Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Transportation Infrastructure Geotechnology, cilt.11, sa.4, ss.1573-1597, 2024 (ESCI)
Turkey built its first highway truck escape ramp (TER) on the Turkish Trans-European Motorway (TEM) in 2012 and three more on the same highway in the following 2 years. The geotechnical properties of the aggregates used in these escape ramps were investigated, and the results were evaluated with respect to the compiled suggested criteria, since there are no internationally recognized and/or standardized criteria yet. Also, using 204 entries, performance of the aggregates, in turn, the ramps were analyzed with respect to entry speed versus both stopping distance and rolling resistance, and rolling resistance versus stopping distance along with total weight versus both rolling resistance and stopping distance, and also, available performance models in the literature were tested. The results show that the aggregates are made up of rounded-subrounded grains with no organic content and classified as GP, the bulk unit weight is 2.36 g/cm3, slake durability index is 99.46%, water absorption is 1.55%, Los Angeles abrasion lost is 20.40%, freeze-thaw lost is 7.4%, and alkali-silica reactivity is harmless. There is a good correlation between the entry speeds, stopping distances (or the required or design TER lengths), and rolling resistances, a weak relationship between the total weights and rolling resistances, but no meaningful correlation between the stopping distances and total weights. The higher the entry speeds, the higher the stopping distances, therefore, the required TER lengths, and the higher the rolling resistances, the shorter the stopping distances. The design lengths and, therefore, the aggregates of the ramps have performed well with some exceptions.