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    <title>Research in Progress (RIP)</title>
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    <language>en-us</language>
    <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>
    </image>
    <item>
      <title>Increasing the Resilience of Transportation Systems under a Combination of
Cybersecurity Attacks and Extreme Events</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2548628</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project is focused on measuring the resilience of transportation systems with respect to cyberattacks and extreme events
(hurricanes and power outages). This will require developing an Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) simulator for a given road network system to simulate
potential cyberattacks and their impact on the traffic. The research team will propose combinatorial optimization algorithms for optimally attacking
the ATMS and measure the impact of such attacks to assess the resilience of the system. The team will also evaluate the impact of
concurrent extreme events on the transportation system, especially hurricanes and power outages. These extreme events are
expected to become more likely in the upcoming years due to climate change and are particularly relevant to the city of Houston, Texas, where the PI’s institution is located. The proposed approaches will be evaluated on publicly available datasets in collaboration
with other members of the center. Main findings will be summarized in at least one research paper and the final project report.
Software, datasets, and metadata produced through the project will be made publicly available.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 29 Apr 2025 16:56:49 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2548628</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>Analyzing Pre- and Post-Coastal Hazard Pavement Conditions to Optimize Response Strategies for Coastal Infrastructure Resilience</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2427611</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Texas' coastal region stretches over 367 miles along the Gulf of Mexico which is a significant ecological and economic zone encompassing beaches, marshes, estuaries, and barrier islands. This area supports a vibrant tourism industry, international trade, commercial fishing, and energy production, with major ports such as Houston, Corpus Christi, and Galveston playing vital roles. However, Texas' coastline faces increasing risks from natural hazards, necessitating efficient and effective infrastructure response strategies to mitigate impacts and ensure rapid recovery. This research aims to investigate the effects of coastal hazards on pavement conditions and to use network analysis for optimizing pavement infrastructure response, maintenance decisions, and treatment allocation to support coastal communities. The study focuses on Houston which is a key urban center exposed to frequent coastal hazards.  Hurricane Harvey was selected as a case study for in-depth analysis.

Initially, the research team will conduct a comprehensive literature review of existing studies focusing on methods used for evaluating pavement conditions before and after coastal hazards. This review aims to identify best practices and effective methodologies for enhancing pavement durability and performance. Following this, the team will analyze historical pavement condition data from Houston before Hurricane Harvey, focusing on different pavement types (ACP, CRCP, JCP) and utilizing statistical models to understand data variability and characteristics. Subsequently, the team will analyze pavement conditions in Houston following Hurricane Harvey. This analysis will involve comparing pre- and post-Harvey data to assess the impact on pavement performance. Statistical methods will be applied to evaluate distress distribution and severity of pavements. Additionally, the research will evaluate the effectiveness of pavement condition analysis models for better maintenance prioritization post-coastal hazards. This step aims to understand how maintenance strategies evolve post-disaster and to enhance decision-making for maintenance planning. The final phase of the research focuses on developing tailored strategies for improving infrastructure durability. This involves reviewing existing strategies including customizing them for Texas' coastal context and assessing their effectiveness through scenario analysis. The expected outcome of this research is to provide valuable insights into pre- and post-coastal hazard pavement conditions in Houston. By leveraging network analysis models, the study aims to inform maintenance decisions that prioritize efficient response measures. The findings will contribute to developing strategies that enhance durability for coastal pavement infrastructure.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 12 Sep 2024 15:33:49 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2427611</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Present and future hazard scenario database for coastal infrastructural 
resilience and maintenance planning</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2425156</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project seeks to characterize present and future flooding impacts for coastal communities by using a database of historical and synthetic storms to force a suite of hydrodynamic and wave models for a coastal community. Projections of wave, surge, and flooding will be particularly focused on areas near critical infrastructure components (e.g., roads critical for evacuation and recovery; bridge piers, etc.). Synthetic storms have many of the same trends as the historical storms but have random starting and ending locations along established tracks, along with a distribution of hurricane parameters along these tracks. Wind fields from the hurricanes can be calculated from the parameters, and since the parameters have a probability of occurrence associated with them, surge probability and susceptibility can be determined. In addition, upland discharge values will be added to represent flooding from rainfall and riverine sources. The overall product will be a set of maps delineating flooding risk and susceptibility. For selected infrastructural components of particular concern, a phase-resolved wave model, driven by flooding and wave events from hurricanes, can be used to simulate the time-dependent forces from hurricane-driven waves and help pinpoint potentially damaging conditions within hurricane events. Finally, the results will be used to evaluate the impact of flooding on evacuation and traffic flow.