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    <copyright>Copyright © 2026. National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.</copyright>
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    <managingEditor>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</managingEditor>
    <webMaster>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</webMaster>
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      <title>Research in Progress (RIP)</title>
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    <item>
      <title>Alternative Jet Fuels Supply Chain Analysis of the Mid-Atlantic</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1549353</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Penn State will assess how the water supply benefits of certain biofuel crops can help subsidize the costs of producing alt. Jet fuels.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 21 Sep 2018 18:22:20 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1549353</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Alternative Jet Fuel Supply Chain Analysis of the Mid-Atlantic</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1501604</link>
      <description><![CDATA[No abstract provided.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 07 Feb 2018 11:38:34 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1501604</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Deployment of Ground Penetrating Radar and Ultrasonic Tomographer Non-Destructive Techniques for Assessment of Corrosion-Deteriorated Adjacent Prestressed Concrete Box Beams</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1482474</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Civil infrastructure systems play an important role in every aspect of the United States. The average age of the nation’s 607,380 bridges is approximately 42 years old and one in nine of the nation’s bridges is rated as structurally deficient. The United States is facing a major challenge to build safe and sound bridge systems with long-term durability, low maintenance costs and short construction periods. About 26 percent of the highway bridges in the United States are in need of repair or replacement, and a large number of these deficient bridges are reinforced or prestressed concrete structures. The cost of the United States infrastructure rehabilitation is estimated at over 1.5 trillion dollars over the next five years, with corrosion deterioration costs due to deicing salt and sea salt estimated at $150 billion. The United States Congress has recently approved a multi-year, $305 billion highway, transit and railway authorization bill to provide much-needed funds for State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) to fix deteriorated and deficient transportation infrastructure. The corrosion of reinforcing steel and prestressing strands is one of the major causes of deterioration, reduced durability or even failure of reinforced and prestressed concrete bridge structures. Corrosion does not only destroy the smooth riding quality of the bridge deck, but it could eventually compromise the structural integrity and safety of the bridge. Over the past few years, West Virginia Department of Transportation (WVDOT) has provided sizable funds to support the Lead Investigator’s work to assess the service life of corrosion-deteriorated reinforced concrete (RC) members in highway bridges (Zatar 2014). Bridges built with adjacent precast, pre-stressed concrete box beams are very popular and economical in all MATS States and nationwide. They have been used in the past two decades to foster the Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) concept. According to a recent National Bridge Inventory data, adjacent concrete box beams constitute 17 percent of bridges built annually on public roads (Naito and Warncke 2008 and Russell 2009). Without proper guidance, corrosion problems may be exacerbated for adjacent prestressed concrete (PC) box beams. Any rational decision regarding maintenance, repair, or replacement of the deteriorated members should take into account the member’s condition, the extent of deterioration, the expected remaining service life and the impact of alternative maintenance and repair options on the service life of the members. While visual inspection might provide a qualitative estimate of the damage, the specific location along a strand and the damage level cannot be clearly defined. There have been multiple cases where accurate condition assessments have revealed insufficient capacities and standard remediation and rehabilitation were inadequate. Evaluations of strand corrosion, broken strands and duct voids of adjacent PC box beams are essential in developing accurate and reasonable repair and maintenance strategies. This project aims at identifying the feasibility of using Ground Penetrating Rader (GPR) and Ultrasonic Tomographer to assess prestressed tendons’ condition, to provide detailed information about concrete deterioration and to assist with assessment and management of corrosion-deteriorated adjacent box beams in the Mid-Atlantic States.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 11 Sep 2017 16:59:21 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1482474</guid>
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      <title>Fiber-Reinforced Plastic (FRP) Wraps for Next Generation Sustainable and Cost-Effective Rehabilitation of Coastal Transportation Infrastructure in the Mid-Atlantic Region</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1401185</link>
