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    <title>Research in Progress (RIP)</title>
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    <atom:link href="https://rip.trb.org/Record/RSS?s=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" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
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    <copyright>Copyright © 2026. National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.</copyright>
    <docs>http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss</docs>
    <managingEditor>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</managingEditor>
    <webMaster>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</webMaster>
    <image>
      <title>Research in Progress (RIP)</title>
      <url>https://rip.trb.org/Images/PageHeader-wTitle-RIP.jpg</url>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/</link>
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    <item>
      <title>From Analysis to Action: Investigating Crash Readiness and the Role of Vehicle Features in Kansas Fatal and Serious Injury Crashes</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2652249</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The U.S. Department of Transportation's National Roadway Safety Strategy (NRSS) and other safety programs aim to eliminate road fatalities and serious injuries. The NRSS uses a Safe System Approach (SSA), which is a holistic and comprehensive approach that provides a guiding framework to make places safer for people. The SSA emphasizes infrastructure, human behavior, safe vehicle and transportation oversight, and emergency response which encompasses Safer People, Safer Roads, Safer Vehicles, Safer Speeds and Post-Crash Care as the objectives of the Safe System Approach. Some of the SSA objectives, such as, Safer People have been expanded upon by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Countermeasures That Work, while the Federal Highway Administration's Proven Safety Countermeasures have focused on Safer Roads. While driver behavior and road conditions are extensively investigated, one issue that is often overlooked is the role of the vehicle and its characteristics. Safer Vehicles are vehicles “designed and regulated to minimize the occurrence and severity of collisions using safety measures that incorporate the latest technology” (FHWA). Between 2019 and 2023, there were a total of 8,423 crashes on Kansas roads, with fatal (K) and serious injury (A) crashes accounting for 1,817 and 6,606, respectively. In terms of crash type, angle-side impact collisions resulted in 384 fatalities and 1,500 serious injuries, while head-on collisions resulted in 238 fatalities and 419 serious injuries, and rear-end collisions resulted in 110 fatalities and 638 serious injuries. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) evaluate a vehicle’s crash readiness through a series of tests that assess its crashworthiness and crash avoidance capabilities. However, a thorough analysis is needed to identify potential correlations between fatalities or serious injuries, crash types, and vehicle types and their safety features in Kansas. More specifically, it is important to identify the vehicle features that appear to be less involved in fatal or serious injury crashes, and therefore, have the potential to reduce crash severity. Such analysis will allow the the Kansas Department of Transportation (KsDOT) to better allocate resources and to make informed decisions concerning infrastructure policies to support vehicle safety features, as well as target behavioral safety and educational campaigns for drivers who use different vehicle models.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 13 Jan 2026 15:11:16 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2652249</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Device to Optimize Crashworthiness of Breakaway Sign Support System to Meet AASHTO MASH</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2505728</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project will develop a device that will improve the crashworthiness of small sign breakaway support systems. The majority of these systems have not been successfully tested to the guidelines of the AASHTO Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH). The most common observed crash testing failure is the sign panels and sign support rotating into the windshield and roof and causing excessive deformation or penetration of the occupant compartment. The device to be developed in this project will attach to the small sign support system to change the rotation and trajectory of the breakaway components after an impact so that the breakaway components do not strike the windshield or the rear window or the roof of the impacting vehicle. The device is expected to work on a wide variety of existing breakaway sign support configurations. The behavior of existing sign supports will be adjusted by optimizing size, mass, and location of the device through simulated tests. The results of simulated tests will be validated through crash tests with a small car and a pickup truck surrogate vehicles and one or two sign support system configuration(s) with the prototype device attached. If successful, the mass and height of the mass necessary for each configuration to produce a crashworthy behavior will be determined. The results will be input into a program so that the mass and height can be calculated for any configuration.   ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 03 Feb 2025 22:23:45 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2505728</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Method for Using ISPEs in Crash-Testing Protocols</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2381712</link>
      <description><![CDATA[In-service performance evaluations (ISPEs) of roadside safety features have been recommended for over 40 years. Michie recommended ISPEs for crash-test and evaluation procedures in NCHRP Report 230: Recommended Procedures for the Safety Performance Evaluation of Highway Appurtenances, published in 1981. The importance of and need for ISPEs was reiterated by Ross et al. in NCHRP Report 350: Recommended Procedures for the Safety Performance Evaluation of Highway Features and by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) in the Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH). The ISPE criteria were finalized in NCHRP Research Report 1010: In-Service Performance Evaluation: Guidelines for the Assembly and Analysis of Data. These reports outline the potential use of ISPEs into establish crashworthiness without crash tests.
Although it has been established that ISPE studies could help state departments of transportation (DOTs) to establish crashworthiness without having to conduct many crash tests, additional investigation on how ISPE data can be used to determine roadside safety hardware crashworthiness in lieu of crash tests would be helpful. Research is needed to incorporate ISPE data into crash-testing and evaluation protocols for roadside safety hardware to support state DOTs in delivering a safer highway network for all users. 
OBJECTIVE:
The objective of this research project is to investigate how state DOTs can incorporate collected ISPE data and results in commonly used crash-testing protocols for roadside safety hardware.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 21 May 2024 15:29:37 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2381712</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Tool for Estimating the Deflection of Temporary Traffic Barriers with Reduced Impact Angles</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2219020</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Temporary traffic barriers are used to separate adjacent vehicular traffic from construction workers, work zone activity, opposing traffic, and other conditions. When errant vehicles impact temporary traffic barriers that are not anchored, the barriers can deflect (including barrier displacement and deformation) from a few inches to several feet. Workers and equipment are restricted from occupying the area behind temporary traffic barriers to avoid potential impacts with moving barriers. However, providing a clear, offset non-work zone behind temporary traffic barriers constricts the already limited work area and adds project costs.
Temporary traffic barriers must be crash tested to the same criteria (typically 25-degree impact angles and 62 mph impact speed) as other roadside devices per the Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH). However, in instances where temporary traffic control barriers are deployed, roadway widths are often narrowed, which could result in reduced vehicular impact angles. Also, where temporary traffic barriers are deployed, speed limits may vary significantly from MASH crash test speeds. 
Research is needed to develop a tool for estimating expected temporary traffic barrier deflection that considers impact angle, speed, and other factors so practitioners can determine appropriate and reasonable offset zones. While previous researchers have approached this problem by reviewing encroachment data, those studies are believed to have had limited success. Thus, modeling and evaluation are needed for potential crash scenarios involving temporary traffic barriers to estimate deflection behaviors for various roadway widths and speeds.
OBJECTIVE:
The research objective is to develop a tool to estimate the deflection behavior of freestanding temporary traffic barrier systems resulting from reduced impact angles based on site conditions.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 25 Jul 2023 08:24:59 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2219020</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Crashworthiness of Roadside Hardware Impacted by Battery Electric Vehicles</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2219021</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH) defines the crashworthiness evaluation criteria and test conditions necessary to evaluate roadside hardware. MASH requires that test vehicles meet certain inertial and dimensional criteria and that vehicles be reasonably representative of commonly available, high-sales volume vehicles. 

