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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>
      <url>https://rip.trb.org/Images/PageHeader-wTitle-RIP.jpg</url>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/</link>
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      <title>SPR-4943:  An Experimental Study into the Fatigue Strength and Ductility of Builtup Steel Members with Holes made using Plasma Cutting Methods</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2444810</link>
      <description><![CDATA[SPR‐4841 served as a preliminary phase to this proposal, in which a literature review was conducted to evaluate current standards and existing research around the use of PACH in fatigue. The results of SPR-4841 revealed that the state of the practice for PACH is promising and suggest that plasma arc cutting could be proven acceptable as a hole making technique. In order to conclusively determine if such is the case, further experimental studies are recommended. This study proposes to fulfil the gaps in the literature related to such experimental test data. The project deliverables will be a final project report and if the technologies are found to produce holes that meet current behavior requirements, then move the research into practice through incorporation into INDOT and AASHTO Specifications.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 23 Oct 2024 14:12:11 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2444810</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Fatigue Characterization and Improvement of Cantilevered Sign Structure Box Connections</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2015219</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Cantilevered overhead sign structures are susceptible to fatigue issues at the connection between the pole and mast arm due to stresses caused by galloping, natural wind gusts, and truck-induced wind gusts. In some cases, box connections in the KDOT inventory have failed in fatigue. As the behavior of these box connection details are not well understood, their expected fatigue life is currently unknown. This limits KDOT’s ability to identify which structures should be considered for repair, replacement, or retrofit. Therefore, there is a clear need to characterize the expected fatigue life of the connection detail. Additionally, there may be a need to improve the fatigue performance of this connection by developing an improved connection detail and/or retrofit.
To assess the fatigue performance of the cantilevered box connection, a research program including both analytical modeling and physical testing is needed. Analytical modeling is required to develop appropriate specimen geometry and loading to be used during experimental testing. Physical testing will then be performed on full-scale box connection components in the laboratory to assess their fatigue performance. Fatigue resistance will be quantified in terms of S-N curve development, identifying the appropriate fatigue classification for existing connection details. It is anticipated that between 10 and 15 fatigue tests will be performed. A final test matrix will be informed by a comprehensive literature review and the initial analytical modeling, and developed with
input provided by KDOT. Additional analytical modeling will then be performed to examine parameters contributing to fatigue performance. Based on this, modifications and/or retrofits to improve fatigue resistance will be developed and examined analytically. One specific detail that will be examined is the application of an external stiffening ring.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 30 Aug 2022 15:55:35 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2015219</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Optimizing the Sustainability of Asphalt Pavements through Incorporating Crumb Rubber in High-Modulus Asphalt Concrete (HMAC) Mixtures in Louisiana</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1948607</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The proposed research study will build on the results of the authors’ initial study, titled “Viability
Assessment and Cost-Effectiveness of Using High-Modulus Asphalt Concrete (HMAC) as Base
Course in Asphalt Pavements in Louisiana.” In specific, this project aims to optimize the
performance, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability of HMAC mixtures using crumb rubber and
local materials in Louisiana. To achieve this objective, high-modulus asphalt mixtures mimicking
the European approach will be prepared using the Superpave specifications. These mixtures will
include different percentages of crumb rubber, two PG grades, and different binder contents. The
dynamic modulus as well as the performance of these mixtures against rutting and cracking will
be evaluated in the laboratory. In addition, the field performance and cost-effectiveness of these
mixtures will be predicted. The results of this study will provide solutions for fatigue and rutting
failures in asphalt pavements in Region 6 enhancing the durability and service life of the road
infrastructure. Furthermore, it will enhance the sustainability of the road infrastructure through
using crumb rubber from scrap tires.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 06 May 2022 11:52:11 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1948607</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Improving Freeze-thaw Resistance and Fatigue Resistance of
Recycled Aggregate Concrete
</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1902838</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The purpose of this project is to evaluate the use of silane emulsion to prevent strength loss due to water adsorption and improve the durability and freeze-thaw resistance of
recycled aggregate concrete (RCA). It is the hypothesis of this project that the surface treated RCA can be utilized to design high-quality, freeze-thaw-resistant pavement 