      <description><![CDATA[A major impediment for the implementation of fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) in transportation infrastructure is the lack of effective references for training and technology transfer in practice, because the information is usually disparate, often confusing, and even contradictory. Therefore, this project offers the opportunity for developing a concise yet complete reference report that can serve as a “practical” educational tool, and facilitate the evaluation and implementation of externally bonded FRP repair by State Department of Transportation (DOT) personnel. An extensive review of FRP retrofit literature for highway structures will be performed. An evaluation of FRP-retrofitted projects in West Virginia will be completed. Bridge location, purpose of the FRP wrap, retrofit details and cost, cost/benefit studies, percentages of added capacities and targeted versus actual time frames for the FRP retrofit will be documented. Other advantages and disadvantages will be presented. Non-destructive testing/non-destructive examination (NDT/NDE) practices for inspecting FRP external wraps shall be developed. Of a major importance is to evaluate the acceptance levels of FRP-retrofitted projects by DOTs and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The outcomes of the completed research to evaluate the remaining service life of corrosion-deteriorated concrete bridge members based on the existing chloride content will be heavily utilized. The research team will work closely with West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH) and Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) members managing the databases, inventory, inspection reports, digital pictures, load ratings, load postings, remaining strength, etc. Criteria will be proposed to determine the suitability for FRP retrofit of types of structures, based on assessments for damage and inventory parameters. The project team will propose a prioritized classification process into three levels for possible candidate structures. WVDOT and VDOT candidate structures will be evaluated against these criteria. Existing reports and national guidelines/ specifications will be reviewed. The review will cover all the aspects of FRP research pertaining to repairing, reinforcing, or strengthening by external wrap and near-surface mounting. VDOT and WVDOH structural programs will be examined to check how they could account for FRP strengthening.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 16 Mar 2016 12:56:37 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1401185</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Multimodal Freight Distribution to Support Increased Port Operations</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1357225</link>
      <description><![CDATA[It is projected that more containers will pass through the major ports of the mid-Atlantic region with the completion of the Panama Canal expansion, and as shippers and carriers find it more efficient to move cargo on larger container vessels.  As a result, not only is it expected that a larger number of containers will be unloaded/loaded every time a New-Panamax vessel docks at a port, it is also widely anticipated that these larger ships will concentrate among a small of number ports, particularly those that have deeper channel depths, such as the Port of Virginia. It is going to be vital to the regional economies and to the surrounding areas to be prepared to handle the anticipated increase in container traffic with energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly technologies and transport options. In particular, efficiency in handling high-volume of containers at the ports and in transporting containers beyond the ports is critical. This study will bring together researchers from multiple universities to investigate strategies to optimize container handling inside the terminals, to more heavily utilize inland waterways and rail systems, and to optimize logistics to reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions while maintaining mobility needs.  In particular, the team from Old Dominion University (ODU) will investigate port operations strategies where both rail and truck traffic in and out of the port is considered. Interactions between these transport modes, and staging and handling of containers within the port will be investigated. Motivated by the rail connectivity available at the Port of Virginia, ODU will lead the research effort that will explore the use of rail to more efficiently move cargo out of the port. The team will explore optimization and simulation methods to study various complex interactions and factors influencing the flow of containers over multiple modes. These methods will help identify more cost and energy efficient strategies to handle large volume of container traffic inside the terminals. New models will be developed to understand the feasibility and potential benefits of such strategies.  The team from VT will support research in the area of optimization of freight movement within the context of fuel consumption and emission modeling which requires the development of fuel consumption and emission models for the various types of freight modes. Virginia Tech's team will focus on developing the fuel consumption and emission models for various ground transportation modes including trucks and trains. The focus will be on developing models that can be easily calibrated using publically available data. In addition, the VT team will consider developing smart systems to reduce the energy consumption of freight transport (e.g. eco-cruise control systems, eco-adaptive cruise control systems, etc.).  While optimizations for network-wide freight logistics have been focused on either flow maximization or total system travel time minimization, little research has focused on the greenhouse gas emissions and fuel consumptions in the context of multimodal freight logistics. The team from UVA will work on formulating and developing an optimization approach for multimodal freight networks to minimize greenhouse gas emissions or fuel consumption. Implementation  Potential implementation of project outcomes During this research, the team members will work closely with the Port of Virginia, rail lines (e.g. Norfolk Southern), and the private industry. The developed tools, techniques, and solutions will be shared with them for potential implementation.  Various components and algorithms for eco-cruise control systems, eco-adaptive cruise control systems, and eco-routing systems will be developed for more energy-efficient transportation of freight. Impacts  Expected benefits and impacts  A new suite of modeling and simulation tools and methodologies is envisioned to result from this research that can be used throughout the nation to combat congestion at the ports in a post panama canal expansion era.  Development of fuel consumption and emission models for various ground transportation modes including trucks and trains.  Impacts of various modes of transporting containers on greenhouse gas emission]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2015 01:01:43 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1357225</guid>
