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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>Generating reliable freight disruption measures with freight telematics data (Year 2)</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2422948</link>
      <description><![CDATA[In the aftermath of disasters that challenge the resilience of transportation networks, the urgency for planning for rapid mobility and recovery has been underscored. The primary objective of resilience is to enable transportation agencies to prepare more effectively for such events. In this light, resilience measures serve as a critical tool, providing a means to assess the impact of disruptions and inform strategic investments to mitigate these occurrences. The first year of the study team’s research addressed the critical challenges faced by states and agencies in measuring freight network systems: the scarcity of comprehensive data and the inadequacy of analytical methods. While there is substantial data available on the movement of people and passenger vehicles, understanding freight movements—especially under disruptive scenarios—poses distinct challenges. Freight movements, governed by corporate supply chain decisions, are subject to constant change due to various economic conditions and span multiple jurisdictions and transport modes. Moreover, methods to capture and analyze data that encompasses these complex dynamics have been limited. With a focus on these challenges, the study team’s initial research presented a novel framework that leveraged Robinsight telematics data to bridge this gap. In the first year, the study team has delved into the telematics data to explore its capacity for developing robust freight network resiliency measures, with the trucking sector in Tennessee and the Pacific Northwest.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 29 Aug 2024 17:29:26 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2422948</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Transport and Mitigation of Tire and Road Wear Microparticles in Stormwater Runoff from Highways</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2263200</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This proposed project aims to identify the transport and mitigation of tire and road wear microparticles in highway stormwater runoff. We will mainly focus on tire wear microplastics containing 6-PPD.  The composition of the tire is a chemically complex and heterogeneous mixture having about 5–10% additives required for its stability and durability. Therefore, a tire can contain as many as 200 various additives. That can be leached from tire and road wear particles (TRWPs) into the aquatic environment. Although predicting material leachability from tires and their subsequent potential risk for the ecosystem was indicated in the early nineties, very few studies have been reported investigating TRWP leachates. Very recently, a study has published an oxidation product of tire antioxidant N-(1,3-dimethylbutyl)-N′-phenyl-pphenylenediamine (6-PPD), 6-PPD-quinone, as the lethal cause of coho salmon mortality(1).  6PPD quinone (the transformation product of 6PPD) has been reported in roadway runoff, tire rubber leachates, and road dust. Although very little information exists regarding the occurrence and fate of 6PPD quinone in the environment, this chemical is assumed to be present in surface waters globally because of the widespread use of the parent compound. The toxicity of 6PPD quinone could be a global threat to aquatic species and may not be limited to coho salmon only. 

Scope of Work: This will continue our current project for Year 2. We will accomplish the goal of this project through four tasks. We have already finished Task 1 and Task 2 and started Task 3. In Year 2, we plan to finish Task 2 by 7/31/2024 and Task 3 by 12/31/2024. We plan to begin Task 4 from 01/01/2025.
Task 1.  Literature Review  (completion date: 03/31/2024) 
Task 2. Measurement of Tire and Road Wear Microparticles in Stormwater  (Completion date: 07/31/2024)
Task 3 . Experimental Approaches for Mitigation Strategies (50% complete; expected end date: 12/31/2024)
Task 4. Modeling Approaches for Mitigation Strategies (estimated start date: 01/01/2025; estimated end date: 05/31/2025)

US DOT Priorities: The study effort aligns with the USDOT's dedication to sustainability and environmental preservation. The study advances knowledge about tire wear debris in the environment by examining the stability and removal of tire particles in water bodies. This information is essential for creating mitigation plans that work and encouraging environmentally friendly transportation behaviors. This study's results can influence policy choices and direct the creation of affordable mitigation infrastructure for this emerging pollution. The proper filtration media can be integrated into existing roadside structures, such as roadside shoulder, which will ultimately help create a more sustainable transportation system.

Outputs: Our technical deliverable will make recommendations concerning the types of best management practices (BMPs) and mitigation measures needed to remove tire and road wear microparticles containing 6-PPD as well as the resulting oxidized 6PPD-quinone potentially present during stormwater flows. 

Outcomes/Impacts: The research investigated the transport and removal of tire particles in various water bodies. The rate of aggregation and the zeta potential were measured in different synthetic water samples (Figure 2a). It was discovered that tire particles exhibited minimal aggregation in most aquatic environments including stormwater. High mobility of tire particles poses a significant environmental concern due to their widespread distribution. 

Figure 2: Findings from Task 2 and Task 3 show the lack of aggregation of tire wear particles in stormwater in Figure1a. Figure 1b presents the filtration pattern of tire wear particles through sand filter. Zn was used as marker for tire wear particles.

