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    <title>Research in Progress (RIP)</title>
    <link>https://rip.trb.org/</link>
    <atom:link href="https://rip.trb.org/Record/RSS?s=PHNlYXJjaD48cGFyYW1zPjxwYXJhbSBuYW1lPSJkYXRlaW4iIHZhbHVlPSJhbGwiIC8+PHBhcmFtIG5hbWU9InN1YmplY3Rsb2dpYyIgdmFsdWU9Im9yIiAvPjxwYXJhbSBuYW1lPSJ0ZXJtc2xvZ2ljIiB2YWx1ZT0ib3IiIC8+PHBhcmFtIG5hbWU9ImxvY2F0aW9uIiB2YWx1ZT0iMTYiIC8+PC9wYXJhbXM+PGZpbHRlcnM+PGZpbHRlciBmaWVsZD0iaW5kZXh0ZXJtcyIgdmFsdWU9IiZxdW90O1ByZXN0cmVzc2VkIGNvbmNyZXRlJnF1b3Q7IiBvcmlnaW5hbF92YWx1ZT0iJnF1b3Q7UHJlc3RyZXNzZWQgY29uY3JldGUmcXVvdDsiIC8+PC9maWx0ZXJzPjxyYW5nZXMgLz48c29ydHM+PHNvcnQgZmllbGQ9InB1Ymxpc2hlZCIgb3JkZXI9ImRlc2MiIC8+PC9zb3J0cz48cGVyc2lzdHM+PHBlcnNpc3QgbmFtZT0icmFuZ2V0eXBlIiB2YWx1ZT0icHVibGlzaGVkZGF0ZSIgLz48L3BlcnNpc3RzPjwvc2VhcmNoPg==" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
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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>
    <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>Residual System-Level Performance of Prestressed Girder Bridges with Cast-in-Place Decks after OHTI Repairs: Phase 1</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2780483</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project will evaluate the performance of prestressed girder bridges with cast in place decks after over height vehicle impacts and repairs. The study will examine girder damage, repair methods, load distribution, diaphragm performance, and preloading to better understand how these factors affect long term bridge performance. The project will include a literature review, analytical modeling, and experimental testing. The results will be used to develop practical guidance for bridge inspections, load ratings, repair decisions, and future bridge design.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 21 Sep 2026 15:14:15 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2780483</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Improved Prediction of Long-Term Camber for Prestressed Bridge Girders Build in Arizona</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2780406</link>
      <description><![CDATA[To be determined.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 18 Sep 2026 17:02:28 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2780406</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Use of Nanomaterials to Enhance HPC and UHPC for Ready-Mix and Precast/Prestressed Infrastructure Applications</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2752277</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The aim of this project is to develop and scale up engineered high performance concrete (HPC) and ultra high performance concrete (UHPC) with enhanced mechanical properties and adaptive rheology for ready-mix and precast/prestressed concrete infrastructure. The joint research framework between the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) and Missouri University of Science and Technology (S&T) focuses on enhancing the bulk properties of engineered concrete by fine-tuning nano- and micro- scale properties of the cementitious matrix using multi-dimensional carbon- and cellulose-based nanomaterials UTA’s research team will lead the development of strain-resilient HPC and UHPC with enhanced structural build-up, increased modulus and first-crack strength, and improved strain-hardening response. This will be achieved by redefining the structure–property relationships of the cementitious matrix using cement-compatible, liquid-based graphitic enhancers formulated with highly dispersed carbon nanotubes (CNTs), cellulose nanofibers (CNFs), and exfoliated few-layer Graphene Nanoplatelets (GNPs). Complementary research at S&T will advance HPC and UHPC properties through cellulose nanofibril and nanocrystal systems aimed at improving mixture rheology, viscoelastic behavior, and early-age mechanical performance. Together, the project will establish property benchmarks for engineered HPC and UHPC that exceed performance targets by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA), and the American Concrete Institute (ACI), creating a scalable pathway for high-performance concrete in ready-mix and precast/prestressed applications.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 13 Aug 2026 15:32:18 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2752277</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Over-height truck impact with prestressed bridge girders  </title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2752285</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The devastating collapse of the Dali Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, due to a vessel collision, serves as a sobering reminder of the vulnerabilities in the nation’s infrastructure. The total structural failure led to the loss of six lives, while the $1.9 billion replacement cost underscores the urgent need for improved bridge resilience against extreme impact loads. Bridge collisions are a persistent and widespread hazard, ranking as the second leading cause of bridge failures nationwide. Between 2013 and 2018, an estimated 3,000 vehicle collisions with bridges occurred annually across the United States, with over-height vehicle impacts being among the most frequent and destructive. Prestressed concrete bridge girders, the backbone of many highway overpasses, are particularly vulnerable to such impacts, often resulting in costly repairs, reduced load capacity, or complete structural failure. This project aims to enhance the resilience of prestressed bridge girders against over-height truck impacts by investigating innovative repair and protection strategies. Through a combination of analytical modeling and experimental testing, this research will provide critical insights into the dynamic response of impacted girders and develop effective, practical repair solutions to extend bridge service life and improve safety.