KLK586: Development of an Inventory and Inspection Database Framework for Asset Management of MSE Walls
ITD Research Project 270; Task Order Number UI-18-01
Principal Investigators
ITD Project Manager
FHWA Project Advisor
Research Problem Statement
Since the installation of the first Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) wall near Hope, Idaho, in the early 1970's,many similar walls have been constructed for highway projects throughout Idaho. MSE walls contain structural and geotechnical components, each limited by its anticipated lifespan. Currently, the State of Idaho does not have not have an inventory of MSE walls, or procedures for their inspection and assessment. Because of the diverse components, there is a need to make an effort to inspect these walls regularly to minimize potential disruptions resulting from failure and to develop plans for maintenance. However, before such an inspection plan can be established, there is a need to inventory the location and status of existing MSE walls into a database, similar to the one assembled for ITO bridges and structures. Such a database will allow ITD engineers to complement the inventory details with regular inspection information as part of an Asset Management Program for MSE walls. This will allow ITD to focus on optimizing the service life of MSE walls at minimal life cycle cost - matching investment with service (NCHRP, 20-07, 2009), and (Wright, Zomberg, & Aguettant, 2007). The MSE wall inventory, along with inspection information, will create a readily usable asset management program suitable for planning and managing a regular maintenance program.
Project Objectives
The status of many of ITD's MSE walls is unknown at this time. It is important that an inventory of MSE walls be undertaken, along with inspection information. These walls are a valuable asset and must be managed to provide the maximum benefit to Idaho's transportation system.
Such an Asset Management framework will combine the inventory and inspections process to create a policy driven, systematic approach to identifying the optimal allocation of resources for transportation. As these structures age, the Jack of basic information, such as the location, size and condition of the wall, may have negative impacts on both travelling public safety and highway operations, thus impacting safety, mobility and economic opportunity.
The main objectives of the proposed research are to:
- Provide recommendations to guide the department in establishing an automated inventory of MSE Walls. This will include identifying the data fields for the MSE wall inventory and inspection information to be collected and the most appropriate system for tracking the data.
- Recommend an inspection protocol based on state DOT best practices for assessing the condition of MSE Walls managed by ITD. This would include specifying the inspection methods, rating criteria; inspection frequency and the ITO personnel responsible for performing the inspections.
- Conduct a field assessment of the recommended inventory and inspection protocols by collecting required data and conducting visual inspection of a few selected MSE Walls, and use the results to refine inventory and inspection recommendations.
Project Tasks
To complete the proposed research, plans call for collection of information from office records retained by ITD, which will be further supplemented by visiting some of the MSE wall sites to collect missing information. Additionally, inspection procedures for evaluating the condition of MSE walls will be developed for use by ITO personnel. A team consisting of researchers at the University of Idaho (U of I), Boise State University (BSU} and Idaho State University (ISU) has been assembled to complete this project. U of I will lead the research effort with support from BSU and ISU. The following tasks are planned:
Task 1 — Literature Survey (U of I – 80 percent; BSU – 10 percent; ISU – 10 percent)
Perform a comprehensive literature review of past and ongoing work regarding the asset management of MSE walls, along with inspection procedures to evaluate (and rate) the condition of the walls. Additionally, with help from ITD, a survey of State DoTs will performed to gather u p-to-date information regarding existing and proposed plans for managing their MSE wall assets. This will provide best practice information regarding inventory management, inspection protocols and condition assessment. The survey will include inventory and inspection protocols for MSE walls and follow-up interviews with selected states.
Deliverable 1:
Deliverable of this task will be a summary of the literature review including any work-related from previous state DOTs, and from ITD districts (Deliverable 1 on the Gantt chart). This summary will include a list of different MSE wall practices used in Idaho and other states. Results of the survey will also be summarized.
Task 2 — Develop Plan of the MSE Walls Inventory (U of I – 80 percent; BSU – 10 percent; ISU – 10 percent)
Meet with ITO personnel to gather information about the strengths and limitations of existing ITO systems including the Bridge Management, Transportation Asset Management System (TAMS) and IPLAN-GIS systems for asset management of MSE walls. Discuss the steps that would be required to modify the systems to incorporate MSE walls with system managers and with ITD Enterprise Technology Services (ETS) staff. Meet with the project Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each alternative and to agree upon a plan for the creation of the Inventory and Inspection database to ensure compatibility with current ITO standards and requirements.
Deliverable 2:
Deliverable for this task will be a short report defining the plan adopted for the creation of the MSE wall inventory, (Deliverable 2 on the Gantt chart).
Task 3 — Collection of MSE Wall Data in the State of Idaho (U of l – 40 percent; BSU – 30 percent; ISU – 30 percent)
- Selection of current technology tools for collecting MSE wall information and inspection details. At this time, we expect to use "tablets" (e.g. iPads) for collecting information for the proposed database.
- Review existing ITD records to identify MSE wall locations to the best extent possible. Online resources, such as Google Earth, will be used to the fullest extent to confirm the existence of ITO MSE walls. (U of I, BSU and ISU). For each MSE wall identified in the office records, the following basic information will be collected: (1) location, (2) date of construction, (3) type of MSE wall, (5) lengths and types (e.g. steel strips, steel mesh, geosynthetics) of reinforcement, (6) maximum and minimum height, (7) depth of embedment, (8) length of wall, (9) type of backfill, (10) subsoil information, (11) drainage and (12) other pertinent notes and details. Most of this work will be performed by students over an 8-10-week period in the summer. This data collection will be performed in two phases. Initially, data will be collected from the local districts, i.e. District 2, 4 and 5. The remaining data will be collected after a mid-summer meeting to review the data collected so far and to consider if any changes need to be implemented for the remaining data.
