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    Content

    FHWA, PRHTA, Contractors and LTAP par cipants at the GRS -IBS Showcase as part of FHWA EDC 2 Ini a ves in Yauco, PR. The speakers of the showcase from le to right: Eddie Rivera 1 ,Maribel Prez 2 , Yaritza Cordero 3 , Claudio Torres 4 , Jos Muoz 5 , Francisco Padua 6 , Jos R. Rodrguez 7 , Benjamn Colucci 8 , and Daniel Alzamora 9.

    I r duc f GRS -IBS i Pu r Ric Pag

    M ss fr m h Dir c r 2

    I r duc f GRS -IBS i Pu r Ric 3

    D si Ph s : GRS -IBS Brid s Y uc , PR 4-6

    C s ruc Ph s : GRS -IBS Brid sY uc , PR 7

    -9

    I s rum : Brid 1121 i Y uc , PR 10 -1

    Applic f h E. DEMING Cycl H l h d S f y Sys ms (H&S) 12

    -1

    Succ ssful Third A iv rs ry f h D c df Ac f r R d S f y i Pu r Ric :20112020

    16 -1

    K w y ur I s ruc r: D i l A.W dich sky 18

    PR LTAP C r S : Irm l Fr c -R mr z 19

    The Puerto Rico Transporta on Technology Transfer Center is part of a network of 58 Centers through the United States thatcomprises the Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) and the Tribal Technical Assistance Program (TTAP), which enable localgovernments, countries and ci es to improve their roads and bridges by supplying them with a variety of training programs, an

    informa on clearinghouse, new and exis ng technology updates, personalized technical assistance, and newsle ers.

    Over the past four years the Federal Highway Administra on

    (FHWA) has been promo ng the Every Day Counts (EDC)

    ini a ve as an e ort to accelerate the implementa on of

    proven ready market technology by state and local

    transporta on agencies. These technologies and ini a ves are

    selected to accelerate project delivery, improve safety, and

    protect the environment. Geosynthe c Reinforced Soils

    Integrated Bridge System (GRS -IBS) was one of the technologies

    selected in the rst round of EDC which was then con nued into

    Con nued in page 3

    EL PUENTE N wsl r f h Pu r Ric Tr sp r T ch l y Tr sf r C r

    U iv rsi y f Pu r Ric , M y z C mpus

    Pu r Ric LTAP

    Volume 28, Number 2, 2014

    1 FHWA Field Opera ons Team Leader; 2 FHWA EDC 2 Coordinator; 3 PRHTA Project Inspector; 4 Tamrio Inc. Contractor;5 G-Tech Subcontractor; 6 PRHTA Structural Engineer; 7 PRHTA Structural Engineer; 8 PR LTAP/T2 Director; 9 FHWA Geotechnical Engineer.

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    W l c m ! Best regards to all our readers in our second edition of El Puente Newsletter for 2014. For 28years, El Puente has been an important tool used by the Center to transfer and share emerging technologiesand innovative research initiatives related to transportation, with emphasis on road safety, workforcedevelopment and management of the built road infrastructure.

    The feature article highlights the activities associated with historical workshop and demonstration of GRS -IBS technology implemented in Puerto Rico. The feature article written Daniel Alzamora from FHWA, andsubsequently three articles, designers from PRHTA, Construction Inspector and Contractors participated in ateam effort in documenting the different phases of this Every Day Counts 2 (EDC 2) initiative sponsored bythe Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) of the USDOT. Essentially, GRS -IBS technology uses alternatinglayers of compacted granular fill material and geosynthetic reinforcement to support bridges. Thistechnology was successfully implemented in two bridges as part of the primary highway PR -2 which is partof the National Highway System (NHS) located in the municipality of Yauco, Puerto Rico. The contribution ofengineers Jos R. Rodrguez Pacheco, Yaritza Cordero Bonilla, Jos M. Muoz, and Jorge Chinchilla in thepreparation of this historical article associated with GRS -IBS technology, greatly appreciated.

    The fifth article authored by Eng. Fernando Cortes describes in a systematic manner the application of the E.

    Deming Cycle to Health and Safety Systems (H&S). This innovative quality control and management toolwhich consists of four primary steps namely, Plan, Do, Check, Act, is applicable to any new or rehabilitatedhighway project.

    The sixth article documents the events associated with the successful third anniversary of the Decade ofAction for Road Safety in Puerto Rico. The article highlights these events namely, Proclaims from the Majorof Mayagez and Illumination of its City Hall, Proclaims from the Governor and Senate of Puerto Rico andIllumination of the State Capitol North Facade, Proclaim from the UPRM Chancellor and installing the RoadSafety collar to the UPR Mayagez Bulldog Mascot and the closure of this third anniversary was dedicatedto Dr. Alberto M. Figueroa Medina, President MBA for his commitment to road safety and Mrs. IraidaMelndez from MAPFRE for her commitment with social responsibility in raising awareness in road safety tothe next generation of drivers and pedestrians in the island with the Safety Village Mobile Park and theRoad Safety Culture Institute.

    Also, in this edition, the PR LTAP family recognizes Dr. Daniel Wendichansky from UPRM for his excellence intraining municipal and state transportation officials in the area of bridge infrastructure. The collaborationof Dr. Wendichansky with the Puerto Rico LTAP Center in the Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) whichis part of the EDC 2 initiatives in conducting a survey to address the needs and challenges of designers andcontractors in this innovative initiative as well as his contribution as an instructor in construction, inspectionand bridge maintenance aspects in greatly appreciated.

    In this issue the PR LTAPs family is proud to recognize Mrs. Irmal Franco -Ramrez, Administrative Official ofthe T 2 Center. Her contribution during the last 14 years in different administrative aspects of the programand her active role in the Decade of Action for Road Safety and Every Day Counts Initiatives in Puerto Ricoand US Virgin Island is worth to be recognized.

    The electronic version of El Puente Newsletter is available at www.uprm.edu/prt2. You can contact usdirectly to submit technical articles for the Newsletter of interest to municipalities oriented totransportation with emphasis on road safety, workforce development and management of the builtinfrastructure.

    I hope that the selection of these articles in this second edition of Newsletter El Puente for 2014 are ofbenefit to our readers and other professionals in local transportation agencies in the 78 municipalities ofPuerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

    Benjamn Colucci Ro

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    Tra c (AADT), that ranges from 400 vpd to

    as high as 40,000 vpd. These bridges have

    been designed by state and local

    transporta on agencies as well as by

    consultants. Based upon these economical

    and prac cal reasons, there is growing

    acceptance of the GRS -IBS technology

    na onally.