concrete and reduce maintenance needs and costs of transportation infrastructure.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 11 Jan 2022 14:46:01 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1902838</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Seismic Performance and Fragility of Retrofitted Reinforced Concrete Bridge Columns to Long-Duration Earthquakes</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1856847</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Long duration earthquakes are characteristic of the Cascadia Subduction Zone, which has the potential to generate a Magnitude-9.0 earthquake with strong shaking in Washington, Oregon, northern California, and Alaska. The proposed research is focused on characterization of the probability of failure of retrofitted bridge columns due to fatigue fracture of reinforcement under long-duration earthquakes. The proposed research will include the formulation of fatigue fracture models based on actual earthquake strain histories, as previous research on fatigue modeling of reinforcement has used idealized reversed cyclic loading histories. Ongoing research by the PIs on this topic has generated test data for legacy grade 40 reinforcement, typical of 1950s-1970s bridges. The proposed research will include additional testing of modern grade 40 and grade 60 reinforcement to better characterize the influence of earthquake cycle content on fatigue life. Nonlinear time history analyses, incorporating the improved fatigue fracture models, will be conducted for a range of bridges subjected to Cascadia Subduction Zone demands, and results will be used to develop failure fragilities.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 05 Jun 2021 17:08:20 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1856847</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Fatigue Life Analysis of Reinforced Concrete Beams Strengthened with Composites</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1742607</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Extending the service life of existing structures through their rehabilitation and strengthening rather than demolishing to build a new construction is not only a sustainable choice but also cost effective. For key transportation structures, repairing or strengthening rather than substituting a bridge element may benefit the economy of an entire community. Fiber-reinforced composites have been proven to be an effective solution to increase or restore the capacity of reinforced concrete (RC) members. The most common type of composite is fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites that are comprised of continuous fibers embedded in an organic matrix such as epoxy. Although the FRP technology has been abundantly studied, certain drawbacks, such as the low glass transition temperature and the difficulty of applying the composite on wet surfaces, raise some questions on the use of FRPs. A new type of composite, often called fiber-reinforced cementitious matrix (FRCM) composite, that employs inorganic matrices appears to be a viable alternative to FRP in some key applications. However, as the bond mechanisms of FRCMs are somehow different from those of FRP, there is an urgent need of understanding the fatigue behavior of FRCM-strengthened RC beams and increase the knowledge on the fatigue response of FRP-strengthened RC beams. The proposed research aims at providing design recommendations on the use of FRCM composites for structures subjected to fatigue loading and providing practitioners and department of transportation (DOT) personnel with guidelines on the fatigue limits of RC structures strengthened with FRP and FRCM composites. An experimental campaign at the material and structural levels will be used to build a fatigue model of the bond behavior that could be implemented in numerical simulations to study the key parameters of the fatigue response of strengthened beams and therefore allow to determine the conditions under which FRCM rather than FRP could be a more suitable solution.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 02 Oct 2020 10:41:04 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1742607</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Investigation of Balanced Mixture Design for New York State Asphalt Mixtures</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1666459</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Current asphalt design procedures are solely based on volumetric principles and lack a valid methodology to ensure performance of the asphalt mixture considered during design.  This research focuses on a state of the art practice called Balanced Mixture Design (BMD), where the gradation and optimum asphalt content are not solely selected by the volumetrics of the mixture, but by the rutting and fatigue cracking resistance.  The objectives of the study are to:
(1) Evaluate the current performance of NYSDOT asphalt mixtures across the state;
(2) Redesign the asphalt mixtures utilizing the BMD methodology; and
(3) Recommend performance tests and finalize a design procedure methodology for NYSDOT adoption and implementation.
Training and specifications around the new design method will be developed and implemented within the NY State. In addition, the impact of cost savings of the new design will be assessed using a performance-cost analysis.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 24 Jan 2020 15:32:57 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1666459</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>NAFMP Website Hosting, Operation, and Maintenance</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1497938</link>
      <description><![CDATA[For this task, the contractor will complete a website conversion to a new website. The new website will have all the materials from the existing website. The contractor will host, operate, and maintain the NAFMP website for 18 months beginning January 1, 2018.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 17 Jan 2018 13:11:15 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1497938</guid>
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