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 13 Aug 2026 15:31:40 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2752285</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Assessing Residual Strength of Post-Tensioned Elements with Corrosion-Induced Tendon Failure</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2652073</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The research team will assess the residual strength of post-tensioned (PT) bridge elements with corrosion-induced tendon failures to support the Texas Department of Transportation's (TxDOT) maintenance and evaluation efforts. The research team will develop recommendations for assessing structural capacity and identifying effective maintenance strategies. Experimental testing will be conducted in two phases to evaluate corrosion-induced bond degradation and tendon corrosion effects near the anchor points. These tests will evaluate bond degradation, stress redistribution, and failure mechanisms for strand configurations that are either centrally aligned or offset to one side of the tendon. The research team will also perform an analytical study using finite element modelling to simulate corrosion scenarios and validate structural performance. The research team will develop practical guidelines for Receiving Agency engineers, including assessment methodologies and maintenance recommendations.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 09 Jan 2026 16:32:17 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2652073</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Retrofitting TxDOT Prestressed Box Beams with Composite Cast In Place Concrete Deck</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2593186</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The research team will develop and evaluate retrofit strategies for existing Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) prestressed box beam bridges by integrating a composite, cast-in-place concrete deck. Numerous such bridges, constructed without a concrete deck, exhibit longitudinal cracking, leakage, and maintenance challenges. Retrofitting with a composite deck will address these issues while improving structural performance, facilitating bridge widening, and increasing service life. The research team will include a literature review, cost comparisons, and preliminary analytical modeling to assess retrofit feasibility. Experimental testing will be conducted to evaluate retrofit techniques including doweled stirrups, surface roughening with a saturated surface dry (SSD) substrate, and other appropriate retrofit designs that improve shear key-deck/overlay composite action. Full-scale testing and numerical analyses will validate the structural behavior of the retrofitted system. The research team will provide TxDOT with detailed design recommendations, including analysis methods and design details for implementation. The expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) for this project is 8.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 26 Aug 2025 12:32:40 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2593186</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Service III Limit State for Tension in Prestressed Concrete Bridge
</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2558377</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Concrete tension stress at the Service III limit state is the governing condition for the design of most prestressed concrete bridge superstructure members. The Service III limit state was first introduced in the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) LRFD Bridge Design Specifications (BDS), 1st edition (1994), as an ad hoc adjustment to align design outcomes with those from past practices of the AASHTO Standard Specifications for Highway Bridges. While primarily a design concern, the Service III limit state is relevant for the inventory load rating in the AASHTO Manual for Bridge Evaluation (MBE).

The Service III limit state was not calibrated with consideration for structural reliability. Subsequent research efforts to calibrate the service limit states revised the Service III live load factors by creating a two-tiered approach that is often misinterpreted. This two-tiered approach is based on the chosen prestress loss method and cross-sectional properties; however, new data and methods are available for estimating the prestress losses. Research is needed to develop clear and accurate design requirements for prestressed concrete bridge superstructure members based on a properly calibrated Service III limit state for tension. 

