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    <title>Research in Progress (RIP)</title>
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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>
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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>Phase III Wickiup Junction: Diatomaceous Soil Numerical Modeling to Support Design, Performance, and Feasibility</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2724820</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Diatomaceous soils exist at many Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) projects in Oregon, including the Wickiup Junction overpass site. Construction challenges have been encountered for ODOT projects on and in diatomaceous soils, including pile freeze, overlength piles, and excessive settlement. Ongoing Wickiup Junction embankment monitoring indicates that these embankments are undergoing continuous settlement at about 1.75 inches per year. Recently, a consultant’s feasibility study estimated that settlement mitigation for future overpass construction will cost $47M to $63M. This high mitigation cost is attributable to extensive deposits of soft and compressible diatomaceous soils that underlay the site. Considering that diatomaceous soils are non-standard geomaterials, limited literature, standards, or case histories exist to guide design and construction in these materials. However, this Wickiup Junction location may provide a prime translational research opportunity to improve engineering practice through development of a case history report with associated design charts for diatomaceous soils.

This highly applied research proposal will investigate the recently released design options at Wickiup Junction using advanced soil numerical modeling as a case study for design in diatomaceous material. This work will build on previous ODOT diatomaceous soil research to develop design tools that can be applied for construction in and on these deposits. Specific objectives include: (1) develop settlement model of the Wickiup Junction Overpass, and (2) develop design charts for diatomaceous soils.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 08 Jul 2026 13:53:05 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2724820</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Seismic Analysis and Design of Retaining Walls, Buried Structures, Slopes, and Embankments</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2683238</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Final Report is organized into two volumes. Volume 1 is published  as NCHRP Report 611: Seismic Analysis and Design of Retaining Walls, Buried Structures, Slopes, and Embankments. Volume 2, which presents the proposed specifications, commentaries, and example problems for the retaining walls, slopes and embankments, and buried structures, is available for download only. The appendices to NCHRP Report 611 are available online.  The objective of NCHRP Project 12-70 was to remove the limitations of the current specifications through the development of analytical and design methods for the seismic design of retaining walls, buried structures, slopes, and embankments. This research was managed by Donald Anderson, CH2M HILL, Bellevue, Washington, with the assistance of Geoffrey Martin, University of Southern California; Po Lam, Earth Mechanics; and Joe Wang, Parson Brinckerhoff, New York. The report fully documents the program used to develop the design procedures.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 26 Mar 2026 14:22:28 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2683238</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>COLLABORATIVE: Quantifying erosion and load transfer mechanisms of geosynthetic reinforced coastal pavement subgrades and embankments during inundation events (TAMU/TXST)</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2663227</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Project Description: Transportation infrastructure in coastal regions is highly susceptible to soil erosion and subgrade degradation under frequent inundation events caused by storm surges. Fines within the subgrade are washed out due to flood-induced subsurface flow, while overflowing water along embankments results in overtopping and eventually leads to surficial erosion and complete collapse. These processes result in embankment and pavement failures; addressing these issues requires novel and innovative infrastructure durability solutions. One approach that combines hydraulic protection of subsoils with reduced soil erosion and provides drainage to recede floodwaters from infrastructure is geosynthetics. Geosynthetics, like geocomposites and turf-reinforced mats (TRMs), are often used to control erosion in slopes and levees from overtopping and rainfall. Also, the use of geosynthetics is increasingly growing for pavement reinforcement applications. These well-established benefits of geosynthetics can be combined and effectively applied for coastal transportation infrastructure that often sees failures following inundation events. Hence, this research study focuses on evaluating geosynthetics to solve both embankment erosion and maintain drainable and resilient subgrade foundations to support coastal transportation infrastructure. 
Geosynthetic Reinforcement of Coastal Embankment Slopes: TRMs and geocomposites will be studied for this application. Texas State University (TXST) will measure the erosion characteristics of the test materials using the erosion function apparatus (EFA). The EFA will quantify the erosion rates of the soil with and without the protection of these geosynthetic layers under varying hydraulic stresses, providing insights into soil erodibility and material performance. Texas A&M (TAMU) will conduct small-scale flume erosion studies on model embankment slopes using a coastal, sandy soil. Flume studies on embankment slopes built with and without geosynthetic reinforcements will be subjected to overtopping and inundation flow conditions for various time periods. Erosion patterns will be studied via laser and digital image scans. These data will also assess the role of geocomposites and TRMs on mitigating soil erosion and enhancing slope stability.  
Geosynthetic Reinforcement of Coastal Pavement Subgrade Foundations: TAMU flume study results will yield erosion patterns, more specifically void patterns, that will be used to create an  “eroded” pavement structure. These artificial voids will be created inside a large box setup, with 12 to 18 in. of subgrade supporting a flexbase aggregate base layer. These box samples will be instrumented with moisture probes, pressure cells, and MEMS deformation sensors. Each model pavement will be subjected to cyclic plate load tests to study and evaluate the load-bearing capacity and load transfer mechanism from repeated loads to the underlying subgrades. The same tests will be performed on the samples after they are inundated. The role of geocomposites both before and after exposure to moisture inundation, as well as load transfer mechanisms on subgrades with erosion-simulated voids, will be evaluated.
This is a collaborative project between Texas A&M University (TAMU) and Texas State University (TXST). Flume and large-scale box studies will be performed at TAMU Galveston campus and Center for Infrastructure Research (CIR) laboratories, respectively. TXST will perform the EFA with geosynthetic layers experiments. EFA studies focus on evaluating the critical shear stresses (i.e., hydraulic shear stresses at which soil erosion initiates) of the reinforced/unreinforced subsoils. Changes in critical shear stress at discontinuities such as gravel/sand interfaces will be of particular interest.  These combined results will generate a comprehensive understanding of the potential improvements of embankment and foundation reinforcement using advanced geosynthetic materials in providing resilient support to transportation infrastructure in coastal corridors. The results of this project will be used to design Phase II with coastal railroad track embankments.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 31 Jan 2026 11:12:55 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2663227</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Reinforcement Mechanism of Articulating Concrete Mats (ACMs) and Geosynthetic Fabric for the Design of Highway Embankment in Coastal Louisiana </title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2646938</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Coastal highway embankments differ significantly from conventional highway embankments or levees due to their exposure to hurricanes and tropical storms. These events generate substantial hydrodynamic wave pressures that must be considered in design. Reinforcing soil fills at different elevations with geosynthetics is a common approach, but doing so effectively requires research that enhances existing design methods and clarifies their underlying rationale. Design elements such as tensile forces, reinforcement length, and vertical spacing depend on understanding the mechanical behavior of these materials under extreme loading.  

