant Privilege ◽  
The University ◽  
The U.S

Alberto Giovannini of Unifortune Asset Management reviews “Exorbitant Privilege: The Rise and Fall of the Dollar and the Future of the International Monetary System” by Barry Eichengreen. The EconLit abstract of the reviewed work begins, “Explores the rise of the U.S. dollar to international prominence over the course of the twentieth century and considers what actions the United States can take to prevent it from losing its dominance. Discusses debut; dominance; rivalry; crisis; monopoly no more; and the dollar crash. Eichengreen is Professor of Economics and Political Science at the University of California, Berkeley. Index.”

scholarly journals Quantifying the Impact of Climate Change on Flexible Pavement Performance and Lifetime in the United States

2019 ◽  
Vol 2673 (1) ◽  
pp. 110-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne M. K. Stoner ◽  
Jo Sias Daniel ◽  
Jennifer M. Jacobs ◽  
Katharine Hayhoe ◽  
Ian Scott-Fleming
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
United States ◽  
Global Climate Model ◽  
Flexible Pavement ◽  
The United States ◽  
Pavement Design ◽  
Pavement Performance ◽  
Climate Projections ◽  
Impact Of Climate Change ◽  
The Impact

Flexible pavement design requires considering a variety of factors including the materials used, variations in water tables, traffic levels, and the climatic conditions the road will experience over its lifetime. Most pavement designs are based on historical climate variables such as temperature and precipitation that are already changing across much of the United States, and do not reflect projected trends. As pavements are typically designed to last 20 years or more, designs that do not account for current and future trends can result in reduced performance. However, incorporating climate projections into pavement design is not a trivial exercise. Significant mismatches in both spatial and temporal scale challenge the integration of the latest global climate model simulations into pavement models. This study provides a national-level overview of what the impact of climate change to flexible pavement could look like, and where regional focus should be placed. It also demonstrates a new approach to developing high-resolution spatial and temporal projections that generates hourly information at the scale of individual weather stations, and applies this as input to the AASHTOWare Pavement ME Design™ model. The impact of three different future climates on pavement performance and time to reach failure thresholds in 24 locations across the United States are quantified. Changes to projected pavement performance differ by location, but nearly all result in decreased performance under current design standards. The largest increases in distress are observed for permanent deformation measures, especially toward the end of the century under greater increases in temperature.

Integrating potential climate change into the mechanistic–empirical based pavement design

2013 ◽  
Vol 40 (12) ◽  
pp. 1173-1183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiang Joshua Li ◽  
Leslie Mills ◽  
Sue McNeil ◽  
Nii O. Attoh-Okine
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
United States ◽  
The United States ◽  
Adaptation Strategy ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Pavement Design ◽  
Pavement Performance ◽  
Climate Change Effects ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Potential Climate Change

Given anticipated climate change and its inherent uncertainty, a pavement could be subjected to different climatic conditions over its life and might be inadequate to withstand future environmental stresses beyond those currently considered during pavement design. This paper incorporates climate change effects into the mechanistic–empirical (M-E) based pavement design to explore potential climate change and its uncertainty on pavement design and performance. Three important questions are addressed: (1) How does pavement performance deteriorate differently with climate change and its uncertainty? (2) What is the risk if climate change and its uncertainty are not considered in design? and (3) How do pavement designers respond and incorporate this change into M-E design ? Three test sites in the United States are examined and results demonstrate a robust and effective approach to integrate climate change into pavement design as an adaptation strategy.

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