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    <title>Research in Progress (RIP)</title>
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    <atom:link href="https://rip.trb.org/Record/RSS?s=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" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
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    <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>
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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>Use of Colloidal Silica as a Finishing Aid for Concrete Pavement</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2577018</link>
      <description><![CDATA[To determine the feasibility of utilizing colloidal silica as a finishing aid to achieve a smooth pavement surface without negatively impacting the concrete surface. A few years ago, the cement manufacturers located in Missouri all switched to producing Type IL cement.  The limestone is introduced to the clinker during the grinding process.  For Type IL cements to have similar strength gain properties as Type I cements, the Type IL cements are ground finer than Type I cements.  This has resulted in less bleed water occurring along the concrete surface, making it more difficult to finish. To improve the finishing properties, finishers are adding water to the surface increasing the water-to-cementitious ratio at the surface.  This results in the concrete being more permeable, having reduced strength, and lower abrasion resistance. Utilizing a colloidal silica as a finishing aid could allow the finishers to achieve a smooth concrete surface without negatively impacting the surface. If the use of colloidal silica does not negatively impact the concrete, the department could develop a Qualified List (QL) of concrete finishing aids for contractors to utilize on Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) projects.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 17 Jul 2025 09:02:28 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2577018</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>SPR-5024: Evaluation and Optimization of Portland Limestone Cement Concretes: Materials, Mixtures, and Performance</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2553992</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project addresses INDOT’s need for sustainable, high-performance concrete by improving the mechanical and durability characteristics of Portland Limestone Cement (PLC) Concrete. Deliverables include optimized mixture design guidelines, machine learning-based predictive models, microstructural insights into the interfacial transition zone (ITZ), and validated performance data. These outcomes will support INDOT’s transition to lower-carbon materials without compromising structural reliability, enabling broader use of PLC in pavements and bridge decks.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 15 May 2025 15:57:51 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2553992</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Evaluation of Prestressing Strand Bond with Type IL Cement</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2489961</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The proposed research is a 3-phase approach aimed at understanding the reduced bonding capacity of prestressing strands when limestone cements are used.
Task 1: Conduct strand bond pullout tests in a cement grout. Since the essence of the observed reduction in strand bond is due to the direct interaction between the cement paste and strand, initial testing will quantify the difference in bond of strand that is embedded in a grout made with Type IL cements with varying limestone contents. The ASTM A981 test methodology, listed in the Supplemental requirements of ASTM A416, will be utilized in this test phase. The tests will be conducted with grouts utilizing pure Type I cement (baseline tests), plus grouts with Type IL cements having a 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% limestone substitution by weight. Although ASTM C595 currently limits Type IL cement to a limestone content of 15%, there will likely be higher limestone contents allowed in the not-too-distant future.
Task 2: Conduct bond pullout tests with concrete. Additional pullout tests utilizing specimens with aggregate will be performed with cements having varying limestone content as in Phase 1. These results will then be directly comparable to the results in Phase 1 to see how the addition of aggregate influences the bond. The ASTM A1081 test methodology will be used in this phase of the study, except that Type I and Type IL cement will be used instead of the standard (Type III) cement. The ASTM A1081 and A981 tests both use the same 5”-diameter steel cans and a 16” embedment length.
