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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>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>Sorption, Leachability, and Transport of AFFF Impacted Concrete Materials</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2262779</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The mobility and subsequent release of PFAS within concrete structures has been identified as an immediate concern by air and maritime transportation industrial entities, however, very little is known about the rates of ingress and egress of PFAS. Identifying the rates of sorption/desorption from concrete will allow for a more thorough assessment of site remedial needs and help better understand the pathways of PFAS transport from release to concrete, soil, groundwater, etc. Regulation of several PFAS has occurred in many states, including states with production facilities and military sites. There are over 9,000 compounds in the PFAS family, of which many bioaccumulate and persist in the environment. Although the distribution of AFFF in concrete is dependent on the specific composition of the AFFF and the concrete, the overall controlling factors of vertical and lateral PFAS distribution are application rates, co-contaminants such as hydrocarbon fuels, and durability of the concrete. Even though there has been a transition away from PFOS and PFOA based AFFFs, application areas have already been contaminated, along with other perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs), perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids (PFSAs), and fluorotelomer sulfonates (FTSs). Extensive studies have been undergone to determine the fate and transport of PFAS in soil and water, however, extraordinarily little is known about PFAS in construction building materials, particularly with respect to concrete itself. This project will analyze the leaching potential in surrogate AFFF-impacted concrete samples and assess the continued leaching of PFAS undergoing carbonation, freeze-thaw cycling, salt penetration, and a combination thereof.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 06 Oct 2023 17:26:31 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2262779</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Composite Metal Foams for Impact Protection of Hazardous Material Transportation</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2067995</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project will focus on larger-scale manufacturing, welding, assembly, and optimization of SS CMF and evaluation of its performance in small- and large-scale dynamic puncture testing as well as a full-scale torch fire testing through both experimental and modeling approaches to prove its potential in improving the puncture and fire resistance of tank cars, particularly those that are carrying HAZMAT.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 21 Nov 2022 16:26:29 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2067995</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>SPR-4504:  Development of INDOT Slab Jacking Program</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1747335</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project will give guidance on how to conduct slab jacking using a totally different material that can be opened to traffic immediately after the polymer expanded foam is set. The slab jacking program will be done by the in-house maintenance crew so that preventive maintenance reaction time will be very short and the pavement structural capability can be restored immediately.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 27 Oct 2020 13:12:20 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1747335</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Development of PFAS Source Differentiation Guidelines for Airports</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1729481</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Airports face increasing regulatory and technical challenges for addressing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) found on or near their facilities. While the source of PFAS in an area may be attributable to airport activity, including the use of aqueous film forming foams (AFFF) during aircraft rescue and firefighting activities, or from tenants storing AFFF or other PFAS-containing materials, airports may also have neighbors who use products that contain PFAS. When PFAS is found at or near an airport, it is important to identify the source and to help manage the cost and liability of possible remediation. Yet source attribution can be a complex and difficult undertaking, particularly in an airport setting. Research is needed to advance the understanding and use of PFAS source differentiation so it can be applied to airports with greater confidence.


The objectives of this research are to develop: (1) a guidebook of recommended practices for determining the source(s) of PFAS detected in soil and water on or near an airport and (2) a primer for airport practitioners describing PFAS source attribution concepts and techniques in lay terms.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 17 Aug 2020 16:29:33 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1729481</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>RES2020-10: Guidelines for the Use of Expanded- Polystyrene (EPS) Block Geofoam as Lightweight Backfill Behind Retaining Walls</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1716727</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Geofoam has successfully been used in numerous projects predominantly in Europe, Japan, and the U.S. as lightweight fill to support roadway embankments. However, geofoam has not been used extensively in Tennessee because the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) does not currently have a geofoam design guideline and material special provision for the use of geofoam. Although studies have been performed by other state DOTs on use of geofoam as lightweight fill in embankments over soft ground and two National Cooperative Highway Research Program studies have been completed that focused on use of geofoam as lightweight fill in embankments over soft ground and in stabilization of slopes, none of these studies have focused on the use of geofoam as lightweight backfill material behind retaining walls or bridge abutments. This research addresses this need of developing a design guideline for the use of geofoam as lightweight backfill material behind retaining walls and abutments over soft ground.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2020 16:27:39 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1716727</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Fill Material at Integral End Bents</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1530338</link>