Because coastal embankments are subjected to wave pressures from storms with defined return periods, engineers must account for the maximum hydrodynamic loads these storms generate. In particular, the unique reinforcement roles of geosynthetics and articulating concrete mats (ACMs) must be thoroughly understood to optimize the design. Key factors include ACM layer thickness, the number and arrangement of non-woven geotextile separator layers, and failure modes such as tensile rupture and pull-out resistance in geogrids and woven geotextiles.  

Building on the results from Southern Plains Transportation Center (SPTC)-funded Cycles 1 and 2, this project will use experimental and numerical methods to evaluate the behavior of geosynthetic reinforcements placed at various elevations within embankment fills. Emphasis will be placed on understanding how these materials fail under load and how their performance changes with elevation and storm intensity. In addition to continuing the work from earlier phases, this project will also assess the seepage-reduction capabilities of non-woven geotextiles and the surface stabilization benefits of ACMs applied to embankment slopes.  

Large-scale direct shear testing will be conducted to analyze both tensile rupture and pull-out failure mechanisms in conditions representative of coastal environments. Seepage and slope stability analyses will complement this testing to evaluate the combined performance of ACMs and geotextile separators under storm loading.  

The findings from this research will help validate and refine current design guidelines for coastal highway embankments that incorporate geosynthetics and ACM armor. The study will also contribute to a deeper understanding of conventional geosynthetic failure mechanisms in coastal applications. Ultimately, the research will yield practical, implementable steps for assessing both internal and external stability in coastal embankment design.  ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 05 Jan 2026 22:35:37 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2646938</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Evaluation of Air Convection Embankment (ACE) and Alpine Revegetation Techniques</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2643444</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This research will evaluate the performance and success of a highway construction technique designed to protect Colorado’s sensitive high alpine environment. It leverages prior research and data, and will evaluate recovery of permafrost, hydrologic flow across the right-of-way, and recovery of sensitive vegetation. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 23 Dec 2025 14:13:19 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2643444</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Shear Wave Velocity Measurements - Phase II</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2640695</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The objective of this project is to update and refine the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT)’s geotechnical seismic site investigation and analysis procedures in response to the release of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Guide Specifications for Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) Seismic Bridge Design, 3rd Edition. This will also include updates for geotechnical investigations procedures, analysis methods, and global stability procedures for retaining wall and embankment design in response to AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications, 10th Edition. The project will include an evaluation of available software programs that may assist in performing the required seismic analysis as it relates to transportation projects, including but not limited to bridges, culverts, retaining walls, and roadway embankments. The conclusions and results of the analysis will be incorporated into the existing Engineering Policy Guide (EPG). Additionally, at the conclusion of the project, MoDOT staff will be trained on the preferred methods of performing the updated seismic hazard analysis.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 16 Dec 2025 09:39:09 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2640695</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Assessing and Characterizing Geotechnical Soil Strength Parameters for a systematic process to analyze slope stability in accordance with LRFD methods.</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2431165</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The purpose of the study is to review previous project mitigation measures and determine associated soil strength parameters used for the design of various landslide and embankment mitigation measures constructed around the state. The soil strength parameters will be characterized by geologic type with the unit weight, phi, and cohesion of the subsurface materials associated with the analysis and mitigation measures for the project. Furthermore, the use of load and resistance factor design (LRFD) methods applied and integrated for both slope and structural considerations for a reasonable level of mitigation would be developed.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 18 Nov 2025 07:39:44 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2431165</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Improve Modulus Determination Using Falling Weight Deflectometer</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2553185</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The primary objectives of this research are: (1) Characterize Seasonal Variations in Resilient Modulus: Utilize historical falling weight deflectometer (FWD) data to analyze and characterize the seasonal variations in the resilient modulus of pavement embankments. Investigate the influence of seasonal variations, particularly fluctuations in groundwater levels and moisture content, on resilient modulus by correlating FWD data with historical rainfall, geological data, and other relevant factors. (2) Enhance FWD Testing Protocols: Review and evaluate the current FWD-based procedure for calculating embankment Mr and investigate alternative methods to produce more accurate and comprehensive results. Review the frequency and timing of FWD testing to determine the most effective intervals for characterizing the embankment resilient modulus and capturing seasonal variations considering historical data, geological data, environmental conditions, and workload of data collection staff. Identify practical test lengths and other testing protocols that could improve the accuracy and efficiency of pavement assessments.