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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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      <link>https://rip.trb.org/</link>
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    <item>
      <title>Permeability of Granular Materials, and Blended Salvaged Granular Materials</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2379666</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Department does not currently have a clear understanding of how drainable a granular base material needs to be in a roadway section to optimize long-term pavement performance.  Furthermore, the Department does not fully understand how permeable the virgin granular materials used on projects are with our dense-graded material granular base sections.  There is also a lack of understanding of how permeability is affected by adding salvaged granular material once it has been blended into the virgin base course, gravel cushion, or salvaged granular material. Based on the previous research project SD97-03 completed by the Department, our current practice is to blend Recycled Asphalt Pavement (RAP) into virgin granular material with a blend ratio of no more than 50% RAP. Recycled Concrete Aggregate (RCA) can be used in lieu of virgin aggregates if it meets the specified gradation for the aggregate for which it replaces. The expectation with this practice is that both materials (virgin and blended) will have similar drainage characteristics.  With a better understanding of the drainage characteristics of RAP produced by various methods (process-in-place, cold-milling, micro-milling, and crushing) and RCA, the Department could better optimize the use of reclaimed materials in roadway sections and be assured that proper drainage has been achieved in the design in the most cost-effective manner possible.  Currently, that clear understanding is missing from our granular base material designs and this research opportunity could provide that clarity and assure that the best use of tax-payer funds is being utilized.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 14 May 2024 14:44:48 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2379666</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Utilization of Regular or Carbonized RCA for KDOT Paving</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2255772</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Concrete pavements in Kansas experience on average thirty-three freeze- thaw cycles during a year in-service. Both the aggregate and the cementitious paste are susceptible to freeze-thaw deterioration. KDOT has implemented minimum air content requirements for concrete mixtures and prequalification of aggregate using KTMR 22 (a 9-month testing procedure) to minimize premature freeze-thaw deterioration of pavements. The implementation of strict prequalification requirements has enhanced durability but restricted availability and increased costs of coarse aggregate (predominantly limestone in Kansas) for paving.
Recycled concrete aggregate (RCA), produced by crushing out-of-service concrete structures and pavements, can be a viable alternative to virgin aggregates for producing concrete for paving applications. Studies conducted by various state DOTs (Indiana, Tennessee, Iowa) show that replacement of virgin aggregate with RCA resulted in some (0 – 25%) reduction in freeze-thaw durability of the resulting concrete. The reported variability in the freeze- thaw performance can be attributed to (a) the source of RCA and/or (b) non-uniformity in mixture designs studied across different state DOTs. In particular, for concrete mixtures containing fly ash, the freeze-thaw performance of concrete containing RCA was similar to that of concrete prepared using virgin aggregates. Furthermore, all studies concluded that concrete containing RCA showed lower mechanical properties than concrete prepared using naturally mined aggregates. The high porosity of RCA was deemed responsible for the observed reduction in mechanical properties, especially flexural strength.
During the carbonation of RCA CO2 reacts with Ca(OH)2 to form calcium carbonate, which is harder and has larger solid phase volume than Ca(OH)2. Therefore, carbonated RCA (cRCA) has lower porosity than RCA and consequently the concrete prepared using cRCA shows better mechanical properties compared to concrete prepared using RCA. Furthermore, concrete containing cRCA has also showed lower gas and water permeability, chloride permeability, and carbonation depth compared to concrete prepared using RCA. However, no investigation has been conducted to evaluate the freeze-thaw resistance of concrete prepared using cRCA. Therefore, the research outlined in this proposal seeks to determine the performance characteristics of RCA and cRCA for KDOT paving.