    The Puerto Rico Highway Transporta on

    Authority (PRHTA) has taken advantage of

    this ini a ve on two projects on the island,

    namely, PR 140 in Barceloneta and PR 2

    near Yauco, Puerto Rico. The PR 2 original

    bridges, BR -1121 and BR -1122, consisted of

    twin three span structures which were

    replaced with twin single span structures.

    This GRS-IBS project is the second that has

    been constructed in an NHS but, has the

    highest AADT with over 40,000 vpd. In

    order to maintain tra c the construc on

    used staged construc on through this

    sec on of highway. This allowed the

    demoli on and construc on of one bridge

    at a me. Due to the cri cal aspect of the

    project as well as the use of this new

    technology PRHTA is installing

    instrumenta on to help them monitor the

    performance of the structure over several

    years. This informa on will be used to help

    improve the con dence in the system and

    to verify that the structure is performing as

    expected.

    the second and third rounds. GRS IBS was

    selected as an EDC technology because of

    the ability to accelerate construc on,

    reduce environmental impact, and reduce

    costs.

    The GRS IBS technology uses alterna ng

    layers of compacted granular ll material

    and geosynthe c reinforcement to support

    bridges. These are commonly available

    generic construc on materials making

    them easy and economical to procure. GRS

    IBS also reinforces the approach

    embankment coming into the bridge

    helping to provide a smooth transi on onto

    the roadway elimina ng the bumpy ride

    felt as one drives onto a typical bridge.

    This bump is more than just an annoyance

    to the drivers but can also cause damage to

    the vehicles and increased long term

    maintenance cost to the bridge.

    Prior to the start of EDC in October 2010,

    there were approximately 20 structures

    constructed in two coun es in two states.

    Since then, the EDC ini a ve has resulted

    in over 150 new bridges in more than 35

    states. These include several bridges on

    the Na onal Highway System (NHS). These

    GRS-IBS bridges are primarily on state and

    local roads. This technology has been

    constructed with a wide range of materials

    with di erent types of superstructures on

    roads that have an Average Annual Daily

    Daniel Alzamora,Geotechnical

    Engineer

    I r duc f GRS -IBS i Pu r Ric

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    The site condi ons had 3 major advantages:

    1. Short span was ideal for the rst GRS -IBS to beconstructed in PR in the NHS.

    2. Prestressed voided slabs could be used, placingthem directly on top of the GRS -IBS without theneed of cas ng a concrete leveling pad.

    3. No water under the bridge.

    The design of Yaucos bridges were made inaccordance with the nine design steps of the GRS -IBSGuidelines:

    1. Establish Project Requirement (Geometry,Loading Condi ons & Performance Criteria)

    2. Perform Site Evalua on (Topographic, SoilCondi ons, H -H & Exis ng Structures).

    3. Evaluate Project Feasibility (Cost, Logis cs,Technical Requirements and Performance

    Objec ves).

    4. Determine Layout of GRS -IBS (Geometry andExcava ons).

    5. Calculate Loads (Live, Dead, Impact andEarthquake Loads).

    6. Conduct External Stability Analysis (Direct Slide,Bearing Capacity & Global Stability).

    7. Conduct Internal Stability Analysis (Ver calCapacity, Deforma ons and Reinforcement

    Strength).

    8. Implement Design Details (Reinforced Soil

    Founda on, Guardrails, Drainage & U li es).

    As part of the implementa on of GRS -IBS technology,the Puerto Rico Highway and Transporta on

    Authority (PRHTA) coordinated a 2.5 days workshop

    with Federal Highway Administra on (FHWA) to

    introduce the technology to consultants, contractors,

    suppliers and PRHTA personnel. The ini al workshop

    was held at PRHTA headquarters and included a site

    visit to bridges 1121 and 1122. At end of theworkshop, par cipants were able to:

    De ne the major components of GRS -IBS.

    Discuss bene ts and limita ons for the use of GRS-IBS in highway applica ons.

    Iden fy site condi ons suitable for GRS -IBSconstruc on.

    Recall the two rules for proper construc on of a

    GRS structure.

    Apply the steps required to design a GRS -IBS.

    The loca on and tra c condi on made the bridges

    ideal candidates for the implementa on of the new

    technology. Not only did the bridges were located in

    a highway with an AADT of 43,340 vpd and a truck

    percent of 11% that required the use of Accelerated

    Bridge Construc on (ABC) techniques, but also had a

    3 span con gura on with a total length of 24.3 m

    that could be changed to a single span of 11.1 m, see

    Figure 1. This change was possible since the access

    under the bridge is a ca le pass that did not require

    the 3 exis ng spans.

    D si Ph s : GRS -IBS Brid Y uc , PR

    Jos R. Rodrguez ,Structural Engineer

    Fi ur 1. ( ) Exis brid c ur , (b) Pr p s d GRS -IBS c ur

    ( )

    (b)

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    9. Finalize GRS-IBS (Reinforcement and facing blocklayout & ll).

    During the workshop FHWA provided an Excel

    spreadsheet for the preliminary design of the GRS -

    IBS structure based on the Geosynthe c Reinforced

    Soil/Integrated Bridge System Interim

    Implementa on Guide. The spreadsheet was

    modi ed by author to include design aspects thatwere not considered and subsequently used in the

    design of the bridges. Some of the modi ca ons

    made to the spreadsheet were: Spr dsh Gr phic

    I rf c , S ismic Cri ri , Mi imum A ch r l h

    Cri ri (L ), Hi h S r hs I r Z

    R i f rc m s, Ex r l S bili y and CMU

    Gr u d & Pi d Cri ri .

    1. Gr phic I rf c : The graphic interface wasmodi ed to facilitate the understanding of the

    input and output data by the user. By includinggraphs and diagrams the user will visualize be er

    each change that is made during the design

    process which most of the me requires

    veri ca on and comparison of mul ple

    con gura ons of the GRS -IBS components (refer togure 2).