      <description><![CDATA[KYTC has adopted a modified procedure for designing and constructing approach fills at bridges with integral end bents at selected sites. The modified approach includes geosynthetic reinforced soil (GRS) backfill. Polystyrene foam (Geofoam) is placed between the GRS backfill and the bridge end. Based on displacement measurements obtained at two sites, this procedure has reduced settlement at bridge approaches. Based on comments from district construction staff there appears to be a need to modify the design where the geofoam and overlying pavement meet. There is also concern about the geofoam’s expense. Alternative materials dimensions and location, which would not be damaged by the bridge movement, should be explored to make the modified approach easier and cheaper to construct and reduce settlement further.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 06 Aug 2018 14:53:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1530338</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Alternative Aviation Fuels Fire Safety</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1392188</link>
      <description><![CDATA[United States (US) firefighters were challenged with the introduction E85 fuels in 2008 as a large number of material and tactical changes were necessary by the fire service to ensure that interactions with synthetic fuel combustion and typical firefighting foams did not lead to dangerous situations for firefighters. The variety of drop-in aviation fuel blends with synthetic pathways introduces significant opportunity for similar differences negatively impacting the safety of the public and first responders. The Federal Aviation Administration Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (FAA ARFF), due to the nature of short time and extreme urgency of effective response to preserve lives, will require characterization of the response challenges and training to provide incident commanders with awareness of the changes needed to make timely, effective and safe adjustments to tactical response. Recent advancements in alternative jet fuels and unleaded aviation gasoline replacement candidates have brought to our attention the need to investigate the efficiency of currently utilized fire extinguishing agents at the airports and aircraft. Firefighting foam has been the most commonly used extinguishing medium in the past years. Still, there are multiple varieties in the types of concentrates applied as well as the standards by which the foams get approved. International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), FAA (Mil-F-24385), and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) all have their test protocols for evaluating the capability of these foams. This results in multiple issues with technical variations. Thus, there is a need for evaluating the current certification protocols and specifications to alleviate compatibility concerns. The situation is further complicated by the recently approved alternative aviation fuels as the chemical differences are expected to impact the foams’ firefighting properties. With FAA’s goal of “1 billion gallons of sustainable drop-in jet fuel per year by 2018” in mind, Purdue research team will tackle this imminent challenge. The research will be executed concurrently between three teams of researchers. Dr. Kilaz’s team will be responsible for analyzing the alternative fuels (gas turbine and piston engine) to determine the chemical and physical properties that affect the performance and burn characteristics. The focus of the second team of researchers led by Dr. Qiao will be to determine the flammability limits, minimum ignition energy, and rate of fire spread of traditional and alternative aviation fuels. These properties are critical for fire safety predictions of fuels in ground handling and flight storage. Dr. Gore and Dr. Lucht will lead the third portion of this investigation towards developing an experimental fire facility at Purdue University which is capable of studying aviation fuels fire safety under a broad range of environmental conditions including ambient temperature, humidity, wind speeds and wind directions.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 19 Jan 2016 16:02:55 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1392188</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>In-situ Sensors for Cathodic Protection Interrelationships Modeling
</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1371378</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Sencontrology will provide research and development efforts on Modeling cathodic protection penetration on new construction pipelines incorporating all types of "foam" sack breakers and supports.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 09 Oct 2015 10:01:48 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1371378</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Utilization of Biorefinery Lignins towards the Manufacture of Novel Carbon Foams</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1368343</link>
      <description><![CDATA[No summary provided.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 10 Sep 2015 08:59:41 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1368343</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Material with Improved Absorption of Collision Forces for Railroad Cars</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1334967</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The purpose of this project is to develop and perform an extensive experimental and numerical investigation and evaluate the dynamic properties of composite metal foams (CMF) at various impact speeds. This will include different speeds mimicking those of railroad car collisions, at different speeds, including high speeds. This investigation will provide the fundamental understanding of the behavior of CMF that is of critical importance before composite metal foams can be implemented effectively to increase protection against hazards and damage in potential railroad car collisions. The outcome of this work could lead to safer and more efficient railroad car safety structures along with less weight. The reduced weight of these components could also help to lower costs for production and operation and improve fuel economy.