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this research is to evaluate the requirements for Service III limit state regarding design and load rating for tension in prestressed concrete bridge superstructure members to ensure consistency and reliability, while maintaining operational flexibility. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 29 May 2025 12:43:38 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2558377</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Beam End Repair for Prestressed Concrete Beams – Phase II</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2509056</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The ultimate goal of the proposed research project is to provide cost-effective/high-performance cementitious materials to repair the deteriorated ends of precast prestressed concrete beams (PPCB). Based on the outcome of the small- and large-scale investigations performed as part of the Phase I of this project, ultra-high performance and high-early strength concrete mixtures were developed and tested to repair the beam ends in the laboratory setting. In the proposed Phase II of this project, the developed patching materials will be applied to a bridge structure identified by the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT)’s Bridges and Structures Bureau. This candidate bridge, which is located in Fort Dodge, has a large number of beams in many differing states of deterioration. Thus, it would be an appropriate bridge to apply and evaluate the performance of the identified patching materials in a real field setting. The scope of work for the proposed project involves both short- and long-term investigations. The short-term investigations will primarily cover the practical aspects and considerations that must be figured out to successfully apply the patches in the field. On the other hand, the long-term investigations will closely monitor the integrity and overall condition state of the repaired beam ends over time. For this purpose, a dense array of instrumentation will be utilized, while regular inspections will be conducted in parallel. The outcome is expected to identify the patching materials, procedures, and practices that have the highest promise of success to address the long-standing issue of deterioration of beam ends.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 12 Feb 2025 18:12:27 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2509056</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Camber Control in Precast/Prestressed Concrete NU Girders</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2507242</link>
      <description><![CDATA[It has been known that precast prestressed girder camber at prestress release and at time of erection can vary significantly even in cases where two identically prestressed girders are stored in the same manner and erected at the same time. The variations become more significant as high strength concrete, high span-to-depth ratio, and heavily prestressed girders are used, which create challenges for owners, contractors, and producers. 
Camber variability, prediction, and control are widely discussed issues during design, production and construction. Camber at prestress release is not complicated to predict as it is not impacted by creep, shrinkage, girder support condition, or the environment. However, it is highly influenced by the modulus of elasticity (MOE) and elastic shortening losses at prestress release. Therefore, accurate prediction of those parameters would allow for accurate prediction of camber at release. Cambers at shipping, erection, and time of deck placement for girders made composite with cast-in-place decks, are highly influenced by girder age, prestress losses, creep behavior, and girder support conditions. Long-term camber/deflection is commonly predicted using constant PCI multipliers. These multipliers were originally developed in 1977 for building Double Tees (DT) with 2 in. composite topping are not suitable for use in bridge applications.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 10 Feb 2025 11:24:19 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2507242</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Physics-Informed Viscoelastic/Viscoplastic Model of Prestressed Concrete Creep</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2491007</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Understanding creep in precast concrete (PC) remains one of the preeminent challenges affecting the industry today. The creep mechanisms of concrete are highly complex, including a combination of drying creep and basic creep due to inherent viscoelastic and viscoplastic material behavior of Portland cement and other cementitious materials, and is affected by the composition of the concrete, amount of shrinkage, temperature and other environmental conditions, reinforcement, and cure time. Further complicating this issue is PC’s differential behavior in flexure, shear, pure tension, and compression. While existing theory of viscoelasticity can provide insights into the creep phenomenon, it cannot fully predict observed creep mechanistically. The focus of this project is to develop a physics-informed data driven model for creep of PC using theory of viscoelastic materials as a constraint. The research will leverage the latest methods in machine learning to predict PC creep, while making sure models are compatible with mechanics.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 22 Jan 2025 11:48:58 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2491007</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Advancing Durability in Transportation Infrastructure through Practical Implementation of Thermal Prestressing</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2491019</link>