    2. S ismic Cri ri : In Puerto Rico the seismicaccelera on coe cients varies between 0.28g and

    34g, therefore, the criteria for seismic design were

    considered in the PRDOT Spreadsheet following the

    AASHTO LRFD 2012 seismic guidance. 3. Mi imum A ch r l h Cri ri (L ):. Although

    the limits and restric ons from the guide of design

    and construc on Geosynthe c Reinforced Soil/

    Integrated Bridge System provides durable and

    secure systems, it was decided to incorporate into

    the analysis the embedment length criteria of the

    resis ng zone (L e) which is established in the guide

    of the Design and Construc on of Mechanically

    Stabilized Earth Walls and Reinforced Soil Vol I, to

    ensure that reinforcement sa sfy the minimumembedment length criteria of 1.0m for this to able

    develop the required force which is analy cally

    determined by the Equa on 31 from GRS -IBS

    D si Ph s : GRS -IBS Brid Y uc , PR

    Fi ur 2. Gr phic I rf c f r GRS -IBS T ch l y

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    Guide, where (T req,f ) is the factored required

    reinforcement strength, (f) resistance factor for

    soil reinforcement pullout, (C) the type

    reinforcement factor, (F *) pullout resistance factor,

    (Rc) cover ra o,( s v) nominal ver cal stress at the

    reinforcement level, (a) scale correc on factor,

    (sh,f ) the total factored lateral stress within GRS

    abutment, (S v ) the reinforcing spacing and (d max)the maximum grain size.

    4. Hi h S r hs I r Z R i f rc m s: Another aspect of design included in the

    spreadsheet was the incorpora on of biaxial

    reinforcement of high resistance (20,580 lbs/ )

    near the road surface of the Integral Approach

    Zone (IAZ), which is di erent from the uniaxial

    resistance reinforcement (4,800 lbs/ ) used in the

    rest of the GRS mass. The purpose of this biaxial

    reinforcement is to resist the load concentra on

    generated by the truck re and its radial e ect.

    The model was based in the pressure distribu onprinciple of a 32k load shown in Figure 3.

    5. Ex r l S bili y Cri ri : The incorpora on ofthis stability criterion was added as a method of

    preliminary assessment of the external stability of

    the GRS prior to model it in a program of slopes

    stability analysis for the composite and global

    stability condi ons.

    6. CMU Gr u d & Pi d Cri ri : The inclusion of

    the worksheet "CMU grouted & Pinned" in thedesign of GRS program will help us evaluate

    mathema cally the recommenda ons of the

    Sec ons 3.5 and 7.7.7 from GRS Guide, where it

    recommend to ll the concrete block wall with

    grout and rebar #4 to bind together the top three

    courses of facing blocks with the purpose to

    reduce deforma ons in the top courses facing

    blocks. Also help us to validate the e ects of

    displacement of the blocks during the compac on

    process. The design assump ons and model will be validated

    through the installa on of monitoring system of the

    36 op cal sensors (20 Op cs Pressure Cells and 16

    Geosynthe c Fiber Sensors) into the GRS mass of the

    bridge 1121.

    Finally, the Special Provision 983 Geosynthe cReinforcement Soil Inegrated Bridge System wasdeveloped by PRHTA in coordina on with FHWAResource Center personnel with the purpose of allowus the use of both well graded and open -graded

    back ll and the use of hollow blocks.

    D si Ph s : GRS -IBS Brid Y uc , PR

    Fi ur 3. Dis ribu f pr ssur s u d r si l -wh l l ds

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    Introduc on This technical ar cle presents the PRHTA inspectors'perspec ve of the construc on phases of the GRS -IBS technology implemented in PR -2 in Yauco, PuertoRico. This project speci cally, addresses construc onissues associated with the replacements of Bridges1121 and 1122 with the Geosynthe c Reinforced SoilIntegrated Bridge System (GRS -IBS), bridgemonitoring instrumenta on system, prestressedconcrete voided slab, drainage system, asphaltpavement, guardrail and pavement marking. Theproject started at September 16, 2013 and theexpected comple on date is August 17, 2014. Thecontract was awarded to Tamrio, Inc. for the amount$1,711,481.25 and with change orders per nent tothis innova ve project increased to $2,286,485.85.

    Yaritza Cordero,Project Engineer

    C s ruc Ph s : GRS -IBS Brid Y uc , PR

    Demoli on

    Founda on RSF

    Abutments and Wing Walls

    Prestressed Voided Slabs

    Integrated Approach Zone

    Concrete Parapets

    Waterproof Membrane

    Asphalt Pavement (Superpave Mix)

    Bridge No. 1122 Completed

    Bridge 1122 Construc on Phases

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    2. T c s ruc r c s ruc h R i f rc dS il F u d (RSF)

    The original set of plans did not include theconstruc on of an RSF because the exis ng shallowfounda ons of the piers would remain in place. TheGRS system, therefore, would be constructed directlyon top of it once the columns were cut o at the topof the foo ngs. The plans speci ed the size increaseof the exis ng separate foo ngs to convert them to asingle con nuous founda on. According to the plansof the exis ng bridges, the founda ons were atapproximately 1 LnM below grade. When thecontractor started digging to reach the top of thefoo ngs and cut the columns, it was found that theactual depth of the top of the foo ng was 1.60 LnM,much more than what the ini al design considered.Due to this change in eleva on, it was determined

    Construc on Issues 1. G Acc p bl B ck ll m ri l Since the bridges are not crossing over water body itwas decided to use a well -graded material for theGRS-IBS instead of open graded. PRHTA does nothave the required facility to do a performance test(mini-pier experiment), therefore, it was determinedto get a grada on having the characteris cs ofSec on 3.3.1.1 Well Graded Back ll from theGeosynthe c Reinforced Soil/Integrated BridgeSystem Interim Implementa on Guide. Thisgrada on is shown in Table 1. The exact grada on isnot required as long as the maximum aggregate sizeis less than 2 (50.8 mm), the amount of nes passingsieve #200 is less than 12%, the Plas city Index (PI) isequal or less than 6, the AASHTO T -104 is performedshowing a magnesium sulfate loss of less than 30%a er four cycles (or a sodium value less than 15%a er ve cycles) and the material has a fric on angleof at least 38 o. PRHTA felt comfortable followingthese guides without doing a performance test sinceone of the bridges would be instrumented in bothabutments and this will allow the designers tomonitor the exact behavior of the material a er thebridge is open to tra c. The accepted material wasa ained by blending two di erent materials.

    C s ruc Ph s : GRS -IBS Brid Y uc , PR

    Fi ur 1: Ori i l D si - C cr Cl ss III

    Gr d

    (VDOT 21-A)

    Si v Siz % P ssi 2 100 1 94 100 3/8 63 72 No. 10 32 41 No. 40 14 24 No. 200 6 12

    Pl s ci y I d x (PI)

    (AASHTO T-90) PI 6

    S u d ss

    (AASHTO T-104)

    The back ll shall be substan ally free ofshale or other poor durability par cles.The material shall have a magnesiumsulfate loss of less than 30 percent a erfour cycles (or a sodium value less than15 percent a er ve cycles).

    T bl 1: GRS bu m w ll - r d d b ck ll(FHWA-HRT-11 -026)

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    that, to avoid having a GRS with a height muchdi erent from the ini al design value, a 1 LnM RSFwould be constructed on top of the exis ngfounda on.

