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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>
      <url>https://rip.trb.org/Images/PageHeader-wTitle-RIP.jpg</url>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/</link>
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    <item>
      <title>Modeling Special Cases of Longitudinal Resistance in Continuously Welded Rail (CWR)</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2573194</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Continuously welded rail (CWR) is the standard for North American freight railroads due to its advantages in ride quality, fatigue life, and reduced maintenance costs, despite concerns about rail buckling and breaks. Longitudinal rail resistance is a critical parameter for re-establishing rail neutral temperature (RNT) after rail breaks and for mitigating potential rail failures caused by vehicle loading, temperature changes, and maintenance activities. This proposed research builds upon a previous year project and continues the effort to refine and enhance the Finite Element (FE) modeling of rail longitudinal resistance. Specifically, it aims to improve the representation of realistic rail and anchor conditions by integrating new experimental data into the FE models. The research will develop efficient 2D and 3D FE models in ABAQUS that incorporate rail-to-tie friction, anchor slip forces, and tie-to-ballast restraint, using both experimental results (e.g., anchor slip behavior under varying load conditions) and historical data (e.g., rail-sleeper friction and sleeper-ballast resistance). The models will accommodate various rail profiles, tie materials, and geometric configurations, and will be applicable to a wide range of track conditions including frozen ballast, frozen structures, turnouts, crossings, and loading scenarios from vehicles and maintenance activities. The proposed project will be executed through four key interconnected areas of research: (1) Effects of sleeper-ballast on models larger than 4-ft in length using FE modeling in ABAQUS, (2) experimental testing in the laboratory for anchor slippage with various anchor types, (3) sensitivity analysis, and (4) model analysis with various track conditions. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 14 Jul 2025 19:49:53 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2573194</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Guide for Roadway Material Designs for Public At-Grade Highway-Railroad Crossings



</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2558368</link>
      <description><![CDATA[There are over 200,000 at-grade highway-railroad crossings in the United States. Railroad companies report that the average life of a crossing is only 7–10 years, depending on rail and road traffic loads. Some only last 3 years. Railroads repair or replace 10,000 to 15,000 railroad crossings each year at $50,000 to $75,000 per crossing. The annual estimated combined cost to the railroads and state departments of transportation (DOTs) can exceed $750 million to $1 billion. This high cost is typically shared by the railroads and the responsible road authority (e.g., the state, county, or local transportation department) and presents a challenge for transportation agencies across the United States. 

One contributing factor in road degradation at railroad crossings is the instability of the foundation of the road as currently designed. Crossing material is supported by ties and ballast. Depending on the road material used, the material is typically fastened to ties via lag screws. The heavy weight of the rail traffic causes vertical movement of the rail and ties due to track modulus of elasticity. Over time with traffic, the ballast will wear, causing the rail to sink. Compounding this constant movement, the lag screws are moving in the ties along with water degradation around the lag screws, causing the lag screws to loosen. All this motion will degrade the road surface. This contributing factor is recognized by the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA) Manual for Railway Engineering, Chapter 5, Section 8.4.1. 

Research is needed to identify alternative road material designs that improve safety, create smoother at-grade railroad crossings, lower maintenance costs, prolong the life of the crossings, and reduce road crossing closure times. 

The objective of this research is to develop a guide that assists state DOTs and rail stakeholders in selecting and implementing roadway material designs for at-grade railroad crossings that improve safety and ride quality, extend service life, reduce maintenance needs, and minimize roadway closure times. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 26 May 2025 22:53:48 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2558368</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Photogrammetry and LiDAR-Based Precast Concrete Railroad Crossties Abrasion Damage Detections</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2314007</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Recent derailment accident that happened in East Palestine, Ohio has drawn huge public attention to railroad system safety. While this accident is under investigation, one of the major contributions to many other derailment accidents is the precast concrete crossties abrasion damage. Concrete crossties can lose concrete sections on portions of the tie bottom and sides during service. Identifying the abrasion damage of precast concrete crossties is critical to extend the railroad service life and prevent the potential derailment. The ultimate goal of this research is to develop mitigation measures to reduce concrete railroad tie section loss at the ballast interface based on expected service life for a given track’s loading and environmental conditions. As a first step to achieve this goal, this project proposes to develop a photogrammetry and LiDAR scanning-based precast concrete crossties abrasion damage detection system. The recent development of photogrammetry and LiDAR technologies provides the possibility of measuring the crossties loss to millimeter level.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sun, 24 Dec 2023 08:30:43 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2314007</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Effect of Adjacent Poor Ties on Wood Crosstie Life</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1762969</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Railroad cross-ties (sleepers) are a key component of the track structure and play an important role in the distribution of train loading through the track. Automated cross-tie inspections, which are becoming increasingly significant in the inspection of the cross-ties, are important in planning and optimizing tie replacement. Furthermore, the data these inspections provide on tie condition enable maintenance engineers to better understand the behavior of the ties and their associated life.  By using inspection data taken from the same track in different years, it is possible to develop improved tie life models that take into account local conditions. Using these different tie conditions, and the corresponding different periods in the lifespan of a tie, this activity will determine average tie life using mathematical modeling techniques, such as piecewise reconstruction. It will also develop a model that shows how the probability  of tie failure grows over time and changes depending on the loss of adjacent support.
The dataset to be used consists of tie inspection data for inspections carried out on the same track during the period 2016 to 2019. Ties are grouped based on their adjacent tie condition. Data analytic tools will be used to predict and model tie life based on support condition, as defined by the condition of adjacent cross-ties. The analysis approaches will be based on the use of tie condition data from two different inspections performed over a span of years.

