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    <title>Research in Progress (RIP)</title>
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    <copyright>Copyright © 2026. National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.</copyright>
    <docs>http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss</docs>
    <managingEditor>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</managingEditor>
    <webMaster>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</webMaster>
    <image>
      <title>Research in Progress (RIP)</title>
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      <link>https://rip.trb.org/</link>
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    <item>
      <title>Nanoscale Wear Mechanics-driven Durable Tire Design</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2696033</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The overall goal of this project is to establish a nanoscale, mechanics-based understanding of wear and fatigue processes that govern tire durability and service life, and to translate this understanding into design-relevant guidance for durable tire compound development. Tire durability and service life are governed by nanoscale mechanical damage processes that occur within tread compounds during repeated tire–road contact. These processes include crack initiation, viscoelastic fatigue, filler–polymer debonding, and localized energy dissipation. Conventional durability evaluations rely on bulk abrasion testing and full-scale wear trials, which provide performance rankings but do not resolve the mechanistic origins of material degradation. This project develops a mechanics-based approach to durable tire design by using atomic force microscopy (AFM) as a controlled nanoscale tribological tool to directly generate and measure wear under well-defined loading, shear, and temperature conditions. AFM enables direct observation and quantification of damage initiation at the scale where wear originates, allowing durability to be addressed at its physical root rather than through empirical correlation.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 25 Apr 2026 12:25:11 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2696033</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Effect of Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCMs) and waste products on Critical Chloride Threshold, CT, of Concrete</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2694441</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Chloride-induced corrosion of reinforcing steel is one of the most significant durability challenges facing concrete infrastructure, especially for bridges, pavements, and marine or deicing-salt exposed structures. A critical parameter controlling corrosion initiation is the critical chloride threshold (CT), yet existing test methods produce inconsistent values and do not fully reflect the behavior of modern concrete mixtures containing supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) or waste-derived additives. As transportation agencies adopt newer binder systems such as Type IL cement and increase the use of SCMs, the need for reliable, practical, and reproducible CT measurement techniques has become increasingly important for service-life design.
This project addresses these needs by evaluating how Class C fly ash, Class F fly ash, and metakaolin, each applied at two replacement levels with Type IL cement, affect the CT of reinforced concrete. The study employs the newly developed OCcrit test method, which measures CT directly on mortar specimens under controlled electrochemical conditions. OCcrit offers improved reproducibility and more realistic assessment of steel–concrete interactions compared to traditional embedded-bar or potentiometric techniques, making it a promising method for future durability evaluations.
In parallel, the project will investigate a second approach to CT measurement using cyclic polarization. While this method has previously been applied only to steel samples immersed in simulated concrete pore solutions, results have not aligned with OCcrit values which is believed to be due to the absence of true concrete environments. Leveraging a high capacity potentiostat, this research will apply cyclic polarization directly to mortar samples for the first time, enabling a meaningful comparison with OCcrit and helping determine whether the method can be adapted into a practical tool for corrosion threshold assessment.
Finally, the project will examine the role of waste-derived materials by assessing the influence of acid- and base-pretreated ground tire rubber (GTR) on CT. Previous studies showed that untreated GTR can affect corrosion initiation, but the mechanisms remain unclear. By evaluating chemically surface modified GTR using the OCcrit method, the project will clarify how surface treatments alter particle–matrix interactions, pore solution characteristics, and overall corrosion behavior. The combined findings will provide transportation agencies with more accurate data and improved testing methods for designing durable, long-lasting concrete infrastructure exposed to chloride environments.
The proposed research directly aligns with CHDT’s core mission to enhance the durability and service life of transportation infrastructure through innovative materials and techniques. CHDT emphasizes the development of sustainable, performance-driven construction materials, particularly the reuse of recycled and waste materials such as rubber and industrial by-products, to improve structural longevity and reduce maintenance costs. By evaluating how SCMs and treated GTR influence corrosion resistance and by advancing CT testing methods, this project extends CHDT’s ongoing portfolio of work on freeze-thaw durability, corrosion mitigation, and the beneficial use of waste materials in concrete pavements.