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 03 Sep 2024 19:50:35 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2425156</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Material and Design Analysis of Bridge Mounted Light Poles for Hurricane Readiness</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2425081</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This research will analyze the hurricane type events that have occurred in Florida and how the stress of those hurricanes applies to the current Florida Department of Transportation
(FDOT) design standards for aluminum light poles, and then investigate and test [1] design and [2] material variations that could sustain hurricane force wind design loads. The goal is to better understand the behavior leading to failure under hurricane events and produce a modified design approach to complement the current wind design load, and if needed, present a new standard plan and/or change to the material selection for light poles. This research could generate a wide range of implementable outcomes including a recommended change to material selection, adoption of a fatigue test to accurately screen for hurricane events, advancement in the vibration damper design, and/or the production of a new standard design.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 03 Sep 2024 09:02:46 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2425081</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Transit-Based Mobility and Accessibility During Hurricanes</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2420211</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Transportation plays a critical role as a social determinant of health, especially during extreme events like hurricanes, where access to essential services and resources becomes a matter of life and death. However, transit-dependent (TD) populations, including carless, low-income, elderly, and disabled individuals, often face significant challenges evacuating and accessing healthcare and food during hurricanes. This project aims to address key knowledge gaps regarding the transportation challenges faced by TD populations and the effectiveness of transportation assistance offered by public and private entities in facilitating evacuations and addressing healthcare and food access needs during hurricanes. Through a mixed-method approach encompassing surveys, interviews, and statistical modeling, this study will investigate the impact of transportation-related factors on evacuation decision-making and healthcare/food access challenges. Two hurricanes (Hurricane Ida and Hurricane Idalia) which caused major harm to regions with distinct socioeconomic and built environment contexts will be studied. Survey and interview data will be collected, and geographically stratified sampling will ensure representation from TD populations. Descriptive and spatial analyses will be conducted to provide insights into evacuation decision-making and healthcare/food access challenges across different population groups, and statistical modeling will be conducted evaluate the importance of transportation-related factors in determining evacuation decisions and healthcare/food access challenges. Moreover, qualitative analysis of interview data will offer a nuanced understanding of how TD populations cope with transportation challenges during hurricanes and their perceptions of transportation assistance resources. By comparing results from Hurricanes Ida and Idalia, this research will enhance understanding of transportation challenges faced by TD populations and the effectiveness of transportation assistance in different geographic contexts. Findings will inform hurricane preparation and emergency response practices, ensuring that transportation-disadvantaged individuals receive adequate support to evacuate safely and access essential services during and after hurricanes. Ultimately, this study seeks to improve the resilience of TD populations to hurricanes and other extreme events through evidence-based policy and practice recommendations. Outputs will include 1) A new survey instrument focusing on evaluating mobility and accessibility challenges faced by transit-dependent and transportation-disadvantaged populations during hurricanes. 2) A final technical report to outline our findings and provide practical insights for state and local DOTs, transit authorities, and emergency managers. 3) 1 - 2 manuscript(s) for publication and presentation.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 26 Aug 2024 14:49:36 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2420211</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Analyzing Transit-based Evacuation Demand in Hurricanes</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2292741</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Large-scale evacuation events have become the norm in the Gulf of Mexico Region due to
the impacts of climate change. Meanwhile, population growth has pushed more residents into flood-prone areas. Previous hurricane evacuations have seen massive congestion on primary evacuation routes. Additionally, many historically- disadvantaged populations, such as minority, low-English-proficiency, low-income, carless, senior, and/or disabled individuals, have faced difficulties in evacuations. Mass transit and rail have the potential to serve their travel needs during evacuations. What is needed is an accurate estimation of transit-based evacuation demand in hurricanes, so that public transit can be appropriately used to reach those at-risk populations.
