Numerical Model to Optimize Selection of Unpaved Roads for Dust Suppressing Chemical Treatments: Case Study
Publication: Journal of Infrastructure Systems
Volume 26, Issue 1
Abstract
This study developed a model to select the optimum sections of unpaved roads for chemical treatments as dust suppressants within a limited budget. In the state of Wyoming, more than 19,312 km (12,000 mi) of roads are unpaved. Because Wyoming is a leading producer of coal, oil, and natural gas, its unpaved roads have more traffic that results in significant dust emissions. To reduce these emissions, the state currently uses CaCl2 and MgCl2 as dust suppressants. Because its budget is limited, all 19,312 km (12,000 mi) of unpaved roads cannot be treated every year. A previous study concluded that traffic volumes, the percentage of fines passing through a #200 sieve, and annual rainfall make significant contributions to the generation of dust. Considering these factors, this study developed a model that identifies which unpaved roads should be treated given the limited budget. Because the resulting model is nonconvex, an evolutionary solving method was used to identify the best set of projects for chemical treatment. As a case study, the proposed model was implemented on a small network of 23 unpaved roadway segments.
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Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank the Federal Highway Administration and the Wyoming Technology Transfer Center for supporting this research study. Funds for conducting this study were made available by the Wyoming Department of Transportation.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Infrastructure Systems
Volume 26 • Issue 1 • March 2020
Copyright
©2019 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jan 9, 2018
Accepted: Jul 24, 2019
Published online: Dec 24, 2019
Published in print: Mar 1, 2020
Discussion open until: May 24, 2020
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