]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 21 Apr 2026 13:35:39 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2694441</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Microplastic Air Pollution from the Wear of Vehicle Tires</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2582930</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Tire wear particles from mobile sources are the dominating source of microplastic pollution globally. Tires typically consist of rubbers/elastomers, polymers, fillers, processing oils and resins, additives, reinforcements, and vulcanization agents. This study aims to investigate the abundance and examine the occurrence and composition of traffic-derived microplastics from in-use vehicles when operating on different routes. To the best of the research team's knowledge, the present study is one of the first attempts to characterize and quantify microplastic pollution from tire wear during in-use conditions. This study will employ state-of-the-art and novel sampling systems, which will be installed on vehicles operating on routes with different pavement materials (concrete vs. asphalt) and a mix of driving conditions (urban vs. highway driving, aggressive driving and elevation changes). The goal of this study is to investigate tire-wear microplastic particles and better understand how these pollutants affect communities near major highways.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 05 Aug 2025 15:42:13 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2582930</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Design Guidance and Best Practices for the Use of Light Fill</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2487315</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Solid waste products have been successfully used in road construction as light weight fill (LWF), diverting them from ending up in landfills and recycling the waste material for beneficial use. There have been several past and ongoing studies. One specific product, Tire Derived Aggregates (TDAs), has been the target of the study, "Updating MnDOT Guidance for Using Shredded Tires in Roadway Construction." This research will update and expand upon the work conducted in this study. The focus of this project will be to review and synthesize all past and existing research, identify success stories and best practices of using LWF.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 18 Jul 2025 10:36:48 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2487315</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Innovations Deserving Exploratory Analysis--The Transit IDEA Program. IDEA 106. Sustainable Tire Tread Nanotechnology for Battery Electric Buses</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2572330</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Battery Electric Buses (BEBs) place severe mechanical stress on tires. A long-term study of BEB fleets by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has shown a 45% reduction that the average BEB tire life. Excessive tire wear has been reported to contribute over 140% increase in tire costs in BEB maintenance budgets. Further, tire maintenance costs have been estimated to be almost 143% higher than for compressed natural gas (CNG) bus fleets.

This project proposes a new material modification and processing in the manufacture of BEB tires. The method involves preparation of siloxane oligomers, adding a compatibilizer to avoid premature coagulation and phase separation, mixing the compatibilized siloxane oligomer to the natural rubber (NR) latex, followed by controlled shear blending and drying. The process creates a reinforced network of silica and NR within the tire tread and is essentially a drop-in technology to the current tire tread material  manufacturing process. By controlling silica dispersion, the process breaks the tradeoffs between high tire wear and low rolling resistance, allowing for performance gains not attainable with current methods and materials.

The work plan will involve preparing a new tire formulation of NR and compatibilized siloxane  to make prototype tires. The prepared material will be characterized using standard test methods for rubber materials. Prototype tires will be manufactured, and their performance compared with EPA SmartWay low rolling resistance tires and the tires of the collaborating transit partners. A fleet test plan and data collection strategy will be developed in collaboration with the transit partners. A transit impact analysis will also be conducted to evaluate the impact and adoption strategy. The material and tire manufacturing process will be scaled beyond laboratory to the pilot production stage along with the compound manufacturing process. Two transit agencies have agreed to run the tests on their fleets. 