Battery electric vehicles (BEVs), which are increasing in popularity, tend to be heavier than ICEVs by between 20 and 50 percent for models with similar cabin sizes and power outputs. Also, BEVs have significantly different structures than ICEVs: instead of an internal combustion engine, BEVs utilize battery packs commonly mounted in the floor pan and electrical motors that affect vehicle crush space, center-of-gravity height, and structural frame of the vehicle. 

The differences between BEVs and ICEVs could lead to incompatibilities with existing roadside hardware. However, currently little or no research is available regarding the crashworthiness of roadside hardware impacted by BEVs. 
 
Research is needed to investigate the crashworthiness of roadside hardware impacted by BEVs.

The objective of this research is to perform an initial investigation into the crashworthiness of some common generic roadside hardware when impacted by BEVs and to develop a framework for future testing.



]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 25 Jul 2023 08:22:35 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2219021</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Development and Evaluation of Box-Beam Barrier Configuration for Shielding Fixed Objects and Bridge Ends in Medians</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2170143</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The objective of this research effort is to develop, crash test, and evaluate the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) narrow-median box-beam guardrail system according to the TL-3 safety performance criteria found in the Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH). The outcome of this study will be a flared, minimal-length, cost-effective, narrow-median box-beam guardrail system. The system will be available for WYDOT and other state DOTs to implement into box-beam standard plans immediately upon project closing. 