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 26 Sep 2023 15:50:31 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2255772</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Performance Structural Concrete Optimized for Cost, Durability, and Manufacturability (2.13)</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1875948</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The primary goal is to develop concrete mix designs that meet modern high-performance durability requirements while being practical to manufacture with New England-sourced materials and suppliers. These new Performance Concrete or High Performance Concrete (HPC) mix designs use graded aggregates, silica fumes, slags, fly ash, fibers, and other admixtures to increase strength and durability. This study spans three years and combines laboratory and production facility tests. The university investigators will work in close cooperation with partners in the concrete industry and state transportation agencies. The overall deliverable is a prescription for a concrete mix that suppliers can use with New England sourced materials for performance concrete. The objectives are as follows: (1) Develop cost optimized mixes in the laboratory using New England sourced materials, (2) Interact with concrete suppliers, (3) Participate in pilot tests at concrete supplier(s), (4) Evaluate performance on large scaled structural elements, and (5) Reporting and technology transfer. A key feature is the complexity of the mixes and the sensitivity to variations in proportions and composition. This project will use machine learning methods to sort through the complexity to predict the performance of new mix compositions, along with conventional statistical analysis and curve-fitting techniques.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 14 Jul 2022 11:52:59 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1875948</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Development of a Stormwater/Infiltration Systems for Urban Highways using Permeable Lightweight Cellular Concrete, Phase I</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1875795</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The research team proposes developing a decentralized stormwater detention system using permeable cellular concrete (PLCC) as an "underground" detention/infiltration material. This system will benefit urban roadways where land or utility constraints do not allow for conventional detention and stormwater treatment. The team believes the underground storage and infiltration of runoff can reduce the negative impacts of urban flooding on safety and roadway durability. This decentralized system will also benefit downstream waterways and groundwater by minimizing erosion, improving aquatic ecology, and providing in situ stormwater quality treatment.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 30 Aug 2021 15:07:56 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1875795</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Performance Evaluation of Porous Asphalt Mixture Containing Recycled Concrete Aggregate</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1868771</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Concrete is one of the most widely used building materials, which creates a large amount of debris during demolition and/or reconstruction of infrastructure facilities (1). The recent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency statistics show that concrete accounted for 67.5 percent of the 600 million tons of construction and demolition debris in the U.S. in 2018, and 74.3 percent of the concrete debris was reused as aggregate (2). The recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) from construction and demolition waste helps to reduce the environmental impact and improve the sustainability of infrastructures by diminishing the waste sent to landfill areas, reducing the need for aggregate mining from natural resources, and eliminating the carbon dioxide (CO₂) emission that would be released during portland cement production (3). 
 
Pavement is one major consumer of aggregates because of the vast area of pavement networks and the high proportions of aggregates in all pavement structural courses. Promoting the use of RCA in pavements is one major approach to achieve sustainability and environmental protection goals. Currently, most RCA use in pavement projects is limited to the base and subbase courses due to the lower quality of RCA in comparison to virgin aggregates and the less strict specifications for aggregates in the base and subbase courses. The use of RCA in the upper course, primarily dense-graded hot mix asphalt, is still limited due to the concern that RCA may significantly impact the performance of hot mix asphalt in terms of moisture susceptibility, tensile strength, and volumetric properties (4, 5). Meanwhile, porous asphalt mixture, which features a high air-void content and high permeability, has gained significant attention in recent years in the pavement industry due to its contributions to storm water runoff volume control and quality improvement, traffic noise reduction, driving safety enhancement, and other environmental and safety-related benefits (6, 7). The high porosity of porous asphalt mixture limits its applications to scenarios where either it is not treated as a structural course or the traffic volume, load, or speed is low (e.g., shoulder, parking lot, low-volume roads). These scenarios have less strict requirements on asphalt mixtures, so can be appropriate for the use of RCA in asphalt mixtures. Currently, only a very limited number of studies have explored the utilization of RCA in porous asphalt mixtures (8). There is a need to further investigate the feasibility and method of incorporating RCA in porous asphalt mixture.