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 14 May 2025 10:13:41 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2553185</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>IoT Sensor Fusion for Low-Cost Cloud Based Monitoring for Resilient Levees and Embankments</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2536170</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The performance and longevity of geo-infrastructure assets such as levees and highway embankments depend on geotechnical (embankment, foundations, slopes) components, both influenced by soil conditions, hydraulic loads, and disruptions due to weather. Continuous, data-driven monitoring is essential for reliable water resource management and disaster resilience. This research advances Geotechnical Asset Management (GAM) using advanced Internet of Things (IoT)-based inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensors installed onsite combined with periodic aerial LiDAR point-cloud data collection techniques. IoT-based IMU sensors will track multi-directional displacements, while accelerometers and vibration sensors will capture performance data under various conditions. An earth dam and highway embankment site in Jackson, Mississippi, and a Levee section owned by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) will serve as test locations. A 3D geospatial model combining drone-mounted LiDAR will track structural stability and environmental impacts. Periodic assessments will detect instability, settlement, and deformation, enabling proactive maintenance to prevent failures and minimize disruptions. Enhanced monitoring will ensure reliable, connected, and risk-mitigated infrastructure to support national economic competitiveness. Collected data will be transmitted to the Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud for remote monitoring of the embankment, dam and levee system. In addition, the analytical tools in the cloud platform will be used to analyze the data and identify threshold points based on the performance criteria to create an early detection of failure under extreme conditions. This project will develop a data-driven, scalable solution to enhance safety, efficiency, and resilience in water management infrastructure while strengthening investments, thus enabling US economic strength and global competitiveness.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 09 Apr 2025 18:28:23 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2536170</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Improved Modeling for ACE and Ventilated Shoulder Design</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2512628</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Embankment deformation that results from thawing permafrost foundation soils often results in safety and drivability problems, and in extreme cases can result in structural embankment failure. Regular maintenance (often on an annual or bi-annual basis) is then needed to avoid safety and drivability problems. Air convection embankments (ACE) and ventilated shoulder systems can reduce or eliminate thaw settlement and related maintenance problems, but they are expensive to construct. Improved modeling and design tools would allow better “tuning” of these systems leading to improved thermal performance and reduced costs. 
Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (AKDOT) is currently using the Geoslope suite of modeling tools to analyze heat transfer in highway embankment designs, including ACE and ventilated shoulder installations. However, the existing Geoslope models are not capable of including the complex boundary conditions that arise when ambient air is drawn into and out of these roadway features, thus limiting the amount of detailed design that can be accomplished. The potential economic benefits generated by the proposed work will result from AKDOT design engineers being better able to predict the cooling behavior of ACE and ventilated shoulder layers. Currently these features are used sparingly due to the high cost of the required rock fill materials, even though they have proven effective at cooling foundation soils and maintaining the structural integrity of the supporting permafrost. Costs could be reduced significantly through the utilization of better modeling and design tools that would allow designers to reduce the required rockfill volumes without sacrificing the necessary amount of convective cooling capacity.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 21 Feb 2025 22:19:01 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2512628</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Roadway Foundation Cooling using Structured Foam Layers</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2512616</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project seeks to evaluate cost-effective solutions to reduce permafrost thaw and resulting embankment deformation. Specifically, evaluating structured foam layers to result in net annual cooling effect and testing designs in a laboratory setting. This project will evaluate solutions optimizing proposed geometries to reduce the height of structured foam layers, thus reducing cost. This study could also lead to design guidelines that 
Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT) or other design engineers could use in design.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:06:12 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2512616</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>	Effects of Downdrag on Pile Performance, Phase II Pilot Study</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2499028</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The primary objectives of the study are three-fold: (1) determine the long-term and short-term effects from seasonal and transient loads (2) develop software to better assess and design for embankment settlement and downdrag, and (3) refine the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT design criteria for end bents.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 28 Jan 2025 13:19:36 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2499028</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Design Criteria for Highway Embankments Reinforced with Geosynthetic Material Exposed to Localized Wave Forces</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2474311</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Unlike the designs of regular highway embankments or levees, the crest level of a coastal highway embankment must be determined by seriously considering the anticipated coastal water levels and storm surge conditions. In the design of a coastal highway embankment, soil fills at different elevations are reinforced with geosynthetic reinforcement. To design effective and reliable geosynthetic reinforcement (tensile force calculation, determination of the reinforcement lengths and vertical spacings, etc.), it is imperative to modify the existing design methods. A coastal highway embankment is typically subjected to strong hydro-dynamic wave pressures. Therefore, during the design process, maximum hydro-dynamic wave pressures consistent with a storm/hurricane with a design return period must be applied to the embankment.
This research aims to develop geometrical and structural design criteria of highway embankment in coastal areas. The design should consider the varying hydrodynamics of the coastal area, including wave height, wave period, and tidal fluctuations. The research will be focused on: (1) Determinations of wave height, embankment crest elevation and freeboard; (2) Reinforcement design of the geosynthetic materials at the bottom of embankment and in the embankment fills of different layers.
The proposed research will consist of the following tasks. Task 1 involves conducting a review of pertinent literature. Task 2 is the determination of the Design Water Level (DWL). Determination of DWL was an integral part of the Louisiana marsh creation project, which necessitated an extensive analysis of Water Surface Elevation (WSE) data. So far, the analytical procedure has selectively incorporated historical WSE readings from three strategic locations. In this current research, more station data would be investigated to cover more coastal areas in Louisiana. Determination of the embankment crest level is Task 3 of this project. Determination of an embankment crest level is important for ensuring that the embankment can withstand future condition when sea level is heightened. To calculate the embankment crest level, the design water level (the highest expected water level) and the safety margin called freeboard will be used. Unlike taking a one-foot-high tradition for the freeboard, the team will be following recommended formulations to complete the calculations. Task 4 is related to the development of an effective method for the designs of geosynthetic fabric as reinforcement in highway embankment fills. The traditional 'breaking' and 'pullout' failure mechanisms for the reinforcing geosynthetic materials in embankment fills will be followed for this purpose. Large-scale direct shear tests will be conducted to understand the frictional interaction mechanisms between the geosynthetics and embankment fills. 
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 10 Dec 2024 13:50:55 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2474311</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Geotechnical Asset Management (GAM) – Phase II</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2419759</link>
      <description><![CDATA[A summary of the research objectives follows.
•	Grow Geotechnical Asset Management (GAM) in Louisiana.

•	Build/Rebuild a culvert inventory database that will benefit multiple DOTD sections.

•	Establish condition and consequence criteria for culverts for risk determinations and 
        maintenance decisions and priorities.

•	Develop a roadmap for GAM implementation related to PROTECT funding 
        implementation and potentially establishment of a Geotechnical Asset Manager.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 19 Aug 2024 16:01:29 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2419759</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Geotechnical Asset Management Program in the State of Georgia – Phase I</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2342051</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The work performed in the proposed project will implement phase I of a geotechnical asset management (GAM) program for the state of Georgia, building up on the previously discussed framework proposed by Georgia Tech with inputs from the GDOT-OMAT office.
Specific goals and objectives within this scope of work include:
(1)	Refine the GAM framework for the state of Georgia.
(2)	Refine the GAM protocols for the management of retaining walls established by Georgia Tech and the GDOT.
(3)	Conduct field trials for the inventory and condition assessment of geotechnical assets, focusing on embankments and slopes within the project scope.

]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 20 Feb 2024 12:31:46 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2342051</guid>
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