To tackle this problem, the researchers propose to leverage the anonymized GPS trajectory data
(generated from mobile devices such as smartphones and smartwatches), the General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) and/or GTFS Realtime data, the survey data collected from the disadvantaged populations, and public comments on unmet transit needs to estimate the transit-based evacuation demand during hurricanes. The goal of this research is to study transit vehicles and their use during hurricane evacuation events by collecting, analyzing, and integrating multi-source datasets, particularly focusing on understanding the travel needs of disadvantaged populations. Estimating transit-based evacuation demand (i.e., existing transit use and unmet travel needs) during hurricanes will be a focal point. This proposed research aims to improve understanding of hurricane evacuation process and enhance emergency 
planning and management with equity prioritized. This research will also help determine how transit services may be improved during such events to facilitate safe, efficient, and effective evacuations, particularly the evacuations of disadvantaged populations. The proposed research will be accomplished via five tasks:
• Task 1 - Meeting with local stakeholders (state/local DOT, city managers and planners,
NGOs, among others) to seek their inputs and feedback for our research design, results,
and products;
• Task 2 - Transit-based evacuation trip inference using GPS and GTFS data, where the researchers will use the individual-level movement data generated from mobile devices (i.e., GPS data) along with the bus schedules from GTFS data to infer which trips are transit travel during evacuations;
• Task 3 - Survey data collection and analysis, where the survey will be widely distributed
through multiple channels to ensure the representativeness of the sample. Particularly, the PIs will collaborate with the established contacts to reach marginalized communities, and Qualtrics survey panel will also be leveraged to help collect a representative sample;
• Task 4 - Transit-based evacuation demand estimation by integrating the transit trip
inference results from Task 2 and the reported unmet demand from Task 3; and
• Task 5 - Final report and policy brief.
The researchers will use Lee County, FL and New Orleans, LA as the study areas, as they have been frequently impacted by hurricanes and ordered large-scale evacuations in the past decade. Particularly, Lee County experienced significant human loss and damage in the 2022 Hurricane Ian, while New Orleans was severely impacted by the 2021 Hurricane Ida and 2005 Hurricane Katrina. Zhao has ongoing research focusing on Hurricane Ian evacuation analysis and she has established local contacts in Lee County, FL, and Tian has ongoing working relationships with stakeholders in New Orleans, LA. Furthermore, Zhao and Tian are physically located in FL and LA, who are well positioned to conduct local community engagement activities to reach marginalized populations.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 20 Nov 2023 16:07:42 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2292741</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Assessment of Wave Impacts on Highway Embankments due to Hurricanes/Tropical Storms in Coastal Louisiana</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2291284</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Geosynthetic-reinforced highway embankments are often built on expansive clays along the Louisiana shorelines. An embankment is often reinforced using articulating concrete mats and geosynthetic separator fabrics, consisting of planar reinforcements arranged in horizontal planes in the fill to resist outward movements of the fill. Facing treatments ranging from vegetation to flexible armor systems are applied to prevent unraveling and sloughing of the face. These embankments are different from regular levees or embankments in the sense that they are subjected to high current and large wave pressures, as well as pore water pressure conditions, especially under extreme weather events such as hurricanes and tropical storms. This one-year study will only focus on the analysis of wave pressure analyses and the development of wave pressure envelopes that can be used for the design of coastal embankments as well as for assessing the vulnerability of existing embankments to hurricanes. 
The PI and his graduate students have been collaborating with the Coastal Protection and Recovery Authorities of Louisiana (CPRA) on research projects funded by the Louisiana Sea Grant for more than ten years. In this project, long-term measurements provided by the CPRA on wave behavior and design parameters for containment dikes will be examined and applied to the present study on coastal highway embankments. The goal is to quantify the impact of wave pressure on highway embankments using innovative data analysis. The following commonly employed methods will be taken in these analyses: Goda Design Method, Minikin Design Method, and Blackmore and Hewson Design Method. Based on these analyses, a practical method for the distribution of wave pressure on embankments will be developed. These distributions will then be combined to produce wave pressure envelopes, which reflect the worst wave pressure conditions for selected hurricanes and tropical storms of different categories, experienced within the last 20 years. This research project will lead to a more accurate and reliable design approach for geosynthetic-reinforced embankments subjected to wave pressures from hurricanes or tropical storms.