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      <title>Implementation of "Smart Equipment" in Field Construction</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1357217</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The l-95 urban corridor in the mid-Atlantic region experiences extreme congestion. The Washington D.C. region is among the most congested in the nation, and traffic problems in Philadelphia and Baltimore are also quite common. A major source of this congestion is delays caused by traffic disturbance and disruption that are associated with new roadway construction, lane widening, or roadway repair and retro&amp;#64257;t projects. Moving forward, to minimize these impacts, we need our road and bridge construction projects to happen "better, faster, and cheaper".  A potentially disruptive approach to roadway construction is currently emerging that utilizes "smart" construction equipment that is enhanced with sensors to monitor the location of construction equipment as well as the process of construction in real time. As one example. "Continuous Compaction Control" (CCC) and "Intelligent Compaction" (IC) technology has the potential to revolutionize the ways in which soil and asphalt compaction are performed, allowing for an improved quality roadway construction that happens more efficiently with respect to time and the personnel that are involved in the construction process. Consequently, research into these technologies has been sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and this technology has been promoted at the state level through the FHWA's "Every Day Counts" (EDC) initiative. Additionally, many states throughout the country are currently exploring the use of CCC/IC technologies through various collaborative pooled-fund studies.  There is also signi&amp;#64257;cant potential for integration of three-dimensional (3D) modeling for construction means and methods into the construction process. which has the potential to yield signi&amp;#64257;cant gains in construction efficiency. In particular, as noted in another recent FHWA EDC initiative statement:  "Three dimensional (3D) modeling technology has been widely used by contractors on non-highway projects, and the potential for highway applications is just now being realized. An overall benefit of the technology is an increase in productivity and efficiency of construction operations. As an example, global positioning system (GPS)-enabled construction equipment, when combined with the 3D terrain model can run all day nad night while achieving accurate grades on the first pass. These technologies together can increase productivity by up to 50 percent for some operations."  There is a logical intersection between using smart equipment for construction monitoring, and the enhanced use of 3D mapping and modeling tools for construction planning. means and methods, and quality assurance / quality control of the construction process. To date, research efforts in these areas have been largely focused on achieving a very speci&amp;#64257;c outcome to solve a particular problem. However the future in this area is extremely bright, and will necessitate enhanced integration across various data collection, information management, and implementation platforms. ln pursuit of this vision, a Mid-Atlantic Transportation Sustainability Center University Transportation Center (MATS UTC) research team, led by the University of Delaware (UD), proposes to advance the state of the art and the state of practice in this exciting emerging area. The work that will be conducted will begin with an extensive literature review on the "state of the an" and "state of practice" in this area. The research team will then perform detailed statistical analysis of an existing CCC data set. which should allow for improved understanding of the types of data that can be gathered with currently available equipment, and how this data can be used to improve the construction process. The research team will also attempt to build relationships with state departments of transportation (DOTs) in the Mid-Atlantic region that are interested in the use of emerging smart equipment technologies. Once interested parties are identi&amp;#64257;ed. the MATS team will attempt to organize field-scale studies that utilize smart equipment to collect new data sets that advance the use of this technology. These studies will illustrate the bene&amp;#64257;t of this equipment to the various state agencies and contractors that are involved with the process. will allow for identi&amp;#64257;cation of the various strengths and weaknesses that are associated with currently available technologies, and will allow for development of new useful test approaches and technologies that will advance the state of the art.  Researchers from the University of Delaware (UD) and Virginia Tech (VT) will conduct research from a multi-disciplinary perspective. Prof. Meehan has extensive experience with the use of "smart machines" on active construction projects (i.e.. his previous work with continuous compaction control equipment), and will bring the perspectives of geotechnical engineering and civil engineering to the project. Prof Meehan's work will focus on analysis of existing data sets. as well as design of new experiments and collection of data for any future projects that are identified throughout the course of the research project. Prof Batra has extensive experience with machine learning and artificial intelligence. and will bring the perspectives of computer science and advanced data analysis to the project. He will provide a supporting role for the project in the proper use of advanced statistical techniques and machine learning algorithms, and will also provide guidance into the proper design of future experiments.  Necessary project funds will be provided by separate application of each Pl to their respective MATS University Transportation Centers, as needed to support associated project activities. The funds that will be associated with the current proposal will be the primary source of support for researchers located at the University of Delaware. It is expected that there will be both informal and formal co-advisement of students located at the different universities.  The eventual outcome of research in this area will be hugely transformative for the construction industry. Where is this all going? Automated machine construction utilizing fully integrated robotic equipment. This type of equipment will allow for construction of transportation projects day and night, in a fashion that is not dependent on human labor, physical operator limitations, and errors in human judgment. The enhanced use of robotics will free up human labor to allow for further enhancements in transportation system design, and will allow for a greater focus on improving efficiency and reducing transportation system construction costs. Over time. higher quality projects will be built, at less cost, and with fewer delays and disruptions imposed on the transportation network.  