The main objective of this proposed project is to investigate appropriate methods to incorporate RCA in porous asphalt mixture, evaluate the performance of porous asphalt mixture with RCA and other necessary additive, and provide recommendations on test procedures and mixture design. Specifically, the following tasks are planned:
(a)	Perform a comprehensive literature review of RCA characteristics, porous asphalt mixture design and performance, and the use of RCA in asphalt mixtures;
(b)	Develop and execute a laboratory experimental plan to design and evaluate porous asphalt mixtures containing RCA and other necessary additives; and
(c)	Investigate the mechanism of RCA impact on porous asphalt mixture performance and recommend test and design procedures/guidelines for porous asphalt mixtures containing RCA.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 27 Jul 2021 10:12:44 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1868771</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Effects of Combined Carbonate and Biofilm on Shrinkage Cracking in Unsaturated Cementitiously stabilized Soils Using Microcapsules.</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1856850</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The proposed study is on an innovative approach that couples self-healing effects of bacterial spores with sequential hydration methodology that could mitigate the development of shrinkage cracking of stabilized mixture while sustaining the development of high strength. A dual encapsulation technique, which involves a primary and secondary encapsulation of two different bacteria into a single microcapsule will be utilized. The sequential hydration which is a concept for which moisture content below optimum is provided for partial hydration and consequently minimized shrinkage cracking will be utilized. The use of dual encapsulation technique, which will allow for a carbonate and a biofilm precipitating bacteria to be encapsulated into a single capsule. The combine precipitate from these bacteria will yield a ductile composite precipitate. The coupled effects of ductile precipitate and sequential hydration will thus provide an optimum stiffness for the stabilized mixture and thus mitigate shrinkage cracking. The mixes containing bacterial microcapsules which enhance self-healing is expected to benefit immensely from the sequential hydration and lead to a novel design for cementitious stabilization.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 05 Jun 2021 17:33:48 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1856850</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>RES2020-06: Use of recycled concrete aggregate in new concrete mixes
</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1716626</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Natural virgin aggregates (NVAs) have become gradually exhausted across the state of Tennessee. There is a
growing need for the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) to replace NVAs with more sustainable
recycled concrete aggregates (RCAs). It is the intention of the project to quantitatively assess various RCAs available
in Tennessee and to explore their suitability for TDOT new paving concrete mixes. This report documents the main
findings of the project. A total of eight RCAs were collected representing different concrete origins of pavement,
returned concrete, and mixed sources including buildings. Their basic properties were evaluated, including size and
gradation, specific gravity, absorption, LA abrasion loss, chloride content, and pH value. These properties were
observed to vary widely with RCA sources. This report also covers how RCAs affected the performance of concrete.
It becomes evident that RCAs from good quality concrete origins such as pavements can be used in new paving
concrete when adequately designed and proportioned. They demonstrated similar performance as NVAs. However,
RCAs from unknow or mixed sources should be used with cautions as they may have inconsistent quality. Poor
quality RCAs reflected by high absorption, high LA abrasion loss, and low specific gravity due to unsound adhered
paste are not recommended for paving concrete because they will substantially reduce the strength and durability of
concrete. RCAs with nondurable aggregate origins are also unsuitable for paving concrete applications.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2020 11:16:24 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1716626</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Evaluation of Waste Concrete Road Materials for Use in Oyster Aquaculture</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1482153</link>
      <description><![CDATA[As part of their Environmental Stewardship Program, the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (SHA) intends to increase the use of recycled materials in an environmentally responsible manner. One way of meeting these goals is using recycled materials to the bottom of the Chesapeake Bay to support spat-on-shell aquaculture. For recycled concrete materials to be used within the aquatic setting of the Chesapeake Bay, it must be assured that it has no direct negative environmental impacts, that it is practical to use in this application and it meets regulatory criteria. The objective is to determine the suitability of waste concrete as bottom conditioning material for oyster aquaculture in the Chesapeake Bay without acute or chronic impacts to the surrounding ecology. The research will do the following:  (1) Evaluate the impact on water chemistry by organic chemical analysis, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)/petroleum hydrocarbon;  (2) Obtain administrative approval for use of RCA lead by Morgan State University (MSU);  (3) Evaluate the recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) for petroleum byproducts lead by MSU; (4) Impact the water quality and local ecosystem in marine environments lead by University of Delaware (UDEL); and (5) Provide methodologies for SHA evaluation of recycled materials lead by UDEL.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 11 Sep 2017 12:42:25 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1482153</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Concrete Durability Factor Estimation</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1230886</link>
      <description><![CDATA[In response to a Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) Request for Proposal (RFP), Missouri University of Science &amp; Technology (MST) will establish a relationship between the concrete Durability Factor (DF) and various quickly-determined factors of which DF is a function, such as aggregate characteristics, mix proportions, as-delivered w/cm, air content, air void system, and early-age strength.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 03 Jan 2013 14:08:04 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1230886</guid>
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