    3. Displ c m f c cr bl cks From the start of the compac on process, thecontractors and PRHTA inspec on personnelnoted that the concrete blocks were movingforward when the compac on roller was used.Even by limi ng compac on 1 LnM behind theblocks, the displacement was no ceable. Adisplacement of more than 1 was occurring alongthe wall. This occurred not only on the top layer ofblocks being compacted but also down to the next3 layers. Four layers of blocks were moving eventhough the contractor was following therecommenda ons of the Geosynthe c ReinforcedSoil/Integrated Bridge System InterimImplementa on Guide, namely:

    Do not use the drum vibratory roller within 1.0LnM behind the block

    Use a walk -behind vibratory plate tamper tocompact 1.0 LnM immediately behind the blocks

    When using the vibratory plate tamper stand onthe blocks if possible to eliminate any forwardmovement

    It was concluded that 2 factors were contribu ng to

    the excessive block displacement. First, the hollowblocks being used weighed 33 pounds. Second, sincethe material was well -graded and required a 95%compac on, the contractor was being overlyconserva ve and was giving too many passes of theroller to a ain the required compac on (which wasunderstandable because of the innova ve nature ofthe GRS-IBS technology).To address this problem for the second bridge to bereplaced (No. 1121), a decision was made to use solidblocks, weighing 66 lbs., instead of the original 33 lbs

    block. Based on the experience gained using GRS -IBStechnology, the contractor feels more comfortableand less conserva ve with the compac on process. Both abutments were constructed in a period of 38days. Void slab installa on and post -tensioning wasperformed in a day. The integrated bridge systemwith the pavement (GRS -IBS) was completed in 5days. The Bridge No. 1122 was constructed in 57working days. This project has been very successfully thanks to thecommitment of everyone, from the Contractor to

    FHWA and PRHTA sta , including the designer and theproject inspectors. We all have developed a greatpartnership that has helped to overcome theunforeseen situa ons encountered during theconstruc on phase. We are con dent that technologyhas arrived to stay, and that it will signify a greatbene t for the public by reducing the construc onme for future highway projects in the island.

    C s ruc Ph s : GRS -IBS Brid Y uc , PR

    Fi ur 2: R vis d D si R i f rc dS il F u d (RSF)

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    determine curing, internal tensions anddeforma ons as well as to detect cracks anddamages. Devices of super cial assembly allow thereal - me online monitoring of deforma ons andtensions in a variety of test samples. Furthermore,some types of ber op c sensors allow mul pledetec on points in di erent loca ons using onlyone ber, determining temperatures and

    deforma on in those points. An op c ber sensor from Ten Cate Geosythe cknown in the industry as GeoDetect was used tomeet with the rst requirement of determining thecondi on of the founda ons. The GeoDetectsensor is a geotex le of 1 mt. width by 10 mt.height with ber op c sensors designedspeci cally for geotechnical applica ons. Thisproduct for monitoring, inlays the op c ber in ageotex le fabric, therefore combining the bene tsof geotex le materials such as high interfacefric on in contact with the soil with the latesttechnology of ber op c sensors. The goal is togenerate early warnings to detect and locate rstsigns of instability in the geotechnical structures.These GeoDetect sensors were installed in fourlayers, at equal heights distributed in the top ofthe Bridge 1121s abutments (tra c in direc onfrom Guayanilla to Yauco), for a total of 16sensors.

    Fi ur 1. Ex mpl f h G D c M sh I s ll

    Tradi onally, to determine the bridges loads,sensors known as Load Cells are used. In the newgenera on of ber op c sensors, Load Cells aremanufactured with the same purpose as theirelectronic predecessors. In order to meet with theproject requirements, Load Cells from the Slovakcompany Sylex were chosen. The measurementrange of these cells ranges from 0 to 200 bar. Fivesensors were installed at equal heights by s rrupsand by each lane of the bridge for a total of 20

    For the replacement of the BR -1121 and BR -1122bridges located on Highway PR -2 Km 20.5, atechnology known as Geosynthe c Reinforced SoilIntegrated Bridge System (GRS -IBS) is being used.Although it seems to be new and innova ve, GRStechnology has been used by the U.S. ForestService since 1970. The Federal HighwayAdministra on (FHWA) recently began to use this

    technology because it is simple, low cost and thesta required for its construc on is non -skilled.The system involves placing geotex les of hightension capacity and low deforma on (less than5%) in compacted granular ll layers of less than12". These bridges are located in a high tra chighway, with very high and constant structuralloads. Since this technology has not beenpreviously used in similar condi ons, DTOP wantedto closely monitor the behavior of this construc onand verify design assump ons.

    Wh d y u w m i r GRS brid ?

    First nd out if its founda on is in good condi on,if there are no se lements or any slippage of llerin the internal structure. If we know thefounda on is good, we can conclude that thegeotex le has a tension capacity and thereinforcing lake is the suitable one. In case of anyproblems with the ground or the lling, we want toknow if the damage is severe enough to seekinterven on in the structure. Secondly we want toknow if the bridge is being operated below itsmaximum design capacity. This is important

    because we can know if the degree ofdeteriora on of the structure is associated withexcess tonnage or other failures. Knowing this,how do we measure both parameters in this typeof reinforced soil structures?

    Typ s f S s rs Us d

    As part of the design requirements, the bridgesinstrumenta on must have op cal ber equipmentand sensors. The opera on and instrumenta on ofcivil structures using these type of sensors hascome to be well understood and developed. The

    ber op c sensors are devices of high sensibilityand a rac ve to non -destruc ve tests because oftheir reduced size, light weight and construc on ina crystalline dielectric medium that makes theminvulnerable to electrical noise andelectromagne c interference (EMI), contrary tothe systems with conven onal sensors in electricsystems.

    To date, ber sensors have been embedded insidematerials composed for example in the concrete to

    Jos M. Muoz,Subcontractor

    I s rum : Brid 1121 i Y uc , PR

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    sensors. The Load Cells are installed on a concretebase for a stable base and it is lled with sand aroundto protect it from sharp objects such as rocks.

    Fi ur 2. Ex mpl f Sy l x L d C lls I s ll

    M sur m R quir m s

    All of these sensors belong to a family of ber op csensors known as FBG (Fiber Bragg Gra ng). Itsopera on principle lies in the introduc on of astructure with di erent periodic refrac ve indexes(gra ng), with a separa on in the order of a lightwavelength ( ). Every me a broad -spectrum lightbeam hits the gra ng, it will have a part of its energytransmi ed through it and another part re ected asin Figure 3. The signal of the re ected light is verynarrow (just a few nanometers) and it will center atthe Bragg wavelength twice the periodic separa on(). Any change in the modal index, the pitch of the

    ber gra ng caused by deforma on or in thepolariza on by temperature, will translate into aBragg wavelength change.