Task 3: Pretensioned Concrete Beam Investigation. A limited laboratory investigation will be conducted to determine the effect of using Type IL cement on the transfer length in pretensioned concrete members. This phase will include the fabrication of pretensioned concrete members using concrete mixtures with both a Type I and Type IL cement. The resulting transfer lengths for 7-wire strand will then be directly compared with current Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) design assumptions.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 13 Jan 2025 14:35:43 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2489961</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>SPR-4908:  Potential Implications of Pore Solution Composition of Type IL Cement on the Curability of Concrete</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2434103</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The study will provide the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) with information on how the alteration in pore solution composition due to the use of limestone cement can impact durability of concrete with respect to chemical stability of hydration products, corrosion resistance of reinforcement, sulfate resistance and performance in aggressive environment. The possible, practical deliverables of this study will include: (i) Possible changes to the current standard testing procedures, (ii) development of predictive model, based on the inter‐relationship between the chemistry of the pore solution of the Type IL cementitious system, and durability performance of the Type IL concrete.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 25 Sep 2024 09:26:47 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2434103</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Residual Stress in Florida Bored Piles</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2353366</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The project objectives are to study the thermal influence on residual stress development in bored piles and identify an appropriate design method for axial capacity using updated Measurement While Drilling (MWD) correlations to South Florida limestone. The authors will conduct a test program on three augered cast in place (ACIP) piles that includes  (MWD) with rock core testing for strength and thermal properties, monitoring pile temperatures and strains during curing, measuring strains during axial load tests, grout mix design and curing study to establish the relationships between curing temperature – modulus – mix design, modeling of curing bored pile, and establish T-z model(s) for bored piles with residual stress.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 03 Jun 2024 14:48:56 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2353366</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Optimizing Cementitious Systems for Alternative Cement using Thermodynamic Modeling</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2344524</link>
      <description><![CDATA[In the light of the fact that existing SCM sources may not be available in sufficient supply in the future, the discovery of new SCMs and PLC and the successful validation of their performance are needed. Research is crucial to examine the impact that this has on the corrosion and service life of the concrete. The project aims at developing sustainable SCMs and PLC concretes. Toward this end the team will quantify the impact of binder composition on corrosion rates. Deliverables of this project include (1) Guidelines/specifications of the physical and chemical properties of the materials; (2) Simulations of the performance that can be expected with the SCMs and PLC; (3) Performance-based test results obtained from laboratory testing; and (4) Comparison to existing SCMs. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 23 Feb 2024 16:22:27 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2344524</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Performance of Portland Limestone Cement and Supplementary Cementitious Materials in VDOT Concretes</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2266625</link>
      <description><![CDATA[One major change in the cement industry is the introduction of the portland-limestone cements (PLC or Type IL) to reduce carbon footprint and to address concerns with sustainability.  The only cement plant in Virginia has stopped producing the commonly used Type I/II cements.  The new Type IL contains up to 15% limestone whereas the maximum limestone in Type I/II is 5%.  Increase in the limestone amount in Type IL cement provides reduced carbon footprint but is expected to attain similar properties as the Type I/II cements mainly due to the nucleation sites created by the fine limestone particles. 

Supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) are used to supplement the use of portland cement. Their use reduces the cost, improves the properties of concrete especially the durability of concrete, and contributes to sustainability.  In this study existing and new SCMs will be investigated in the laboratory with the new Type IL cements to ensure quality and cost-effective concretes are achieved.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 14 Oct 2023 09:28:48 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2266625</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Geomechanical and Mineralogical Properties of Limestone Samples from Kansas – Joint Project with KSU</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2255812</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Aggregates have broad practical applications, particularly for concretes, hot mix asphalts, aggregate base construction, cement treated and granular bases, backfill, cover materials, microsurfacing, subgrade modification or reconstruction, surfacing or resurfacing, shoulder construction, and riprap and ditch lining. Although understanding geomechanical and mineralogical properties of aggregates are essential for many projects, our knowledge on crushed samples are very limited due to lack of experiments. In fact, the uniaxial/triaxial measurement of Young’s modulus on core samples has been standardized over decades and now is very straightforward (ASTM, 2017). Nonetheless, Young’s modulus measurement on rocks is time consuming, and various studies were conducted to link Young’s modulus to other rock properties routinely measured, such as porosity (Alison, 1987), clay content (Tutuncu, 1992), and permeability (Bossennec et al., 2018). Determining Young’s modulus on cutting size samples is, however, rare in geotechnical engineering because of experimental challenges. The research team, therefore, proposes applying a promising method from petroleum engineering developed by Mews et al. (2020) based on atomic force microscopy that was successfully evaluated on clay-rich carbonate rocks. Using the atomic force microscopy, Mews et al. (2020) determined Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio on a carbonate sample equal to 53.23 GPa and 0.25 very close to 51.5 GPa and 0.26 measured via triaxial experiments. 