 The following tasks will be carried out in the one-year duration of this project: (1) Collect and review the integrated field observations and modeling data from ADV and wave gauges (e.g., wind wave, velocity, and water levels, etc.) at the specific sites in coastal Louisiana experienced during specific hurricanes, such as Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Ida; (2) Compute the time-dependent dynamic wave/current pressure distributions on the faces of selected highway embankments based on the measured data from specific hurricanes, following the three methods noted above; (3) Find the maximum wave pressure at each point on the surface of the embankment based on the analyses in Task 2. Use these maximum wave pressure values to generate a wave envelope; (4) Develop two or three wave pressure envelopes corresponding to the hurricanes and tropical storms of different categories, which were recorded in coastal Louisiana during the past 20 years; (5) Recommend the developed wave pressure envelops to the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LA DOTD) as standardized wave pressure loads for different categories of hurricanes, for future designs of coastal highway embankments as well as for vulnerability of existing embankments under future extreme events. 

]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 15 Nov 2023 18:05:49 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2291284</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Risk-Based Assessment of System-Wide Vulnerability and Interdependency of Transportation Infrastructure Networks under Extreme Events</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2270236</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Synergistic Project Scope (TAMU/OU): Transportation networks comprise components such as bridges and roadways, which are made up of different subcomponents such as decks, girders, abutments, piles, embankments, and pavements. Many of these components are designed to withstand natural hazards expected with a given probability of recurrence. Given that transportation networks are often impacted by changing conditions and disruptions in the face of extreme events and societal expectations, it is important to prioritize our infrastructure improvements to provide the greatest enhancement to system resilience. Assessing the impacts of system-wide vulnerabilities and interdependencies is critical to prioritizing infrastructure enhancement for optimum system performance. This project will develop a framework based on network science theories and risk-based reliability analysis to account for the following: (1) the relative importance of system components; and (2) the interconnectedness of components and sub-components. While the major focus of the TAMU team will be on hurricanes in coastal regions, the OU team will consider inland flooding, creating a synergy between the lead institutions in looking at diverse weather extremes in the USDOT Region 6.

Individual Scope of Work (TAMU): Transportation infrastructure networks are frequently impacted by changing conditions (e.g., deterioration) and disruptions (e.g., natural hazards – hurricanes  in the Southern United States) and can result in reduced accessibility, delays, and economic losses. In this project, the TAMU research team will address this challenge by developing a risk-based reliability analysis framework for assessing and enhancing the resilience of bridge infrastructure networks in selected coastal regions in Texas susceptible to hurricane loads. This framework will be used as a tool for state DOTs across the country to optimize and prioritize investments while ensuring that the transportation system can absorb shocks, adapt to changing conditions, and rapidly recover from disruptions (e.g., hurricane occurrence). Specific tasks of this project will be focused on the following: (1) defining resilience goals and targets for representative transportation networks; (2) characterizing disruption scenarios (including flood due to hurricane occurrence, bridge deterioration due to aging); (3) estimating consequences (including economic losses, downtime, travel delay, loss of accessibility); and (4) proposing optimal solutions for potential improvements (including maintenance and mitigation actions).

Individual Scope of Work (OU): Transportation infrastructure systems critically interact with other physical systems to ensure regular functioning and operations in supporting safe, multimodal mobility for people and goods. For example, locations at which stormwater networks intersect with roads and bridges may be subject to frequent flooding. As such, understanding interdependencies and assessing their impact is essential to enhance serviceability i.e., performance and resilience of transportation networks. The research team at OU will develop a new framework of interdependency modeling for Region 6 based on network science theories, sources of uncertainties, critical interaction rules, and guidelines for implementation. The proposed framework is based on topological credentials (i.e., the rank of relative importance) of network components (such as roads, bridges, and pavements) that carry significant implications as it is critical to identify components that contribute the most to the overall network performance. For transportation networks, critical components (roads, bridges, intersections) may become inaccessible to adjacent traffic due to external disruptions (e.g., inland flooding) that significantly reduce the level of service. The goal is to enhance the resiliency (i.e., improved robustness and/or rapidity) of transportation networks in Region 6 based on the topological credentials of road network components as well as systematic design (i.e., lane width, pavement thickness) and/or operational (i.e., one way vs. two-way traffic) interventions made on critical components. Specific tasks include the following: (1) develop an interdependency and vulnerability analysis framework for road and stormwater networks for inland flooding; (2) obtain accurate road and stormwater network data for the study area and identify the scale and scope of the network to be inspected; (3) perform multi-layer network experiments and analyses; (4) compilation of results and reporting.