    The signal re ected is the signal detected by theequipment and by the determina on of itswavelength and movement (which are related withthe physical phenomena of deforma on andtemperature) the value engineering of the measuredsensor is determined.

    Fi ur 3. Op r pri cipl f FBG s s rs

    The equipment used for this instrumenta onsystem is of the brand Micron Op cs and consistsof two SM125 Op cal Sensing Interrogators and aSM041 Sensor Mul plexer. Up to 20 series ofsensors can be measured when con guring thisequipment. Actually, there are 20 sensors in theLoad Cells distributed in 4 sensor arrays and 16GeoDetect sensors, which are already sensorarrays, a emp ng to cover the 20 sensors arraysavailable.

    D Acquisi d C mmu ic M d l

    As shown in Figure 4, the data acquisi on is donein the Micron Op cs measurement equipment.This equipment delivers a data ow with themeasured wavelengths from each sensor, whichmeans the computer system has to know whichfunc ons does each sensor, its rela ve loca onwithin the ow to determine the sensorscharacteris cs and be able to calculate, based inthese two entries, an engineering value associatedwith each sensor. A er this step, a value is readyto be stored and analyzed. The data transmission isan alterna ve step that makes easier accessingdata when the end -user requires informa onwhether online (currentvalues) or historical (storedvalues) to be able to generate a report about thevalues returned by the system. The transmi eddata will be received by a data base for its storage.

    Jorge Chinchilla,Sub -contractor

    I s rum : Brid 1121 i Y uc , PR

    Fi ur 4. D Acquisi d C mmu ic M d l

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    Management philosophy principles. If yourcompany has already embraced Demingsphilosophy, this will help on the acceptance of thisapproach to management, for the other side it willserve as knowledge for future development of astrategy with a focus on quality.

    D mi s Cycl f C u us Impr v m

    Undoubtedly, ending with the devia ons andincluding all the organiza on in the search of suchobjec ve sounds like a great plan, however itsimplementa on is complex and it needs changes inmanagement mechanisms. To accomplish it, theuse of some technical tools is essen al.

    One of them is Demings Cycle, which was rstdeveloped by Walter A. Shewart (Father ofSta s cal Quality Control) in the 30s, with the aimto organize work and project follow up. And then

    taken up by in 1950 by Edward Deming, whopromulgated it as an alterna ve to face ac onprojects or process improvement. Because of this,it receives two names.

    In simple terms, the method is composed of fourwell de ned steps and its used each me apar cular process (or project) must beimplemented or improved. Its func on is to securethe process or project is implemented as it wasdesigned, so that at the end of the road theexpected results are obtained.

    There are four steps that compose it and at theend, the last step consists in reassess management,which transforms the technique in a virtuous cycleand allows to keep improving (see gure 1). Hence,we talk about con nuous improvement.

    Fi ur 1. D mi s Impr v m Cycl

    The four steps of Demings Cycle are iden ed bythe le ers P -D-C and A, by the name given to eachstage.

    In 1950, Japan had a weak economy, a reputa onof cheap manufacturing, low quality goods. In thatyear, a group of visionary scien sts, engineers, andbusinessmen representa ves, looked out andbrought to Japan an American companymanagement consultant whose name was E.Edwards Deming, who taught the Japanese theconcept of recording data in the control ofcon nuous improvement in quality. He brought aphilosophy, more than just a tool, which hedescribed later with 14 points for the overallmanagement of the company. It was a philosophythat changed the word of economy managementaround the world.

    Thirty years later, Japans industry becomes one ofthe biggest industrial powers in the world. It hadachieved reputa on for quality that wasunmatched. In the 80s, the industrial and

    economic value of Japan made news almost everyday. It can be jus ably argued that no man wastotally responsible for this. Nonetheless, it remainsbeyond ques on, Deming's philosophy was themost important in uence of the Japanese success.

    In 1951, the Union of Japanese Scien sts andEngineers (JUSE), created the Na onal Prize toQuality in honor of W. Edwards Deming, who withhis Fourteen Principles and Seven ManagementDiseases, and the applica on of Techniques ofSta s cal Quality Control got Japan ahead, countrythat was in a serious economic situa on.

    In Japan, he is known as the Father of the ThirdIndustrial Revolu on, since he showed and taughtto Japan when quality is pursued relentlessly,resources are op mized, costs are lowered, processare improved, the marked is conquered and thepredic ons of economic theories are challenged.

    However, as most great jobs, reading Demings 14Principles about Management is not enough,something more is needed, study them in -depth. Itis not possible to explain Demings philosophyprinciples in this short ar cle.

    The purpose of this ar cle is to explain howDemings philosophy can be applied to the di erentprocesses of a Health and Safety ManagementSystems (H&S) at work. Is not necessary tounderstand this philosophy to be able tounderstand and use the approach in this ar cle. Butit helps to know this approach is based in Demings

    Fernando Corts,MSc OSH

    Applic f h E. DEMING Cycl H l h d S f y Sys ms (H&S)

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    STEP 1

    The rst step consists in the organiza on of the jobor project to be done. To plan, the rstrequirement is analyze and study the process thatis to be changed or improved, establishing whichchanges must be done and how can they be done.To accomplish it, this rst step is subdivided in vephases:

    1. D h bj c v . Clearly establish theproject limits, answering the ques ons: Whatare we going to do? Why are we going to do it?What we want achieve? To where we want toget to?

    2. C ll c d . Research thoroughly the processto be improved, answering the ques ons: Whatare the symptoms? Who is involved? What datais necessary? How and where it can beobtained? What are we measuring and withwhat? Who are we going to consult?

    3. W rk u h di sis . A er being collected,the data has to be ordered and analyzed to beable to answer the ques ons: What ishappening? Why it happens? Which are thee ects and which are the causes that make ithappen? Where are their origins and why?

    4. W rk u h f r c s s . Answered theques ons above and with a plan in mind, you

    have to also project results against thesepossible changes or ac ons. It is essen al toknow which e ects will cause certain changes,and if previous tests, consult of specialists orde ning special situa ons is needed. Thus withseveral op ons in the table the one consideredthe best is adopted.

    5. Pl ch s . The last phase of this step is tochoose, explicit and plan the ac ons andchanges to be implemented, i.e. what will bedone and where, who will do it and when, howit will be done and how much it will cost. Withthis, we have de ned and have a plan.