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 27 Sep 2023 12:23:24 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2255812</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Geomechanical and Mineralogical Properties of Limestone Samples from Kansas – Joint Project with KU</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2255809</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Aggregates have broad practical applications, particularly for concretes, hot mix asphalts, aggregate base construction, cement treated and granular bases, backfill, cover materials, microsurfacing, subgrade modification or reconstruction, surfacing or resurfacing, shoulder construction, and riprap and ditch lining. Although understanding geomechanical and mineralogical properties of aggregates are essential for many projects, our knowledge on crushed samples are very limited due to lack of experiments. In fact, the uniaxial/triaxial measurement of Young’s modulus on core samples has been standardized over decades and now is very straightforward (ASTM, 2017). Nonetheless, Young’s modulus measurement on rocks is time consuming, and various studies were conducted to link Young’s modulus to other rock properties routinely measured, such as porosity (Alison, 1987), clay content (Tutuncu, 1992), and permeability (Bossennec et al., 2018). Determining Young’s modulus on cutting size samples is, however, rare in geotechnical engineering because of experimental challenges. The research team, therefore, proposes applying a promising method from petroleum engineering developed by Mews et al. (2020) based on atomic force microscopy that was successfully evaluated on clay-rich carbonate rocks. Using the atomic force microscopy, Mews et al. (2020) determined Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio on a carbonate sample equal to 53.23 GPa and 0.25 very close to 51.5 GPa and 0.26 measured via triaxial experiments. 

]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 27 Sep 2023 12:17:19 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2255809</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Evaluation of Portland Limestone Cement-Treated Subgrade Soils and Bases in Kansas</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2255786</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Due to the sustainability, benefit of Portland-limestone cement (PLC) (also referred to as Type IL cement) by reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 10%, it has been increasingly used to replace Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) in civil engineering applications. In the US and Canada, PLCs are made with Portland cement and between 5% and 15% fine limestone. This type of cement has been considered to have equivalent performance to Type I Portland cement; therefore, a 1:1 replacement policy has been adopted. The conclusion that performance is equivalent was based on testing of ready-mixed concrete or structural concrete. Cement has also been commonly used to treat subgrade soils and bases. Subgrade soils often contain fine particles, including clay particles that can have different minerals. It is well recognized that chemical reactions between cement and clay particles are different from those between cement and aggregates. Since cement-treated subgrade soils and cement-treated bases (CTB) use a smaller amount of cement than concrete, their properties may be more sensitive to possible property changes of limestone cement. Unfortunately, PLC-treated subgrade soils and bases have not been well evaluated; therefore, it is necessary and important to evaluate the performance of PLC mixed with subgrade soils and base materials. This proposed study will evaluate the properties of PLC-treated subgrade soils and treated bases in Kansas as compared with those treated with Type I OPC using laboratory tests.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 26 Sep 2023 17:47:15 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2255786</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>SPR-4823:  Systematic Study of Type 1L Cement for Mixture Optimization and Carbon Reduction</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2209598</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Portland limestone (i.e., Type 1L) cement is being used to replace ordinary Portland cement to reduce carbon emissions. The reduction of around 10% of cement clinker and its replacement with limestone powder can greatly reduce the energy consumption by cement production.  This project will conduct a comprehensive study on the performance of Type 1L cement provided by various suppliers. It will thoroughly investigate all performance related properties, including but not limited to, fresh properties, air void system, mechanical strength, and durability of the hardened concrete, etc.