Deliverable 3:
Deliverable for this task will be raw MSE wall data collected during the summer for review and inclusion into an ITD database. (Deliverable 3 on the Gantt chart).
Task 4 — Develop MSE Wall Inspection Procedures (U of I-60 percent, BSU-20 percent and ISU (20 percent)
- Develop inspection procedures for evaluating the condition of the ITD MSE walls. The procedures will use details from a review of literature (e.g. NCHRP Synthesis Report 437, 2012), existing procedures adopted by other States (current guidelines from Alaska, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky and Minnesota DOTs), and discussions with ITD personnel.
- Photographs of the MSE walls will be an essential element of the inspection process, and these will be added to the database.
- Apply the developed inspection procedures to selected walls to demonstrate and evaluate their use by ITD personnel. This is further described in Task 5.
Deliverable 4:
The MSE walls inspection procedures developed in Task4 will be submitted to ITD as a report with detailed guidelines for ITD MSE wall systems.
Task 5 — Collect MSE Wall Inspection Data following Task 4 protocols (U of I-60 percent, BSU-20 percent and ISU (20 percent)
The field data for selected MSE walls will be collected from the six districts across the state in a collaborative effort as follows: U of I (Districts 1 and 2), BSU (Districts 3 and 4),and ISU (Districts 5 and 6). This information, collected with assistance/support from ITD staff, will be part of a pilot study to illustrate the inspection protocol developed in Task 4. The inspection protocols will be further revised during this phase to optimize the process. The field inspection information and condition ratings will be added to the database.
Based on the success of this initial phase, future work will be proposed to expand the collection of inspection data for all MSE walls and the development of a MSE wall rating system for Idaho. The completed inventory and inspection database will then be ready for supporting the MSE wan Asset Management Program, which will provide suitable information for planning and managing an efficient maintenance program based on wall conditions.
Deliverable 5:
Deliverable for this task will be raw inspection data collected for selected MSE walls during the summer for inclusion into the ITD database. (Deliverable 5 on the Gantt chart).
Task 6 — Final Report (U of I – 70 percent; BSU – 15 percent; ISU – 15 percent)
The main deliverable of this project will be a written report and the assembled database containing an inventory of as many MSE walls as could be located. It is unrealistic to expect that all walls will be located in this first attempt. It is expected that ITD will continue to supplement the database with a more refined and extensive search of their MSE wall assets. The format of the completed database design will conform to ITD specifications such that it can be easily merged with currently established GIS databases.
Deliverable 6:
Deliverable for this task is a draft of the final report (conforming to ITD section IIIG requirements) and the database, as described in the schedule. The final report will be submitted following an initial review of the draft by ITO personnel.
Project Communication Schedule
Content
Needs and Requirements
Upon the start of the project, ITD will assist the research team in identifying any known locations of the MSE walls and if districts have any kind of database for that kind of walls. ITD Personnel will facilitate the communications between the research teams and the district engineers for the data collection or field visits.
Required Outputs/Deliverables
A final report including all the data collected, analysis of the obtained data and recommendations to be implemented in the ITD asset management program will be developed by this project. The report will provide details of: (1) The literature review and state surveys, (2) Database framework, as agreed with ITD person nel, (3) Inventory data, (4) Inspection protocol, (5) Field data for selected MSE walls and (6) Conclusions and recommendations for future work, A presentation to ITD summarizing the findings of the study is also part of the deliverables.
Implementation
The inventory and inspection database will be used to create an effective Asset Management Program (AM P) for MSE walls. This will provide information about the status of MSE walls and their condition for planning and managing maintenance activities and for long-term allocation of resources through policy planning.
Additionally, once a bulk of the MSE walls have been inventoried, more emphasis can be placed on locating missing MSE walls for inclusion in the database. We expect that the database will be continuously updated, as more information becomes available, by ITD staff or through future contracts with the universities or consulting firms.
Expected Outcomes/Savings to ITD
Many states are committing substantial resources to create Asset Management Programs (AMP) for a variety of assets such as bridges, retaining structures, pavements, etc. A well compiled AMP can provide detailed informational, analytical and policy making information to aid the decision-making process regarding the budgeting of resources. At this time, there is a need to consider MSE walls as valued assets, which require regular maintenance. However, before a fully functional AMP can be created, there is an urgent need to compile an inventory of MSE walls and their current condition.
The proposed research will create the framework of a database, which may be used to inventory information about MSE walls, their current condition and performance expectations. As the inventory is being completed, ITD personnel may start inspecting and evaluating the walls.. This will complete the loop for the proposed asset management program.
The creation of Asset Management program for MSE walls will allow ITD to focus on optimizing the service life of MSE walls at minimal life cycle cost, effectively maximizing the return on investment and providing high quality service with minimal inconvenience to travelers.
Monthly Progress Reports (ITD 771) and Task Progress Charts
| Jan. 18 | Feb. 18 | Mar. 18 | Apr. 18 | May 18 | June 18 |
| July 18 | Aug. 18 | Sep. 18 | Oct. 18 | Nov. 18 | Dec. 18 |
| Jan. 19 | Feb. 19 | May 19 | June 19 |
Project status
Active
Draft report
Due January 2019
Final report
Due February 2019