In the short-term. utilization of "smart equipment" in &amp;#64257;eld construction will allow for improved monitoring of projects as they are being constructed, which should yield improved quality projects in less time. Results from project research will be published in peer reviewed journals and will be presented at large national conferences. Researchers will work collaboratively with the Delaware Department of Transportation to implement project outcomes into new DOT speci&amp;#64257;cations. as appropriate. Wherever possible. new &amp;#64257;eld projects will be conducted as "Demonstration Projects", which will be open to a variety of researchers and other employees from various DOTS throughout the MATS consortium area.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2015 01:01:15 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1357217</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Virginia Sustainable Travel Choices: Effects of Land
Use and Location on Current and Future Travel
Options</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1326358</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Recent research has shown that smart growth and other land use/built environment strategies can influence daily travel, potentially reducing vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and increasisng travel by alternative modes.  However, results vary considerably from place to place, and increasing density alone has not been found to result in more sustainable travel.  These findings suggest that diverse regions like the mid-Atlantic, with a mix of urban, suburban, and rural environments, cannot rely on a single approach to reducing VMT. This project will highlight sustainable transportation/land use systems across a range of settlement patterns, with emphasis on the interconnectedness of low-, medium- and high-density places within the region. Over the course of a three-year investigation, this analysis of local and regional travel and the built environment will (1) examine travel and land use patterns within the mid-Atlantic region, measuring relative levels of sustainable travel for a range of environments, (2) identify policies and planning approaches associated with specific travel patterns, and (3) propose solutions to improving transportation sustainability that account for local conditions as well as broader regional factors. The project expects that the travel modes and planning approaches most critical to providing usable alternatives to solo driving will vary substantially among places in the region. In year 1, the analysis of relationships among land use and travel patterns will use spatial analytic methods to identify configurations of infrastructure and development patterns that show evidence of reduced driving and mode shift.  Data on travel and land use patterns will be assembled in coordination with jurisdictions within the Mid-Atlantic Transportation Sustainability Center (MATS) region.  This effort will be undertaken at the University of Virginia, with advisory input from Marcia Scott at the University of Delaware (UD).  This project is aligned with UD's Land Use Master Planning project, and policy analysis and development will informed by that project. Years 2 and 3 of the project will build upon the quantitative findings, linking travel with specific policies and planning strategies, and building analytic tools for local and regional actors to use when developing a distinctive approach to sustainable travel. All findings and recommendations from this project will be made available to planners and other transportation practitioners through publication and presentation in well-known venues in the field. This project will provide an important but missing element of planners' and policymakers' understanding of how the built environment can shape sustainable travel behavior, specifically focusing on the differences among urban, suburban, and rural communities, as well as the significant travel linkages between these communities.  By relating quantified evidence of sustainable travel to specific policies and planning approaches, the practical solutions will be emphasized.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 08 Oct 2014 01:00:49 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1326358</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Mid-Atlantic Truck Operations Study (MATOps) Phase I &amp; II</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1264506</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The goal of the Mid-Atlantic Truck Operations studies are to help state departments of transportation (DOT), metropolitan planning organizations (MPO), and motor carriers develop capital, operating, and regulatory solutions that reduce delays at highway truck bottlenecks, set priorities for project funding, and implement improvements. The work undertaken in the Mid-Atlantic Truck Operations Study (MATOps) Phase I study: (1) identifies 29 truck bottlenecks in the region, estimates the truck-hours of delay at each, and then develops detailed delay estimates for the five worst truck bottlenecks in each state; (2) describes the Mid-Atlantic economy, its growth industries, and commodities they ship and receive; (3) estimates the value and tonnage of the commodities caught in the truck bottlenecks as a proxy for the economic impact of the bottlenecks; (4) maps the commodity flows against truck freight bottlenecks and identifies "bottleneck strings" along the region's trade corridors; (5) reports Mid-Atlantic Truck Operations Study ES-2 I-95 Corridor Coalition current bottleneck reduction strategies; and (6) recommends actions that the Coalition and its member agencies can pursue as the next steps in reducing truck bottleneck delays. MATOps Phase II study will build on the work conducted in Phase I to further analyze the operational, physical and institutional issues impacting the identified bottlenecks and will, working with the states, identify strategies to mitigate these bottlenecks.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 08 Oct 2013 01:01:40 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1264506</guid>
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