Benefits to the transit agencies of this new BEB tire technology will include lower maintenance costs, increased vehicle range and energy efficiency, increased use of low rolling resistance tires, less frequent tire replacements, and reduced labor for tire maintenance. Taking into account their longer life, these tires are also estimated to reduces the total BEB tire costs by 44%.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 08 Jul 2025 16:59:59 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2572330</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>A High-Performance, Sustainable, Ultra-High-Performance Concrete Material for Highway Bridge Applications</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2498992</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project will develop a cost-effective, sustainable ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) using recycled steel fibers from scrap tires for highway bridge applications. Work in Stage 1 will focus on procuring and characterizing raw materials, followed by UHPC mixture formation and assessments of fresh properties, fiber distribution, and microstructure. An extensive material characterization of all raw materials needed to formulate the UHPC mixture will be performed. A micromechanics guided design approach will be utilized to design reliable and quality UHPC mixtures with 100% recycled steel fiber (RSF). The bond behavior between RSF and a typical UHPC matrix will be characterized and the bonding properties between RSF and UHPC matrix will be utilized to establish a fiber pullout constitutive model for RSF, which will then be integrated into a mesoscale model for fiber reinforced concrete materials to predict the tensile and cracking properties of resulting UHPC mixtures. The fresh properties of various UHPC mixtures, including the rheological characteristics, will also be measured. The fiber distribution and dispersion quality in UHPC will be studied using X-ray computed tomography (CT). The influence of the adhered rubber on the microstructure of UHPC mixtures will be observed via optical microscopy using thin section specimens. In Stage 2, the UHPC mechanical performance will be evaluated. After high-quality UHPC mixtures are formulated, their mechanical properties will be experimentally determined. For life cycle assessment, a hypothetical highway bridge case using the final optimum UHPC material will be created and a life cycle inventory analysis covering all phases of the structure life cycle will be performed. A comprehensive life cycle assessment study will be subsequently carried out to quantify the economic, social, and environmental benefits for the new UHPC structure. Recommendations for future research and implementation will be proposed. The final report will include all relevant data, methods, models, and conclusions along with recommendations, guidelines, and implementation plans.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 28 Jan 2025 13:02:40 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2498992</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Understanding of Tire-Wear Gaseous Emissions and their Impact on Secondary Aerosol Formation from On-Road Vehicles</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2427675</link>
      <description><![CDATA[With the implementation of stringent emission regulations and the growth of electric vehicles, more attention should be shifted to road traffic-derived non-exhaust emissions. This study will investigate two novel topics that have not yet been thoroughly investigated by the scientific community but may potentially have significant air quality and health impacts. The first topic relates to the investigation of gaseous emissions from tire-wear. This phenomenon is characterized under the umbrella of tire off-gassing and can include gaseous compounds that are toxic, mutagenic, and carcinogenic to humans. The second topic relates to the assessment of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation from tire-wear gaseous emissions. An increase in SOA from non-exhaust vehicle emissions (i.e., tires) could lead to air quality degradation and increased health impacts. In this study, the researchers will measure the gaseous emissions from the off-gassing of tires during laboratory and real-world testing conditions. The researchers will also evaluate the SOA forming potential from the off-gassing of tires during only laboratory conditions using state-of-the-art instrumentation. It is expected that the results from this study will contribute to the creation of tire-wear gaseous emission factors and to a better understanding of their impact on SOA formation. The findings from this study will help address the impacts of tire-wear emissions from mobile sources to communities living near roadways. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 12 Sep 2024 15:20:20 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2427675</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>ACRP First Look: Understanding Impacts of Tire Anti-degradants 6PPD and 6PPD-Quinone at Airports



</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2413907</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) has solicited letters of interest from researchers to produce a white paper, known as an ACRP First Look, on tire anti-degradants 6PPD and 6PPS-quinone (6PPD-q) and their potential impacts on airports.
ACRP is a contract research program that develops near-term, practical solutions to problems facing airport-operating agencies. It is sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration and managed by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine through the Transportation Research Board. Program oversight and governance are provided by representatives of airport-operating agencies and others appointed to the ACRP Oversight Committee by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation. 
ACRP recognizes that some topics are so new, or are evolving so quickly, that they may not be suitable for a traditional research effort. In these instances, ACRP uses an abbreviated research process to develop an ACRP First Look (typically 50 pages or fewer). ACRP First Looks provide the airport industry with context on quickly developing topics in a timely manner, typically within 6 months.