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 10 Jul 2023 09:16:50 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2209598</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Addressing Fly Ash Shortage with Limestone Calcined Clay Cement</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2196874</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The wide availability of high-quality and economical supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) has been significantly strained over the last decade due to the steep decline of fly ash production. Woefully, this problem will be exacerbated in the future as coal-based energy production diminishes. Consequently, there is a dire need for alternatives to fly ash. Limestone calcined clay cement (LC3) is a novel ternary cementitious system that is promising for the future of durable and sustainable concrete materials. LC3 is commonly produced by intergrounding and blending clinker, limestone, calcined clay (CC), and gypsum at the cement plant. Nonetheless, LC3-like systems can also be simply produced at the ready-mix plant by blending Portland limestone cement (PLC) and CC. These PLC/CC systems are referred to as LC2. Importantly, LC2 and LC3 systems are economical and widely accessible as the raw materials required to produce them are among the most abundant on earth’s crust. Furthermore, LC2 and LC3 have the potential to deliver similar mechanical properties and environmental benefits to cementitious systems incorporating fly ash or slag cement. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the use of novel LC2 and LC3 systems for concrete materials in Virginia as an alternative to cementitious systems incorporating conventionally used SCMs such as fly ash and slag cement.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 15 Jun 2023 09:58:01 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2196874</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Implementation of Shallow Foundations on Florida Limestone in FB-MultiPier</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2154940</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The project objectives are to implement new shallow foundation analysis features and user interface (UI) controls into the existing bridge FEA software package, and to develop corresponding software documentation. The objectives correspond to thrusts in the following areas: (1) implementation of bearing capacity equations for Florida limestone to facilitate predictions of shallow foundation capacities in design applications; (2) implementation of nonlinear load-settlement analysis for bearing on Florida limestone so that distributions of internal forces throughout bridge substructures and pressures that develop in the underlying limestone can be predicted; (3) development and implementation of lateral resistance of shallow foundations, which is required for stability of the numerical model; (4) investigation of the effects of inclined and eccentric loads applied to shallow foundations; and (5) documentation of outcomes and feature sets from the above four thrusts within the FEA software manual.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 17 Apr 2023 15:04:01 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2154940</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Assessment of High Early Strength Limestone Blended Cement for Next Generation Transportation Structures</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1474434</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This research effort is aimed at evaluating the effects of increasing ground limestone addition rates and in particular high fineness blended cements developed for high early strength in precast concrete construction. Assessment of key material properties (e.g., setting time, strength development, shrinkage, creep, permeability) relevant to the construction, operation, and maintenance of transportation structures will be the focus. Results will be used to better understand the implications of changes in cement compositions and to provide guidance of how these changes can or should be accommodated in state and federal specifications for precast concrete elements intended for transportation structures.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 14 Jul 2017 12:59:39 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1474434</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Biocement for Road Repair</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1360873</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Road repair is an expensive operation every year. This cost can be greatly reduced if waste materials from mining and biofuel industries can be used to substitute conventional materials for road repair or construction. The objective of this project is to develop methods to produce a new construction material, biocement, using waste products and apply the new material for road repair and construction. Two types of waste will be used in this study. One is limestone fines produced from a limestone mine in Iowa. Another is organic acids, a byproduct produced from pyrolysis-based biofuel manufacturing process. The limestone fines and organic acids can be used to produce biocement under ambient temperature in an inexpensive way. The cost-effective biocement can be used as a substitute for expensive cement for roads repair and construction. Biocement grout, or biogrout, can be injected directly into cavities or cracks in pavement for road repair. As the viscosity of biogrout is low, biogrout can penetrate better into the road pavement than cement grout. Biocement mixed aggregate can be used for base or subbase for road construction. Biocement solution can also be applied directly onto shoulders as a stabilizer on unpaved roads as a dust control agent. The focus of this project will be on the development of cost-effective biocement products and its effectiveness for road repair. Once the methods for biocement production and its applications are established in lab-scale, field experiments will be carried out as a following up study.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 14 Jul 2015 01:01:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1360873</guid>
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