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 11 Dec 2014 01:00:54 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1334967</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>The Dynamic Properties of Sandwich Structures based on Metal-Ceramic Foams</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1299744</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The transportation sector is constantly looking for high-performance materials in order to reduce structural weight as well as to enhance crashworthiness issues. One of the answers to these needs is the incorporation of a foam technology. Currently, applications of non-ferrous foams in the automotive field include floor panels, bumpers and door side bars. In the case of aircrafts and railroads, their applications concentrate on collision posts and crash cages, crush buffer zones and side impact barriers on rail passenger cars. Indeed, their use is also emerging in the military systems as lightweight armor for army trucks and personnel carriers, mine blast containment and water-tight doors on ships. Although their use is continuously growing in the transportation sector, there are still a number of properties that need to be largely improved mainly under impact (dynamic) conditions. Besides, federal agencies such as the Air Force are interested in high-performance materials under extreme conditions. Hence, this proposal perfectly fits into the current need of the transportation sector by investigating the mechanical performance of novel ceramic-metal materials under low and high velocity impact tests as well as under high-strain rates using a Hopkinson Pressure Bar (a specialized equipment for measuring stress-strain behavior under extreme conditions).]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 20 Feb 2014 01:01:12 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1299744</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Polyurethane Foam Infill for Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (FRP) Bridge Deck Panels</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1286100</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Although still in their infancy, fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) bridges have shown great promise in eliminating corrosion concerns and meeting (or exceeding) the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA's) goal of 100-year life spans for bridges. While FRP bridges are cost-effective in terms of life cycle analyses, the combination of higher first costs and limited state DOT budgets has restricted their use. One area that has shown some headway is the use of FRP for bridge decks, focusing on the location where the majority of corrosion-related damage normally occurs. However, first costs still hamper widespread use of this approach. FRP bridge deck panels offer superior corrosion resistance, at one-fifth the weight of reinforced concrete. However, current FRP bridge deck panels typically rely on an intricate geometric honeycomb system between the top and bottom layers of the sandwich panel. This labor-intensive honeycomb construction doubles the cost of FRP panels compared to reinforced concrete. Although cost-effective in terms of longevity of the bridge and overall reductions in weight, the lower first cost of reinforced concrete precludes the use of FRP bridge decks in the majority of situations. Closed-cell, high-density polyurethane foams lower first cost, offering a cost-effective alternative to the complex honeycomb construction. Structural sandwich panels with a polyurethane foam infill are well established in other commercial applications, such as automobiles, aircraft, and prefabricated buildings. Several recent advances in polyurethane foam formulations have resulted in a material that can resist the localized compressive stresses and fatigue loading beneath a truck wheel, making this type of sandwich panel construction a viable alternative for bridge decks. Once these panels can compete against reinforced concrete on a first-cost basis, their significantly longer life expectancies will save considerable money for the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) and the residents of Missouri. The first step in establishing FRP sandwich panels as a viable option will be to examine the potential of using them to replace the precast, stay-in-place forms currently used to construct reinforced concrete bridge decks. The sandwich panel will serve as formwork for the concrete placement and act compositely with the hardened concrete under subsequent dead and live loading. As part of the sandwich panel development, Missouri University of Science and Technology will evaluate polyurethane foam formulations, panel configurations (overall shape, jointing, end bearing), panel fiber architecture, panel durability, and methods of developing composite action with the concrete.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 16 Jan 2014 01:00:21 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1286100</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Structural Polyurethane Foam Infill for Fiber Reinforced Polymer Bridge Deck Panels</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1234376</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The proposed study will involve investigating alternative polyurethane foam formulations as potential candidates to replace the honeycomb construction currently used in fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) bridge deck panels. The purpose of this proposed research will be as a proof-of-concept and to obtain preliminary data for proposals to both federal and state funding agencies including National Science Foundation (NSF), National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and Missouri Department of transportation (MoDOT). Results from this research will establish this technique as a viable approach.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 03 Jan 2013 15:11:23 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1234376</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Neutralizing the Adsorptive Effects of Carbon in Fly Ash for Use in Concrete</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1229791</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Fly ash has been used as a supplementary cementitious material in concrete for decades. However, not all fly ash is beneficially used because of adsorptive properties of its carbon content. This research will use industry techniques such as the foam index and foam drainage test to analyze admixture dosages. For this, it is necessary to evaluate each procedure published and establish the procedure, or combination of procedures, that has the optimal combination of low subjectivity, high reproducibility, and simplicity. Once established, these tests will be used to assess inhibitors. The goal is to find an inhibitor to mitigate the adsorptive properties of fly ash. Fly ash can then be a more reliable portland cement replacement in concrete.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 03 Jan 2013 13:48:43 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1229791</guid>
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