    STEP 2

    The next step consists in carrying out what iswri en in paper (planning) to reality, i.e. do theplan. This is the implementa on step, in which thechanges has to be made and/or develop the planaccording to decision -making and the planning

    previously made. The recurring advice for this stepis star ng to develop the plan to a small scalewhenever possible, in order to see if in theprac ce it works as projected. And then if it works,re ne and implement it in a more comprehensiveway to the organiza on.

    STEP 3

    A er the changes and plans are implemented, theevalua on steps follows, i.e. studying theachievements and check if they match the onesprojected in planning. This means to observe andmeasure (prove) the e ects caused by thechanges made to the process, always checking ifthey match with the plan.

    STEP 4

    The next step consists on taking advantage and

    extending acquired knowledge and experiences inthis process to others. That is, beyond checking ifthe objec ves where accomplished or notregarding measurements, make a deeper analysisregarding the bene ts that leaves the experienceper se. We are talking about establishing whichknow -how leaves the experience to everyoneinvolved and answer the ques ons: What did weearn? Where else can we apply it? How will weapply it to a large scale? How can it bestandardized? How can we maintain the

    improvement achieved? How do we extend it toother cases or areas?

    Here the model or cycle already shows totalquality is always pursued. But also, because weare talking about a process of con nuousimprovement, another step must be added, whichconsists in establishing how this obtained resultscan be improved even more, in case of measuringdevia ons. That is, repea ng the steps again.

    The h step consists in repea ng the rst, but

    with a di erent percep on because animprovement has already been made. That is,once the process in the new achieved condi onbecause of the realized improvement isestablished, propose a new PDCA cycle to move astep up in the search of ideal quality.

    D mi s Cycl ppli d H&S

    Demings Cycle is a tool design to formulate,

    Applic f h E. DEMING Cycl H l h d S f y Sys ms (H&S)

    P=PLAN

    D=DO

    C=CHECK

    A=ACT

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    D (Ex cu , R liz , r Impl m wh w spl d)

    In this step is fundamental to communicate whatwas planned, if its necessary to train, it would bethe right thing, before people have to performstandards and/or instruc onal which the planningprocess requires.

    Is here where correc ve measurements ordevia ons (incident and nonconformi es) thatwere iden ed in the process of improvementplanning must be implemented appropriately (seegure 3).

    In this Cycles step, resources must be de ned andprovided for the ful llment of the plan.

    Monitor, Document and Measure the di erentvariables admi ed as speci ca ons in the process,whether these are speci ca ons about productquality, safety and health condi ons for a certainprocess, and the speci ca ons from thestakeholders.

    What is de ned in the places emergency plan suchas protec on against re, access, evacua onroutes, emergency instruc ons, etc. must beimplemented.

    Fi ur 3. H&S Pr c ss M m Impl m

    Ch ck (V rify, R vis d M i r h wh isb i d is cc rdi h sp ci c s ). Seegure 4.

    In E. Demings Cycle of con nuous improvement,we will be able to measure that speci ca ons aremet, for example: Verify that speci ca ons ofOSHAs code, MSHA are met, and if safety andHealth Programs of the organiza on areestablished appropriately. Monitor whether what

    implement, evaluate and correct a par cularstrategy and can be easily adaptable to solve H&Sproblems. The applica on of Demings Cycle to themanagement in Health and Safety Systems isdescribed below.

    Pl (D h c x f h pr c ss r dh pr bl m b s lv d)

    Planning sounds and its simple to write, howevertoday in the XXI century, there s ll organiza onswho do not give importance to planning theirprocesses and let alone teach how to do it.

    An organiza on must have clear objec ves andhave their de ni ons wri en, what is desired inhealth and safety performance in workplaces (seegure 2). These objec ves are normally de ned inthe H&S Poli c declara on, and these must be

    implemented in workplaces. A par cular projecthas processes, which are inside a strategic andopera onal context which must be iden ed andanalyzed. These processes have risks in safety andhealth that should be inventoried, a er they areevaluated with respect to their probability ofoccurrence and severity or impact. Each iden edtask will have various risks, which should betreated by a hierarchy of controls or barriers tohealth and safety mi ga on. These risk controls,

    generate tools or plans to measure performance orcontrol board. At the end of this cycle, variousstages of Health and Safety Process Managementcan be implemented to meet the clients needs,whose sa sfac on has to be veri ed byappropriate measurement of Health and SafetyProcess Management variables .

    Fi ur 2. H&S Pr c ss M m Pl i

    Applic f h E. DEMING Cycl H l h d S f y Sys ms (H&S)

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    has been indicated in the Safety Analysis for theac vity was performed without devia on.

    A er the speci ca ons are implemented, andhaving given them me to work, the ac ons takento plan the process or solve the problem arerevised or veri ed in order to know if it really wasproperly planned or the problem was resolved.

    During this step the results were studied and ask: Isit being performed as planned? Is the chosensolu on working? What did we learned? Todetermine if the solu on is working, theperformance measurements created in Planningmust be applied. The data collected during theprocess analysis phase must be compared with thecurrent data taken from the ac vity. To supervisethe process before and a er, control graphs,

    histograms and execu on diagrams must be used.If this means where used during the problemsini al analysis, a direct comparison can be made todetermine how well the planning or solu on isperforming. If the solu on is not correc ng theproblem, then the PDCA cycle must be startedagain to determine a be er solu on.

    Fi ur 4. Ch ck / V rify h H&S M m Pr c ss

    Ac (S d rdiz r s cur h u if rmi y i h

    pr c ss ) See gure 5.

    The last step, Act, involves deciding to embracechange, abandon it or repeat the cycle fortroubleshoo ng. If the change is embraced, thene orts must be made to make sure that the newmethods have been established in a way that theH&S new level of performance can be maintained.Now that a follow -up inves ga on has shown theproblem has been solved, is important the

    improved performance con nues.

    Correc ve and Preven ve Ac ons as H&Simprovement ac ons belong in this step of E.Demings Cycle. See gure 5.

    This step of the H&S improvement process hasthe purpose of ensuring the new controls and

    procedures remain ac ve. Is easy to believe thenew and improved method must be usedwithout failures; however, in any situa on inwhich a change takes place, there is a tendency ofreturning to the old methods, controls andprocedures when stress is incremented.

    Is similar to what happens when driving anautoma c car a er driving a manual for manyyears. Under normal driving condi ons, driverswill not use their le legs to step on a clutch

    pedal that does not exists in an automa c vehicle.