]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 20 Oct 2023 09:10:17 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2270236</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Integrating Machine Learning and Optimization with Spatiotemporal Techniques to Develop a Methodology for Assessing Rural Resilience</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2265855</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The objective of this project is to develop a methodology to assess the resilience of rural communities against natural disasters such as hurricanes by integrating Geographical Information Systems-based spatiotemporal analysis with machine learning and optimization techniques.
Research into urban resilience has dwarfed the very limited disaster resilience research in rural settings. Because of their different characteristics, a resilience solution in an urban city may not work in a rural environment. This gap between urban and rural readiness became more apparent after catastrophic events such as Hurricane Michael. Adding complexity are the populations at risk, such as the aging population, the most rapidly growing population segment in the State of Florida, and disproportionally the most adversely affected people from storms. As such, there is a clear need to develop novel methodologies along with improvements to the resilience of existing and future infrastructure that can better fit the distinct needs of these rural communities. 
Moreover, the performance of physical infrastructure systems – whether intact or damaged – is a function of their interaction with social systems. Therefore, there is a need to identify this interaction to fully comprehend the impacts, coping strategies, and barriers to recovery of hurricane victims, particularly differential effects on vulnerable groups such as low-income households, minorities, outdoor workers, the elderly, and the chronically ill. With a focus on Florida’s Panhandle as a test bed, this project will develop a methodology to assess the resilience of these communities using machine learning, optimization, and spatiotemporal techniques based on historical and real-life infrastructure status with data on the environment, socioeconomic, demographic, and health-related characteristics of the population.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 19 Oct 2023 16:49:43 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2265855</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>ACRP Insight Event - Improving Extreme Weather Resiliency of Airport Infrastructure



</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2226018</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The increasing frequency and intensity of weather events require new approaches to airport infrastructure planning, operations, and investment.

Transportation Insights 8: Preparing U.S. Airport Infrastructure for Weather Events summarizes a May 7–8, 2025, Airport Cooperative Research Program Insight Event that brought together airport staff, airport industry practitioners, academics, and other aviation and subject matter experts. Discussions focused on preparing airport facilities, infrastructure, and human resources for unexpected weather events. The goals of the event were to enhance understanding and share best practices for planning for and responding to weather events; explore gaps in existing weather preparedness planning for airport personnel; examine research at the intersection of weather preparedness and airports; and identify future research needs related to weather, resilience, and airports.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 10 Aug 2023 09:57:06 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2226018</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>High-Resolution Approach for Hurricane Risk and Resilience Analysis for Miami-Dade County</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2221107</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Hurricane-induced damage is complex such that each hurricane-induced hazard cause different loadings on buildings and infrastructure. There have been multiple studies in the literature investigating the impact of one or a combination of these hazards on the built environment. However, the uncertainties in damage quantification within the used approaches are not well addressed specifically the combined impacts of storm surge, waves, and wind. Therefore, in the proposed project, convolutional fragility-based vulnerability functions will be used to quantify the total damage and losses induced by hurricanes.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 31 Jul 2023 00:04:25 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2221107</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Equitable Restoration Strategies for Bridge and Road Infrastructure Networks after Hurricanes in Coastal Communities</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2221105</link>
      <description><![CDATA[For low-lying coastal communities, hurricane-induced hazards, especially storm surge, often represent the greatest threat. Major hurricanes result in large casualties, enormous property damage, and severe socio-economic disruption. Lifeline infrastructure systems, including bridge and roadway networks, are not immune to such devastating consequences of hurricanes. The diminished functionality of bridge and roadway networks, as a result of wind and water damage, directly impedes the entire hurricane recovery process. The essential role of bridge and roadway networks in hurricane response is evident: the distribution of disaster supplies from federal and state emergency management agencies depends on functioning roadways and bridges; affected residents also need reliable transportation to access essential services, such as healthcare, grocery, and employment. Therefore, it is widely recognized that effective planning for bridge and roadway network restoration and associated resource allocation to different regions is a critical task to ensure a rapid recovery of coastal communities in the aftermath of hurricanes. The primary goal is to develop a tool to evaluate community resilience in terms of the ability to access critical services following hurricanes and provide a decision-making framework to integrate equity into bridge and road networks restoration activities after hurricanes.