Funding of this research effort will bolster two of the goals listed in the WYDOT Guiding Principles. One WYDOT goal achieved by completion of this study is to provide safe, reliable, and effective transportation systems. Installation of the WYDOT narrow-median box-beam barrier system on the roadway will improve occupant safety in two ways. First, the proposed system is flared, which not only reduces the overall length of the system but also moves the system away from the roadway, decreasing the frequency of impact from errant vehicles. Second, if an impact does occur, the system will be designed, tested, and evaluated in a narrow-median configuration to current MASH TL-3 crash test safety criteria. This system will serve as a crashworthy option that currently isn’t included in WYDOT box-beam standard plans.   

The second goal achieved by completion of this study is to encourage and support innovation. Research detailed herein will require the integration of four different roadside safety devices into a single, crashworthy system. This type of barrier configuration poses several challenges that have not been addressed in previous testing of box-beam systems including backside impacts on roadside box-beam guardrail and box-beam end terminals as well as impacts on flared box-beam systems. Innovation will be required to not only to ensure the crashworthiness of these systems tested in different configurations, but also to ensure the transition from one system to another is also crashworthy. 

To reiterate, flared barriers reduce the overall system length and amount of barrier immediately adjacent to the roadway when compared to tangent systems. As such, a flared system improves installation time and efficiency while minimizing labor and material cost. Moreover, because flared systems decrease the frequency of impacts, accident costs and repair costs are also reduced. 
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 12 May 2023 13:48:11 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2170143</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>WorldSID Fleet Testing and Evaluation (VRTC)</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2050303</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project will involve crashworthiness evaluation to support rulemaking initiatives for the WorldSID 50th male anthropometric test device (ATD), and continued support for the development of the WorldSID 5th female ATD. This involves crash testing in both moving deformable barrier (MDB) and side pole modes to evaluate vehicle and ATD performance and ATD durability.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 25 Oct 2022 10:24:51 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2050303</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Crashworthiness Evaluation of Advanced Frontal ATDs (VRTC)</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2050293</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project involves crashworthiness evaluation to support Rulemaking initiatives for the THOR 50th male anthropometric test devices (ATD), including support for frontal crash testing. This project will continue to support the development of the THOR 5th female and LODC 10-year-old ATDs, including refining seating procedures, assessing durability, and assessing performance in rear seat crash environments.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 25 Oct 2022 10:24:45 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2050293</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>National In-Service Performance Evaluation Guidelines for Defining Acceptable Roadside Safety Hardware



</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1957060</link>
      <description><![CDATA[A recurring theme in tests conducted and evaluation procedures formulated over the last 40 years has been the recommendation to conduct in-service performance evaluations (ISPEs) of roadside safety features.

The laboratory performance of roadside safety hardware is tested and evaluated using criteria published in the AASHTO Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH). The site location and installation of roadside safety hardware are guided by criteria published in the AASHTO Roadside Design Guide (RDG). ISPE criteria have become available under NCHRP Research Report 1010: In-Service Performance Evaluation: Guidelines for the Assembly and Analysis of Data. 

Research is needed to develop guidelines, at the national level, for defining acceptable field performance of roadside safety hardware.

The objective of this research is to develop ISPE guidelines to define and recommend nationally acceptable field performance criteria for roadside safety hardware based on NCHRP Research Report 1010.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 27 May 2022 11:27:56 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1957060</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Development of Non-proprietary Prefabricated Solutions for Concrete Barrier Systems for Accelerated Bridge Construction</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1909951</link>
      <description><![CDATA[A combination of limited prefabricated barrier systems and the new Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH) crash testing requirements is limiting the full adoption of accelerated bridge construction (ABC) techniques by state departments of transportation (DOTs).
 
Precast concrete barriers were previously crash tested to requirements levels published in NCHRP Report 350: Recommended Procedures for the Safety Performance Evaluation of Highway Features. Some of these barriers were evaluated for test level (TL) 3. However, state DOTs are moving to higher level designs with TL 4 becoming more common and some state DOTs are moving to TL 5.
 
An ongoing pooled-fund research project TPF-5(367): Evaluation and Full Scale Testing of Concrete Prefabricated Bridge Rails (https://www.pooledfund.org/Details/Study/619) is MASH crash-testing a precast barrier system. However, with different agencies using different barriers (F shape, single slope, etc.), a need exists for additional barrier system designs that meet the current MASH barrier design/testing provisions. In addition to accommodating accelerated construction schedule, the desired prefabricated barrier systems need to include durable connection details.
 