Attention has recently focused on 6PPD and its formation product 6PPD-q since it has been linked to the mortality of select fish species in North American streams. 6PPD is an anti-degradant added to tires to prevent them from breaking down and helps them last longer. However, throughout the life of the tire, friction causes tire wear particles to be released into the environment. The 6PPD and 6PPD-q included in these tire wear particles are released to the atmosphere and roadways, where they enter bodies of water through surface runoff. Attention to the occurrence, fate, and transport of 6PPD and 6PPD-q to date has primarily focused on roadway impacts from cars and trucks. However, as these tire anti-degradants also are added to aircraft tires and the tires of ground service equipment operating at airports, they are expected to be present in stormwater runoff from airports. Furthermore, rubber from tires has frequently been identified in foreign object debris collected from impervious surfaces at airports, such as runways, taxiways, and aprons. Yet little focus has been on the prevalence and impacts of 6PPD and 6PPD-q and their sources at airports. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is currently developing a testing method for 6PPD-q, and regulations are anticipated in the near term, which could affect the management of stormwater and other media at airports. However, the scale of the potential impacts, technical challenges, and research needs that airport managers may face in monitoring and responding to 6PPD and 6PPD-q have not been fully explored.
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this research is to prepare an ACRP First Look that provides an overview of anti-tire degradants and their nexus with airports, including issues, potential challenges and opportunities, regulatory and legal context, and future needed research.

]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 05 Aug 2024 20:03:54 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2413907</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Performance-Based Superelevation Design Criteria



</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2381751</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Advances in the automobile industry, along with the introduction of automated and electric vehicles, have changed vehicle dynamics when navigating curves, particularly in superelevation transitions and fully superelevated sections. Side friction factors based on older vehicle models may no longer align with modern vehicles, vehicle dynamics technologies such as electronic stability control, tire technologies, and pavement surface courses.

Given the advancements in the vehicle fleet, alternative design models should be evaluated for their ability to account for factors such as grade and acceleration/deceleration. Research is needed to update superelevation design criteria based on the impact of these advancements to ensure that horizontal curve designs meet or exceed the safety and performance standards required by modern vehicles and roads.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this research is to develop performance-based superelevation design criteria. The criteria shall be based on the interaction between vehicles and horizontal curves, performance measures related to safety and user comfort, and acceptable design and construction tolerances.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 23 May 2024 10:24:25 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2381751</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Using Rubber Powder to Improve Freeze/Thaw Resistance of Concrete</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2362122</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Traditional concrete mixes used in highway construction projects are required to have an air void structure to aide with the continuous freeze/thaw cycles during winter seasons. Current practice is to use an  Air Entrained Admixture (AEA) which at times has its difficulties when it is used in conjunction with some Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCMs). The use of rubber powder in concrete is not a new idea but has not been greatly researched. The objective of this project would be to determine the rubber powder particle sizes and percentages for concrete mixes that could replace using an AEA while not jeopardizing the integrity of the final product.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 04 Apr 2024 10:52:12 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2362122</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Stormwater Management to Address Highway Runoff Toxicity Due to 6PPD-Quinone from Tire Rubber</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2265694</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The current method for extending tire longevity by preventing tire-rubber cracking and degradation includes the addition of the chemical additive 6PPD. With tire wear and atmospheric ozone exposure 6PPD oxidizes to form 6PPD-quinone (6PPD-q). Recent research has demonstrated toxicity of 6PPD-q for at least one Endangered Species Act listed aquatic threatened and endangered species, coho salmon, with potential for toxic impacts to other aquatic species, including rainbow trout/steelhead and brook trout. These findings will likely result in regulatory agencies imposing stormwater treatment requirements for 6PPD-q on highway projects as well as raising questions regarding state DOTs’ use of pavements containing recycled-tire-rubber materials. This research aims to equip state departments of transportation (DOTs) with a targeted approach for effectively managing 6PPD-q in highway runoff by (1) developing methods/criteria for identifying locations that need focused treatment, (2) developing a better understanding of the fate and transport of 6PPD and 6PPD-q, (3) developing cost-effective design guidance for stormwater treatment and management techniques with a focus on reducing the effects of 6PPD-q on receiving waters, and (4) evaluating the degree of 6PPD-q release from pavement products made from recycled tire materials. This research will also assist with providing regulatory agencies with a better understanding of DOT management options including the feasibility, limitations, and effectiveness of treatment methods.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 10 Oct 2023 15:32:54 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2265694</guid>