]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 07 Jan 2021 23:28:49 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1762969</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Energy Harvester Tie for Serving the Needs of the Railroad Industry to Access Electric Power in Remote Locations</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1762963</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The primary objective of this research is to design and develop a practical energy harvester tie (EHT) that can be used for setting up remote electric power stations to satisfy the needs of the railroad industry.  The need for power in remote places often arises from the implementation of sensors or other devices that require DC power.  The lack of the availability of power has been limiting the implementation of smart technologies on railroad tracks that can bring much operational efficiency and cost savings.  This project will design and develop an EHT that can be used for providing power to track mounted systems or through a wireless charging station for devices that are not track mounted.  One such application is drones that are often railroads desire to operate, but their applications are limited with the limited flying range.  The remote station that is possible to set up through the implementation of EHT promises to not only make it possible to install smart systems on the rail but also significantly increase the operational viability of critical technologies such as drones.
This study evaluates a compact electromagnetic energy harvester that can be installed at the railroad tracks.  The design integrates a mechanical motion rectifier (MMR) with an embedded one-way clutch in the bevel gears, to convert the movement that commonly exists at the track due to passing train wheels into a unidirectional rotation of the generator.  The ball screw mechanism is configured such that it has reduced backlash and thus can more efficiently harvest energy from low-amplitude vibrations. 
A porotype energy harvester tie will be designed, fabricated, and tested expensively in the field.  The design will include the integration of a proven energy harvester concept into a composite railroad tie that is suitable as a direct retrofit with a conventional railroad tie.  The integration into a conventional railroad tie provides ease of field installation and improved the efficiency in harvesting the mechanical energy at the rail.  The integrated design, referred to as the “smart tie,” not only protects the energy harvester, the wiring harness, and supporting electronics from the maintenance-of-the-way equipment but also positions the harvester in a mechanically advantageous position that can maximize the track-induced motion, and hence the harvested power.  Although for testing purposes, the smart tie uses a modified composite tie, it can be integrated into other track tie arrangements that used for revenue service track, including concrete and wooden ties.  
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 07 Jan 2021 22:55:40 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1762963</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Non-Propriety Ultra High-Performance Concrete for Ballast-Track High Speed Railroad Sleepers</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1602480</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This study aims to develop optimized non-propriety Ultra High-Performance Concretes (UHPCs) capable of supporting strength, ductility, and durability required for long-lasting high speed railroad sleepers. Furthermore, this study will use Portland cement, supplementary cementitious materials, regular sand, various combinations of silica to conventional natural sand, different fiber contents and types, and larger aggregate size to produce non-propriety UHPCs with production costs comparable to those of currently manufactured prestressed concrete sleepers.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 27 Apr 2019 15:53:03 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1602480</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Prevention of Stress-Induced Failures of Prestressed Concrete Crossties of the Railroad Track Structure (3.5)</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1590592</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The problem the research team is trying to solve is to understand and mitigate premature failures of prestressed concrete crossties (PSCCs), which are an essential structural component of a railroad track structure. The objectives of the project are to identify the main mechanisms of horizontal cracks upon de-tensioning prestressing wires with respect to various geometrical/mechanical parameters and to develop more durable bonding mechanism between concrete and prestressing wires using engineered cementitious materials. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 05 Mar 2019 04:29:46 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1590592</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Plastic Ties Safety Performance Evaluation</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1366937</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Plastic composite ties use has increased significantly in recent years.  A variety of material compositions and designs are available. This project is to continue support of the existing Government/Academia/Industry Partnership, and specifically to: 1) support triennail National Workshops under the auspices of the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA) Subcommittee on Engineered Composite Ties, for information sharing and research prioritization, 2) address safety concerns raised due to unknown failure modes and durability in service through testing at the Transportation Technology Center (TTC) and publication of reports through the National Technical Information Service (NTIS), 3) document performance based on the testing and use by Class 1 railroads, and 4) update of the AREMA Engineering Manuals section on plastic ties based on these results.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 27 Aug 2015 09:09:34 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1366937</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Ultrasonic Tomography for Infrastructure Inspection</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1313119</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The structural integrity of railroad infrastructure is critical in order to address structural repair needs in a timely fashion and ensure rail safety. This includes the regular inspection and maintenance of railroad tunnel linings and timber beams and ties. Since tunnels are naturally in an aggressive environment that is not conducive to lane closures, early detection that leads to preventive maintenance is a necessity. The occurrence of damage and deterioration in railroad timber beams and ties can lead to failure of the components and, in the worst case, derailment of the train. According to the Federal Railroad Administration, wide gages due to defective/missing cross ties accounted for the highest percentage (17.1%) of all railway accidents in the US from 2008-2011 (FRA, 2011). It is therefore crucial to detect damage at an early stage so that, by taking appropriate measures, failure can be prevented. The proposed project will examine the use of Ultrasonic Tomography (UST) to examine the interior of wooden beams and cross ties as well as railroad tunnel linings on-site. The Ultrasonic Tomographer employs a matrix (4x12) of low-frequency, shear transducers that generate shear waves through the depth of a specimen under test. The waves are reflected by internal discontinuities and changes in medium (such as concrete, air, and steel). This behavior is utilized to map voids, delamination, cracks, and other defects, as well as structural depth and reinforcement presence. The waves are sequentially emitted and received by 66 paired transducers per single scan, causing repeated reflections and patterns to stand out for inspection. Through the use of dry-point-contact piezoelectric sensors, the transducers do not require the use of a coupling agent, making it practical for on-site applications. The recorded signals undergo automated signal processing to identify the existence, location, and size of the potential discontinuities. The UST technique can be used to map entire three dimensional (3D) images of concrete sections as well as single-point evaluations.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 19 Jun 2014 01:00:49 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1313119</guid>
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