Filtration of tire wear particles on the roadside shoulder was identified as a possible solution. Column filtration experiments were conducted. However, removing tire particles through filtration using a white quartz sand column was inefficient in the preliminary studies (Figure 2b). These findings highlight the need for developing more effective strategies to mitigate the environmental impact of tire wear particles. Based on these findings, we will explore additional filtration media for removal of tire wear particles from stormwater.  
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 06 Oct 2023 18:50:06 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2263200</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>​Attitudes and Trust in Leveraging Integrated Sociotechnical Systems for Enhancing Community Adaptive Capacity – Phase II</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1983970</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The project described in this report explores relationships between social attitudes and community-scale disaster preparedness. Specifically, we are interested in respondents’ knowledge of local resources and their willingness to share their own resources with others. We report on data gathered from a pilot sample survey focused on community resilience in an earthquake scenario that was implemented in a Seattle, WA neighborhood. We find that respondents’ willingness to share resources also depends upon the nature of their social ties to those in need. We look specifically at access to health care services via different modes of transportation to better understand how people’s means of seeking health care might change in a disaster scenario. Findings relevant to transportation planning include general uncertainty among respondents about what transportation options might be available in the event of a disaster such as an earthquake, and few respondents were prepared with alternative transportation options. This information could be used by municipalities and transit agencies to help inform community outreach and education efforts relevant to disaster planning. We seek to implement the survey more broadly across the Pacific Northwest in order to help inform resource matching for disaster preparedness at a range of scales.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 21 Jun 2022 09:03:38 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1983970</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Prediction of Traffic Mobility Based on Historical Data and Machine Learning Approaches</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1881805</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Traffic mobility plays an important role in the intelligent transportation system (ITS). As a factor significantly affecting road safety and efficiency (as well as environmental stewardship), prediction of traffic mobility has attracted continuous attention over the past decades. Especially with the rapid development of machine learning (ML) techniques, the accuracy and stability of predictive models for traffic mobility have been improved dramatically. Responding to the CAMMSE theme of “Developing data modeling and analytical tools to optimize passenger and freight movements”, this proposed work will develop predictive models that use ML techniques for improved traffic mobility in the Pacific Northwest.
In a previous CAMMSE research project titled “Modeling the macroscopic effects of winter maintenance operations on traffic mobility on Washington highways”, macroscopic effects of winter road maintenance (WRM) operations on the characteristics of traffic operations have been identified and evaluated. In this proposed work, they will be further explored with other influential factors such as climatic and pavement surface conditions for comprehensive and representative predictive models for traffic mobility in the Pacific Northwest.
The major tasks of this work include data mining on historical records, variable selection and ML model development, comparison and ensemble with the case study conducted on Washington highways.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 04 Oct 2021 13:32:55 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1881805</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Attitudes and Trust in Leveraging Integrated Sociotechnical Systems for Enhancing Community Adaptive Capacity – Phase III</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1774901</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Current work in the area of resource sharing for disaster response and recovery assumes a top- down, centralized perspective. This study addresses a gap in knowledge about how resources might be shared among community members when a centralized supply of resources is not available, as might occur in a large-scale event such as a Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake. In the case of such a disaster, community members’ willingness to share resources with one another could contribute to the relative success or failure of communities to be locally self-sufficient if required. This research draws upon data gathered from a community-scale sample survey set in the Pacific Northwest, a region in which earthquakes are a certain, though largely unpredictable, hazard. In order to better understand the potential for resource sharing among community members in the event of an earthquake, we analyze three attitudinal variables related to both actual disaster preparedness and anticipated willingness to share: level of concern about disasters, place attachment, and trust. Our findings reveal a negative association between level of concern and actual disaster preparedness, while willingness to share is most strongly influenced by trust. Additional observed relationships between trust, place attachment, and community social network size suggest a need for further research in this area. Better understanding willingness to share and available resources at the community level can help to inform both grassroots efforts and more formal disaster preparedness organizations regarding targeted interventions for improving disaster preparedness.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sun, 21 Feb 2021 15:06:56 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1774901</guid>
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      <title>Life Cycle, Sustainability, and Economic Analysis of Cellulosic Ethanol from Grass Straw in Pacific Northwest US</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1368005</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The deliverables from the project will be: (1) An engineering process and economic model for ethanol from grass straw that includes the effect of process scale up on natural resource consumption. (2) Life cycle assessment (LCA) and exergy analysis for the grass straw production in Pacific Northwest, specifically Willamette Valley. (3) Effect of endophytes in grass straw on ethanol yields from (4) Four peer reviewed publications (Process modeling, LCA, Exergy analysis and effect of endophyte on ethanol yields) are expected from this research. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 04 Sep 2015 09:30:59 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1368005</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Regional Economic Analysis of Feedstock Production and Procession in Pacific NW -- Expected Economic Impact</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1363850</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project will use feedstock production data to develop a regional economic analysis focused on the biofuel industry. The project team's regional (computable general equilibrium (CGE)) models will inform policy recommendations regarding the most efficient use of our resources given current technology and prices. For example, in the case of biodiesel, price information that will determine its economic viability in a given region includes: the price of oilseed produced in the region, the imported oilseed price, the imported price of other alternative feedstocks for biodiesel like palm oil, the regional price of biodiesel, the regional price of ordinary diesel, and the net return of other crops in the region with which oilseeds must compete.  The project team will simulate the supply response of a given biofuel (in this case biodiesel) to different combinations of the above-noted prices.  General equilibrium models are very well suited for this kind of simulation analysis; only by conducting this kind of simulation can the economic viability of a particular biofuel be determined under a broad range of economic conditions. The project team will also examine the issue of possible subsidies to farmers and biofuel producers that may be necessary to make in-state biofuel production competitive with other alternatives. The economic benefits to each state generated by multiplier effects from the biofuel program, and the economic implications of those changes for household welfare, will also be measured. CGE analysis is particularly adept at measuring the productivity changes in feedstock production and biofuel refining that are likely to be necessary in order to make biofuels competitive with fossil fuels.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 04 Aug 2015 01:01:17 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1363850</guid>
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