      <description><![CDATA[During this industry partnership project, Transportation Infrastructure Precast Innovation Center (TRANS-IPIC) researchers will collaborate with industry experts to investigate the implementation of a new technology for prestressing concrete elements used in transportation infrastructure through the heating of shape memory alloy (SMA) bars. The research team will explore the idea of prestressing transportation precast components such as columns, beams, railroad ties, bridge decks, pavement, etc. to eliminate cracking and improve their durability and resilience. This concept has been tested on a small laboratory scale. It is yet to be tested and implemented practically on a large scale. The team will investigate the application of electrical resistivity to induce internal self-stressing in critical infrastructure components. The team will also explore the possibility of inductively heating prestressing SMA bars with no physical contact. To do so, the team will undertake the design, testing, and evaluation of an inductive heating system that can selectively heat the metal in a reinforced concrete structure without excessively heating the concrete (keeping in mind maintaining the hydration level in the concrete). To enable quick and effective activation, the team envisions the potential design, which involves using portable induction machines capable of moving exteriorly along the beam to induce heat in the SMA.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 22 Jan 2025 11:45:28 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2491019</guid>
    </item>
    <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>Evaluate the Effectiveness of Dowels for Lateral Restraint of Prestressed Concrete Beams</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2437677</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has utilized dowels in bents to provide lateral restraint of prestressed concrete beams.  These dowels are often misplaced, which creates various construction issues, while their presence complicates bearing pad replacement. The research team will provide research findings to the TxDOT to make informed decisions on stopping the use of such dowels, the researchers will perform a thorough literature review to: (i) summarize the state-of-art, state-of–the-practice and key findings, and (ii) address questions relating to unintended consequences from removal of these dowels during erection of the girders, construction of the deck, and long-term performance and stability. The researchers will perform an investigation on the state-of-the-practice of all state Department of Transportations (DOTs) throughout the country, focusing on practices from DOTs with similar hazard exposure. The researchers will perform a parametric finite element (FE) study on multiple the TxDOT bridge (and girder) designs to investigate the performance under all major load combinations and limit states (from service to ultimate conditions) over the lifetime of the bridge accounting for Texas-related exposure conditions. The researchers will perform six (6) large-scale tests on girder-to-bent/abutment connections to quantify the contribution of dowels in the performance of the connections.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 03 Oct 2024 09:35:30 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2437677</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>RES2025-02: Use of Confinement Reinforcement in Prestressed Concrete Beams to Improve Resistance to Impacts from Over Height Loads</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2437327</link>
      <description><![CDATA[To avoid a potential misunderstanding with reading this proposal, the principal investigator (PI) first introduces two different “shear failure cases”: (1) the traditional “gravity-load” (perpendicular to the bottom flange of the prestressed concrete (PC) beam) shear failure caused by factored gravity loads; and (2) the newly introduced “impact-load” (parallel to the bottom flange of the PC beam)
shear failure caused by the horizontal impact force from the overheight vehicle to the bottom flange of the PC beam. Every year, 
Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) has PC beams that are struck by overheight loads and are either damaged or destroyed. Collisions between over-height vehicles and bridges are becoming more commonplace.
According to a recent NCHRP study [1], impact damage is usually readily apparent and varies from scrapes to structural collapse. The impact causes a torsion-induced shear cracking pattern in the exterior (or fascia) PC beam. In cases where the impact is more direct, this pattern becomes more of a shear push-out (impact-load shear failure)
as shown in Figure 1 [1]. Considering the observed shear cracking pattern, it is hypothesized that shear reinforcement in the direction parallel to the bottom flange of the PC beam should provide significant benefit to the beams when struck by overheight loads.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 30 Sep 2024 15:39:09 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2437327</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Prestress Losses In UHPC And Hybrid Precast, Prestressed Bridge Girders </title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2404262</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Precast, prestressed concrete bridge girders are used extensively in conventional and accelerated bridge construction. As longer span girders are desired to reduce the number of supports and improve speed of construction the impacts of high prestressing force on the end regions of the beams become more significant. End region behavior of prestressed concrete girders has been a significant concern warranting numerous studies over the years focused on stress limits, prestress transfer length, cracking caused by the prestress, and shear capacity. Ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) is a relatively recent advancement in cementitious composite materials with mechanical and durability properties far exceeding those of conventional concrete. These improved mechanical properties have the potential to mitigate the impacts of high stresses in prestressed girder end regions and to provide greater overall girder capacity. In addition, UHPC has the potential to increase the overall durability of these prestressed girders if used in areas of high exposure. However, little research has been conducted on the behavior of hybrid girders using UHPC in the end region or as a stay-in-place formwork shell. The proposed project will leverage results obtained through Oklahoma DOT support on long term behavior of full UHPC prestressed girders to design and evaluate time dependent behavior and strength of hybrid conventional self-consolidating concrete and UHPC girders. A total of 10 prestressed girders will be cast, instrumented, and tested and the results used to develop predictions for prestress loss behavior and recommendations for girder detailing. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sun, 21 Jul 2024 14:56:45 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2404262</guid>
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