Studies on the Construction Parameter of an Artificial Occluded Cell for In-situ Inspection of the Propagation Rate of Localized Corrosion

An artificial localized corrosion system is assembled and some parameters related to the localized corrosion in active dissolution state (i.e., non-passive state) have been studied. The results showed that the developed electrochemical system can satisfactorily imitate a naturally formed localized corrosion and the coupling current can indicate the maximum localized propagating rate. In this artificial system, the anodic dissolution reaction followed the auto-catalytic mechanism. The localized corrosion current density was dependent on the area ratio R of the cathode to the occluded anode. While R was equal to or more than 6, the coupling current reached at a maximum value and did not alter with the increase in R-value. Therefore, R=7 is chosen as one of these optimum parameters used in constructing the system, with which the biggest galvanic current might be obtained. In contrast, the thickness of the polymer filler separating the occluded anode area from the bulk electrolyte solution and the volume of the occluded anode area did not affect the corrosion current obviously. They might affect the response time to approach a steady state.

Progression of e-ticketing implementation for state transportation agencies for asphalt materials

E-ticketing,which has been promoted by the Federal Highway Administration(FHWA)“every day counts”(EDC)initiative,utilizes software applications to digitally track and store information regarding highway construction materials paid by state transportation agencies(STAs)by weight in unit bid contract structures.STAs often face implementation barriers such as institutional inertia,or the resistance by stakeholders to adopt changes from the status quo,including new technologies.The purpose of this paper is to determine the progression of STA e-ticketing policy adoption,specifically with a focus on asphalt paving operations,due to the COVID-19 pandemic.To accomplish this research effort,previous FHWA data,National Cooperative Highway Research Program(NCHRP)data,and other literatures are reviewed to determine an implementation baseline.Additional data is collected from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Committee on Con-struction to gain current feedback from STAs and their highway contractor partners after the COVID-19 pandemic.Additionally,a case study featuring the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet(KYTC),the Kentucky Association of Highway Contractors(KAHC),and the Plantmix Asphalt Industry of Kentucky(PAIKY)is performed to provide more in-depth analysis.The major finding includes a statistically significant result indicating increased imple-mentation of e-ticketing for asphalt operations within the last two years,along with noting benefits including employee safety,task loading,and project documentation along with concerns regarding cellular connectivity and procurement responsibilities.These findings indicate the importance of STAs investing in partnership with con-tractors to improve stakeholder buy-in before proceeding towards e-ticketing adoption.

A Case Study for End of Life Reuse and Recycling Survey Methodologies： The Hollentalanger Cottage

Up to now, reuse and recycling of existing buildings have not been examined widely. This paper discusses the theories, methods and practicalities of buildings＇ end of life with a main focus on planning and managing reuse and recycling of existing buildings. Our aim is the realistic modelling of theoretical scenarios for end of life based on a case study. The methods of building survey, material classification and documentation for reuse, recycling and disposal of existing constructions are presented. Investigations and calculations were done on an existing cottage in the Alps. The ecologically most beneficial disposal phase of the old wooden hut is our main objective. Critical questions arise from the quality of the material and how it can be extracted, separated and balanced in an appropriate way. A systematic survey of the building by inspection of constructions and materials in iterative steps allows a detailed material balance with condition and property information. This information is crucial for scenarios and material flow analysis of demolished and rebuilt building in environmental system analysis. For future planning, the reuse and recycling of existing buildings should be integrated quite early in the planning process so that we can use the materials in the best way.