    </item>
    <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>Low-Cost Sensing System for the Detection and Classification of Wide Base Tire Types and Distribution at the Network Level
</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1992631</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project developed and tested a low-cost novel sensing system to detect and classify wide-base tire (WBT) types and their distributions. It will also demonstrate the system's usefulness in data collection for pavement analysis and design applications. The first phase of the project involved developing and testing prototypes of a novel low-cost sensing system that detects tire widths, wheel wander, and truck/axle configurations at highway speeds using piezoelectric sensors. These sensors generate a voltage proportional to the applied force when a wheel applies pressure. Considering practical field installations, a rubber-based sensor casing was designed. A prototype sensor assembly was prepared using the ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber strips, incorporating piezoelectric sensors between two rubber strips for evaluating their response to varying tire widths and wander. Field tests with vehicles validated the EPDM sensor strip embedded with piezoelectric sensors. Sensor responses were collected for an SUV and a sedan from the EPDM rubber strip housing 16 piezoelectric sensors to compare model results with the experimental data in the field. The analytical model used these field tests' strain and voltage data and successfully identified the vehicle passage, classification, and tire widths. Based on the findings from field tests, a 24-foot-long EPDM rubber strip was prepared with 32 piezoelectric sensors embedded between two rubber strips. This strip was placed across Wilson Road on the Michigan State University (MSU) campus to gather traffic data using the electronic system. The developed model analyzed field traffic data to validate the time response signals and classify vehicles. Also, the sensor system collected data for axle passage time, tire width, and wheel wander over 36 hours, including 139 vehicles. The data analysis and validation results showed consistent measurements with a 1.6% error in vehicle classification. Subsequently, the team developed a 40-foot-long sensor strip that housed 48 piezoelectric sensors positioned along the expected wheel path in the outer lane. The sensor was placed adjacent to a WIM site on US127 in Mason, MI, and in St. Johns, MI, to collect vehicle passage data for vehicle classification (i.e., based on axle count, wheelbase, and wheelbase ranges), along with tire width and wheel wander. The sensor was deployed for 5 and 3 days at Mason and St. Johns locations. The sensor collected over 20,000 vehicles at Mason and identified 19% as WBTs for Class 9 trucks. Over 12,000 vehicle data was collected at the St. Johns location, with about 16% WBTs for Class 9 trucks. Compared to WIM data, the classification exhibited an error rate of less than 2%. Additionally, the team analyzed vehicle loads by matching the timing of vehicle passage over the sensor with WIM data. This provided detailed load spectra for tandem axles with WBT and dual tires.
There are several perceived benefits of the developed system to transportation stakeholders. By collecting data that directly informs pavement design, the system extends infrastructure lifespan and lowers maintenance costs. Its low-cost, scalable design makes it accessible for agencies aiming to enhance road monitoring without the high expense of traditional weigh-in-motion systems, offering a practical, budget-friendly alternative. Moreover, this system supports broader transportation safety and sustainability goals by helping enforce tire width regulations and promoting road safety through accurate tire and vehicle classifications. This product represents a forward-thinking tool for state and national agencies looking to modernize their monitoring practices, enabling cost-effective and reliable road infrastructure management.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 11 Jul 2022 17:41:25 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1992631</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Environmental Friendly Applications of Ground Tire Rubber (GTR) In Producing Concrete</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1948638</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Over 280 million waste tires are generated in the United States on an annual basis. A majority of 3.3 million waste tires generated in Arkansas are either dumped in the landfill or burnt for generating energy; neither of them is a sustainable approach. Handling and disposal of these waste tires is a huge challenge for solid waste management departments of agencies such as the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ). However, these waste tires can be recycled and utilized as new construction materials to produce durable concrete as the rubber possess favorable engineering properties. The main objective of this study is to assess the feasibility of the use of GTR in preparing durable paving concrete. Specifically, the current study has the following objectives: (a) collect appropriate GTR samples for paving concrete, (b) evaluate fresh and engineering properties of GTR-modified concrete, (c) evaluate the long-term durability properties of GTR-modified concrete, (d) determine the optimum dosage of GTR based on fresh, mechanical, and durability properties tests results, and (e) develop guidelines in implementing GTR-modified concrete.