    Fi ur 5. H&S M m Pr c ss Ac

    C clusi

    The applica on of E. Demings cycle helps ussolve problems or plan processes and thusachieve the objec ves. Both in strategic planningas in the implementa on of ac on plans,stemming from planning, is the key for theobjec ves success, the par cipa on andcompromise of the Senior Management. Thespeci ca ons or the ac on plans must bemeasured and evaluated to verify if therequirements are met. This cycle requirescon nues process improvement if a devia onexists, re ec ng the total quality approach in theimplementa on of the various stages of E.Demings cycle.

    Applic f h E. DEMING Cycl H l h d S f y Sys ms (H&S)

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    new laws for making safer roads to all road

    users. The front facade of the Mayagez City

    Hall was the other landmark that was

    illuminated represen ng the h E namely,Everyone . The Governor of the Commonwealth

    of Puerto Rico, the President of the Senate, theChancellor of the University of Puerto Rico at

    Mayagez and the Mayor of the City of

    Mayagez dedicated Resolu ons and/or

    Proclaims recognizing the Transporta on

    Technology Transfer Center at the UPRM for

    their contribu on and

    commitment in raising

    public awareness

    towards a road safetyculture.

    Furthermore, as part of

    the educa on and

    awareness ini a ves at

    UPRM, a collar was

    placed at the neck of the

    bulld m sc , using

    During the week of May 5 -

    9 2014, the University of

    Puerto Rico at Mayagez

    (UPRM) held several

    ac vi es to commemorate

    the Third Anniversary the

    Decade of Ac on for Road Safety 2011 -2020, aGlobal Ini a ve of World Health Organiza on

    (WHO). These ac vi es were made in order to

    raise public awareness towards road safety

    culture and synchronized with the Na onal

    Towards Zero Death (TZD) ini a ve in the

    United States. The Third Anniversary of the

    Decade of Ac on for Road Safety was

    dedicated to Dr. Alberto Figueroa, President

    and CEO of the Metropolitan Bus Authority(MBA) and to Mrs. Iraida Melndez, Vice

    President of Quality, Social Responsibility and

    Corporate Rela ons of MAPFRE Puerto Rico,

    for their respec ve contribu ons in educa on,

    research and raising awareness in road safety

    in the island. As part of the ac vi es that were

    carried out, several landmarks in the island

    were illuminated using the yellow color to

    represent road user awareness. The frontfacade of S C pi l f Pu r Ric was

    illuminated to represent Enforcement , which is

    one of the four Es ( Engineering, Educa on,

    Enforcement and Emergency / Incident

    Management ) as well as to restate the

    commitment of the Senate of the

    Commonwealth of Puerto Rico for approving

    Illumi f S C pi l f Pu r Ric

    Illumi f h Ci y H ll f M y z, PR

    UPR M y z BulldM sc wi h R d S f y

    C ll r Embl m

    D dic Pl qu Dr. Alb r Fi u r

    Succ ssful Third A iv rs ry f h D c d f Ac f r R d S f yi Pu r Ric : 20112020

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    the yellow diamond shape emblem of the

    Decade of Ac on. The closure of the Third

    Anniversary included two mayor events, namely

    the dedica on ceremony to Dr. Alberto Figueroaand Mrs. Iraida Melndez and tes monies of

    parents that lost their loved ones in fatal road

    crashes involving alcohol. The MAPFRE

    Founda on also presented the book en tled

    Absence: The emp ness caused by drunk drivers

    that included other tes monies of vic ms

    family as a result of a fatal road crash involving

    driving under the in uence (DUI) of alcohol. The

    parents and rela ves of two civil engineering

    students of UPRM that passed away in separate

    road crashes in spring 2014 were also present in

    this event in support of this ini a ve. Students

    and faculty advisors, representa ves of Medical

    Services O ce, Mothers Against Drunk Drivers

    (MADD), Luis A. Seeriz Founda on, FIESTA

    Program ( Facilitators Instructors in Tra c Safetyand Alcohol ) sponsored by the Highway Tra c

    Safety Commission and the Puerto Rico

    Department of Transporta on and Public Works

    were also present in this ceremony.

    For addi onal informa on regarding future

    ac vi es associated with the Decade of Ac on

    for Road Safety in the Commonwealth of Puerto

    Rico, please contact Dr. Benjamin Colucci,

    Spokesperson for this road safety ini a ve in theisland. Please visit our website h p://prltap.org/

    eng/ or contact us on www.facebook.com/

    dasvpr

    D dic Pl qu Mrs. Ir id M l d z

    Pr s f h b k l d Absence by his di rVic r Ni v s

    Cl sur f h Third A iv rs ry f h D c d f Ac f r R d S f y 2011 -2020

    Succ ssful Third A iv rs ry f h D c d f Ac f r R d S f yi Pu r Ric : 20112020

    http://prltap.org/eng/http://prltap.org/eng/http://prltap.org/eng/http://www.facebook.com/dasvprhttp://www.facebook.com/dasvprhttp://www.facebook.com/dasvprhttp://www.facebook.com/dasvprhttp://www.facebook.com/dasvprhttp://prltap.org/eng/http://prltap.org/eng/
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    exist in Puerto Rico. In addi on, under hisdirec on di erent rms could conduct tests thatwere used to develop products that aremarketed today. Products such as structuralpanels, plas c brackets rods, shu ers and otherswere tested in this laboratory.

    Throughout his career Dr. Wendichansky hasshown great interest both for research and forproblem solving prac cal for real me. Inresearch phase, has done projects funded bydi erent agencies such as NSF, Puerto RicoHighway and Transporta on Authority (PRHTA),Corps of Engineers, O ce of the Commissionerof Insurance, Puerto Rico Electric PowerAuthority, FEMA, and others.

    Dr. Wendichansky has worked for the private

    sector as a consultant for rms such as Walter M.Ruiz and Associates, Juan Carlos Virella andAssociates, and others. His interest in expandinghis vision of the engineering prac ce, led him tofound with Dr. Leandro Rodrguez Agrait, thesignature -Wendichansky Rodriguez -Vera, whichdevoted most of his me solving complexstructural problems.

    Currently, Dr. Wendichansky has been involvedwith Dr. Juan Carlos Virella in the evalua on of

    bridges, either by analy cal or by load tes ngstudies. In addi on, from the researchperspec ve, it has been developing methods togive the structural use to recycled rubber andhas been involved in the development of a novelmethod to substan ally reduce the loads ac ngon buildings due to seismic e ects. In this rstphase, the research ndings had exceeded theoriginal expecta ons of the project.