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this research is to identify, develop, and MASH crash-test durable prefabricated versions of existing MASH or NCHRP Report 350 compliant barriers.
 ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 07 Feb 2022 18:13:38 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1909951</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Pooled Fund: In-Service Performance Evaluation of Roadway Safety Features</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1899651</link>
      <description><![CDATA[It is a long-standing policy of the Federal Highway Administration that National Highway System roadside safety hardware -- such as longitudinal barriers, sign supports, guardrail terminals, and work zone devices --  demonstrate crashworthiness. Currently, state and local transportation agencies assess performance according to the crash test and evaluation methods prescribed in the AASHTO Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH). 

This pooled fund study will give states the opportunity to collaborate by sharing data and experiences in assessing the performance of in-service roadside safety hardware.

The primary objective of this pooled fund study is to evaluate the performance of roadside safety hardware in the field through inter-state collaboration by using standardized data collection and data analysis with a uniform interpretation of results. The second objective is to provide a forum for states to share ISPE data, experiences, practices, information, and resources. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 22 Dec 2021 19:29:36 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1899651</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Investigating and Developing a MASH Compliant Contraflow Ramp Closure Gate</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1873849</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The research objective is to investigate the Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH) crashworthiness of the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LADOTD) ramp closure gate through computer simulation. Using the current LADOTD gate system as a model, this project will evaluate the design according to MASH test numbers 60, 61, and 62 criteria.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 23 Aug 2021 15:31:26 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1873849</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>In-Service Performance Evaluation (ISPE) of Roadway Safety Features</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1861146</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The primary objective of this pooled fund study is to evaluate the performance of roadside safety hardware in the field through inter-state collaboration by using standardized data collection and data analysis with a uniform interpretation of results. The second objective is to provide a forum for states to share in-service performance evaluation (ISPE) data, experiences, practices, information, and resources. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 25 Jun 2021 07:46:24 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1861146</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Development of a Crashworthy Tangent End Treatment for Low-Speed and Curbed Roadways</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1854184</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Where roadside safety barriers are desired in low-speed environments, low-profile barriers designed to address crash risks at lower speed conditions (MASH TL-2) are often favored because they are more compatible with the community context. Yet the space available for crashworthy end treatments for these barriers can be highly constrained in many urban and suburban locations because of closely spaced intersections and driveways, limited right-of-way, and the presence of street trees and other features. In addition, the presence of vertical curbs and adjacent sidewalks or multiuse paths restrict the use of a flared end treatment. Rural locations can have similar constraints and conditions, even without the presence of a curb. 
The objective of the research is to develop a nonproprietary, crashworthy tangent end treatment with the following characteristics: appropriate for urban and suburban environments; of minimal required length, width, and height; can be transitioned to commonly used rigid barriers  (e.g., TL-2 low profile or TL-3 concrete barriers); and
can be placed on top of a 6” curb or placed where there is no curb in advance of the barrier.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 25 May 2021 22:20:39 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1854184</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Implementation of MASH Surrogate Test Vehicles for Sign Supports, Breakaway Poles, and Work Zone Traffic Control Devices</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1854207</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Historically, roadside safety features have been subjected to crashworthiness evaluations using a variety of impact test specifications and/or guidelines.  The implementation of American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH) has left state departments of transportation (DOTs) and manufacturers in a situation where a significant number of breakaway poles, sign supports, and work zone traffic control devices (herein called “Systems”) need to be evaluated for MASH compliance. The development of robust surrogate test vehicles, with an ability to largely capture vehicle deformation and penetrations as well as accurate system behavior, would reduce crash-testing costs and promote greater innovation for new products for manufacturers and DOTs. There is a need to provide a guide to aid in selecting the appropriate surrogate test vehicles and testing protocols to evaluate the crashworthiness of Systems.
The objective of this research is to develop a guide for the implementation of surrogate test vehicles, including pendulums and bogie vehicles, for evaluation of Systems for MASH compliance and propose modifications to the AASHTO MASH for sign supports, breakaway poles, and work zone traffic control devices. 
At the minimum, the research results shall include the design and development of surrogate test vehicles, testing protocols, and validation based on simulation and laboratory testing for families of related devices within the following three groups: (1) sign supports, (2) breakaway poles, and (3) work zone traffic control devices. For this research, a family of related devices is a set of similar devices within one of the three groups that share the same critical characteristics controlling crashworthiness.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 25 May 2021 10:58:27 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1854207</guid>
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