The post-hurricane recovery of bridge and road infrastructure networks is crucial for the recovery of other systems within communities. Substantial research has been conducted to advance related literature, including various optimization methods for selecting, sequencing, and scheduling roadway repair projects while accounting for material and human resource constraints. However, a significant research gap remains in the consideration of equity across different population groups or geographical regions. It is increasingly important to ensure all residents have comparable access to essential services and resources during hurricane recovery, regardless of socio-economic status. Recent studies have highlighted the inequitable government response to natural disasters, with underserved communities receiving less support, experiencing greater impacts, and taking longer to recover. This issue is especially important in South Florida’s most populated metropolitan area, where coastal communities are highly vulnerable to hurricane threats. Urgent research efforts are needed to ensure that bridge and road infrastructure network restoration can be conducted rapidly and equitably.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 31 Jul 2023 00:00:16 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2221105</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>AI-supported Monitoring and Resiliency Analysis for the Coastal Area of the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in Puerto Rico</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2012462</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport and its coastal area in Puerto Rico, an overseas US territory that needs resources to recover from Hurricane Irma and Maria and to face future devastating coastal hazards in the economic crisis, has been facing the challenge of coastal flooding, erosion, and storm damage. Field observation is needed to support the potential vulnerability assessment. The primary goal of this proposal is to develop a surveillance camera-based coastal monitoring system for the San Juan International Airport and surrounding areas to support a resiliency study. The intended outcome of the project is to produce a resiliency report with recommendations for the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport and the surrounding area. This report will help the administrators to understand the current situation and adapt to improve the durability and extend the life of infrastructure. In a larger scale, the monitoring system will be useful to analyze the regional natural hazards to the transportation system that link to the airport safety and functionality.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 25 Aug 2022 15:53:17 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2012462</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Reinforcing Network Resilience to Support Equitable Disaster Evacuation</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1948954</link>
      <description><![CDATA[As one of the principal lifeline systems, transportation networks are crucial for evacuation during extreme weather events like hurricanes, and critical network links must remain intact. Since resilience of the transportation network during the evacuation saves lives and preserves existing infrastructure, one of the top priorities for decision-makers is to protect links to withstand a hurricane and restore links when disrupted. Researchers developed several performance metrics to evaluate the resilience of the network links based on their topology (Scott et al., 2006), transportation cost (Taylor et al., 2006), and flooding risk (Helderop et al., 2019). These measures translate into various network functionalities to support evacuation such as flexibility, reliability, or robustness. In a previous TranSET project, the research team investigated network resilience in the Gulf Coast regions and developed system vulnerabilities to identify critical network links for evacuation (TranSET #20PUTA28). While conducting the project, the team identified a significant gap between the current practices in disaster planning and recommendations made by scientific research. In particular, when evaluating network resilience for evacuation, practitioners use their regional knowledge to determine evacuation demand and traffic patterns while researchers rely on theoretic constraints and network topology to determine operational strategies that increase throughput. Oftentimes, strategies suggested by scientific research do not reflect the realistic network traffic or travel behaviors during an emergency even though they could fit into theoretic formulas to obtain system efficiency. This critical oversight results in impractical or infeasible operational strategies for practitioners due to discrepancies between actual traffic patterns and simulated evacuation demands.
This project brings the established knowledge on network resilience to the next level by developing actionable strategies for decision-makers to support their resource prioritizations to preserve existing infrastructure during an emergency. During an emergency, network volumes are highly dependent on when and where an evacuation order is initiated as residents in the same geographic area evacuate at the same time. This project will investigate the level and type of disruptions (i.e., inundation) of critical links that can cause significant rerouting and rescheduling of evacuation traffic. Demographic characteristics of the evacuees will determine the evacuation destinations, and especially for underserved communities that appear to comply less frequently with evacuation orders due to their lack of resources and awareness. The strategic plans obtained from the study will facilitate decision-making on disaster planning and operation prior-to and during the disaster when the demand and patterns of evacuation movements may greatly change over time. Decision-making that considers the resource allocations to reduce congestion effects while achieving social equity may require a more deliberate strategy by understanding the shift and changes in evacuation activities. The research outcomes will be shared with practitioners, policy-makers, and universities through Workshops, Webinars and Conferences to attract discussions from the transportation operation and management sectors, particularly from the Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC), Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), and other regional MPOs. The findings will strongly support short- and long-term transportation and infrastructure planning for policy makers and planners especially when optimizing maintenance and operation resources for future transportation strategies for disaster operations.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 09 May 2022 11:00:57 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1948954</guid>
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