The aforementioned goals of this project will be accomplished through a comprehensive review of available literature and extensive laboratory testing of selected GTR-modified concrete samples. The following two different sizes of GTR will be studied: (i) Mesh #40 as a replacement of sand; and (ii) Mesh #200 as a replacement of the supplemental cementitious material (SCM). Another variation will be a combination of replacements of both sand and SCM with their optimum dosages. To this end, properties (e.g., workability, air content, and Super Air Member No.) of fresh concrete and strength properties (compressive, tensile, flexural, and elastic modulus) of hardened concrete will be evaluated in accordance with the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Standards. Durability properties such as alkali-silica reactivity, drying shrinkage, sulfate resistance, and scaling resistance of hardened concrete will also be evaluated per the ASTM methods. Laboratory findings will be implemented in the field through the construction of a small test section (walking trail or sidewalk), and the in-place quality of in-place concrete will be evaluated. Industry partners will provide necessary technical assistance throughout the project. In particular, their assistance in the field demonstration project will be highly beneficial. The test section will also serve as a good learning experience for student researchers as they will work alongside the professional crews during concrete pouring and finishing work.
The technical merit of this project is that this study will assess the feasibility of GTR as a replacement of sand, fly ash, and/or a combination of replacements of sand and fly ash for paving concrete. Such knowledge and techniques do not exist in the public domain today. The current study aims to reduce this knowledge gap. Findings of the proposed study will be disseminated to professionals and communities through technical papers, presentations, and/or radio podcasts at journals, conferences, symposia, etc.
Experimental data gathered from this study are expected to help agencies, contractors, and suppliers in the region to produce durable concrete with GTR. The guidelines developed from the proposed study are expected to be implemented by the state, industry partners, and ready-mix concrete producers in the region. The proposed study will facilitate in meeting multiple objectives of Tran-SET, and they are: (i) promote sustainability and resiliency of the transportation infrastructure renewal and upgrade; (ii) introduce and implement cost-effective solutions to the transportation infrastructure backlog of projects; (iii) develop cost-effective solutions for the construction and maintenance of the transportation infrastructure in metropolitan and rural areas; and (iv) promote workforce development through learning and continuous education.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 06 May 2022 12:26:44 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1948638</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Optimizing the Sustainability of Asphalt Pavements through Incorporating Crumb Rubber in High-Modulus Asphalt Concrete (HMAC) Mixtures in Louisiana</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1948607</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The proposed research study will build on the results of the authors’ initial study, titled “Viability
Assessment and Cost-Effectiveness of Using High-Modulus Asphalt Concrete (HMAC) as Base
Course in Asphalt Pavements in Louisiana.” In specific, this project aims to optimize the
performance, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability of HMAC mixtures using crumb rubber and
local materials in Louisiana. To achieve this objective, high-modulus asphalt mixtures mimicking
the European approach will be prepared using the Superpave specifications. These mixtures will
include different percentages of crumb rubber, two PG grades, and different binder contents. The
dynamic modulus as well as the performance of these mixtures against rutting and cracking will
be evaluated in the laboratory. In addition, the field performance and cost-effectiveness of these
mixtures will be predicted. The results of this study will provide solutions for fatigue and rutting
failures in asphalt pavements in Region 6 enhancing the durability and service life of the road
infrastructure. Furthermore, it will enhance the sustainability of the road infrastructure through
using crumb rubber from scrap tires.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 06 May 2022 11:52:11 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1948607</guid>
    </item>
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