    In 2013 Dr. Wendichansky started to collaboratewith the Center as an instructor of the seminarprogram, when he o ered the seminar en tledBasic Concepts in the Construc on, Inspec on,and Maintenance of Bridges. The Puerto RicoLTAP Center recognizes in this second edi on of2014 of the El Puente Newsle er the valuablecontribu on and excellence of Dr. Wendichanskyas part of the family of instructors of our Center.

    Dr. Daniel A.Wendichansky Bard,was born in 1957 inCrdoba, a city locatedat the central part ofthe Republic ofArgen na. In 1975, has

    began his studiesleading to the degree in

    Civil Engineering from the Na onal University ofCrdoba. By then, there were in a fewuniversi es in Argen na graduate programs inCivil Engineering, so the program will required 6years. A er was conferred to him the degree ofCivil Engineer in 1981, Dr. Wendichansky startedworking on the Provincial Roads Departmentwhose func on is similar to the Puerto Rico

    Highway and Transporta on Authority (PRHTA).In 1984 Eng. Wendichansky moved to PuertoRico where his studies leading to the master'sdegree under the supervision of Dr. Walter Ruizbegins. In 1986, a er earning his degree, beganteaching as an instructor in the Department ofGeneral Engineering at the University of PuertoRico at Mayaguez Campus. A er that me, heworked as a consultant for the rm Walter M.Ruiz and Associates. In 1992, Dr. Wendichanskybegins his doctoral studies at the StateUniversity of New York at Bu alo, headquakersat the Na onal Center for Earthquake Research.Under the supervision of Dr. John Mander andDr. Ian Buckle, it was conducted a full -scalecomparison of two bridges in which the seismicimpact of replacing common steel brackets thatare typically used in old bridges was studiedtests by seismic isolators. On his return in 1996,Eng. Wendichansky began to teach at the

    Department of Civil Engineering at the UPRMayaguez Campus. At the same me he is incharge of the Structures Laboratory of thedepartment. Under the purview of Dr.Wendichansky as director of the laboratoryequipment is acquired for both dynamic andsta c tests. Also under the responsibility of Dr.Wendichansky, is develop the rst and largestearthquake simulator for research purposes that

    K w y ur I s ruc r: D i l A. W dich sky

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    Mrs. Irmal Franco -Ramrez,natural from Mayagez,began working in theTransporta on TechnologyTransfer Center in 2001, asa student demonstra ng

    her skills as a rst category professional. Onceshe completed her Bachelor in BusinessAdministra on at the University of Puerto Rico,Mayagez campus, Mrs. Franco was hired at theCenter in 2003 where currently is Administra veO cial II.

    Throughout the years at LTAP/T 2 Center, Mrs.Franco has prepared and coordinated ac vi es,trips, mee ngs, workshops, professionaldevelopment ini a ve at local, na onal andinterna onal level. Furthermore, Mrs. Francohas o ered presenta ons in na onal andinterna onal technical conferences related totransporta on ini a ves including thoseassociated with the Every Day Counts (EDC)ini a ves sponsored by the Federal HighwayAdministra on (FHWA) of the United StatesDepartment of Transporta on (USDOT). Mrs.Franco assist the LTAP Director in theprepara on of technical presenta ons forlectures in English and Spanish complemen ngthem with the most advanced visual and stateof the art technologies available in the market inboth Mac and Windows. Her assistance in the

    prepara on and submi al of proposals to thestate and federal government for the renewal ofthe Center Opera on at UPRM, annualassessment reports, technical papers andpresenta ons, and the coordina on of themee ngs with the Advisory Board, is worthemula ng. Other responsibili es throughout theyears that provides exposure to the LTAPTraining Program is her assistance in theprepara on, edi on and publica on of thebilingual newsle er El Puente, publishedquarterly as well as the electronic version. Mrs.Franco also assists in the prepara on oftechnical papers, presenta ons, news bulle ns,

    brochures, posters, showing her wiliness to moveto the next level.

    The dynamic nature of the opera on of the T 2 Center in a typical year is associated withaddressing innova ve as well as challengingac vi es arises that are of interest to thetransporta on community that were notoriginally incorporated in the proposal but a ectsdirectly our goal to provide safety to all highwaytransporta on users. Mrs. Franco is alwaysavailable to assist in these challenging ac vi es atthe local and na onal level working as a memberof a team in coordina on with governmentagencies, municipali es, and private sector. Thisinclude new ini a ves related to transporta onand highway safety with MAPFRE InsuranceCompany, Aber s, Atencin Atencin MusicalGroup, Ins tute of Transporta on Engineers (ITE),College of Engineers and Surveyors of Puerto Rico

    (CIAPR), Decade of Ac on for Road Safety, amongothers.

    In terms of con nuing educa on, Mrs. Franco hasobtained several professional developmentcer ca ons such as Internet and Compu ngCore Cer ca on (IC 3) 2005 and MicrosoCer ed Applica on Specialist (MCAS). Mrs.Franco has taken several courses such as WebDesign Maintenance (GoLive), The Conference forAdobe Photoshop Users, The Hands -On Web SiteWorkshop and Discovering the Secrets ofMicroso Access.

    Irmal, as everybody calls her, is an excep onal

    human being and outstanding human resource. Itperforms her tasks e ciently, is passionate withher work, and willing to learn how to conductnew tasks in a faster and e cient manner,striving for quality.

    The LTAP/T2 family recognizes that Irmal hascontributed signi cantly to the success of theopera on of the Center, for over a decade anddedicates this issue of the El Puente newsle erfor all these accomplishments. C r ul s!

    PR LTAP C r S : Irm l Fr c -R mr z

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    20/20

    EL PUENTE is published by the Puerto Rico Transportation TechnologyTransfer Center located at the Department of Civil Engineering and Surveying

    of the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagu ez.

    PUERTO RICO TRANSPORTATIONTECHNOLOGY TRANSFER CENTER University of Puerto Rico at Mayagu ez Department of Civil Engineering and SurveyingCall Box 9000, Mayagu ez, PR 00681

    787.834.6385 PHONE 787.265.5695 FAX

    www.prltap.org

    L P U NT

    N WSL TT R

    The opinions, ndings or recommenda ons expressed in this newsle er are those of the Center Director and Editor and do not necessarily re ect the views of the

    Director & Editor Benjamn Colucci Ros

    Program Administrator Gisela Gonzlez

    Administra ve Coordinators

    Irmal Franco

    Grisel Villarubia

    Administra ve Assistants Adlin SantosCristal Vlez

    Editor Assistants Yari L. Babilonia Marivic Hernndez Anne M. Mndez

    EL PUENTE N wsl r VOL. 28, NO. 02, 2014

    PR LTAP C r S