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    <title>Research in Progress (RIP)</title>
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    <language>en-us</language>
    <copyright>Copyright © 2026. National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.</copyright>
    <docs>http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss</docs>
    <managingEditor>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</managingEditor>
    <webMaster>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</webMaster>
    <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>Developing a Roadmap for Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC)</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2684169</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The objectives of this pooled fund study are to: 1) Facilitate communication and information sharing among member states on the project topic, as well as with participants of the Fourth International Interactive Symposium on Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC). 2) Establish a forum for technology and knowledge exchange to enhance the practical understanding of UHPC implementation among member states. 3) Develop a strategic roadmap for future UHPC use and advancements, including the identification of research needs and the formulation of research ideas to be pursued through NCHRP, Pooled Funds, grants and other funding mechanisms.

The anticipated benefits of this pooled fund are: 1) Minimized disruption to the traveling public by reducing the frequency and duration of bridge deck repairs. 2) Lower maintenance costs resulting from the enhanced durability and performance of UHPC wearing surfaces. 3) Improved worker safety through reduced exposure to on-site repair activities due to less frequent maintenance needs.

The participating state departments of transportation (DOTs) will provide input throughout the project and benefit from shared insights into technologies used to date, as well as lessons learned from past projects across various regions. Additionally, they will gain exposure to the latest advancements to be presented at the Fourth International Interactive Symposium on UHPC, which will cover topics including UHPC material innovations, recent applications, and the long-term performance of UHPC-designed structures. Pooled fund participants will attend the symposium free of charge.


]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 26 Mar 2026 14:07:45 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2684169</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Technical Specification and Publication Web Service </title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2673099</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Starting in 2021, the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) Research Section opted to provide access to an online standards portal for all of MoDOT. After some trial and error, the Research Section has changed vendors and limit-access to standards commonly used by MoDOT’s Bridge Division. Based on feedback from the Bridge Division, the Research Section should be able to tailor the service to meet their needs. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 24 Feb 2026 15:23:24 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2673099</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Integrated Transportation and Health Impact Modeling Tool for U.S. Cities </title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2652180</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The health of the American people is a national priority, and ensuring that transportation policies support strong communities, economic prosperity, and public well-being is a critical challenge that requires holistic solutions. This project will deliver groundbreaking research that directly informs transportation policies to improve traffic safety, air quality, and physical activity among transportation users in major American cities. These policies will help reduce preventable health burdens, cut healthcare costs, and enhance both community well-being and the cost-efficiency of our transportation systems. In the first stage of this project, we will review and update the underlying literature to refine and potentially extend the framework. We will develop updated visualizations to help transportation and public health agencies identify and communicate the various pathways linking transportation and health. By incorporating new evidence and addressing critical gaps, we will ensure the framework remains relevant for shaping future transportation policies at local, state, and national levels. During this stage, we will engage key stakeholders—such as transportation and public health agencies—by presenting our updated model, gathering their feedback, and enhancing our understanding of how transportation choices impact health outcomes. 
In the second stage, we will systematically collect, clean, quality-assess, harmonize, and integrate data from diverse sources to underpin subsequent quantitative modeling. This modeling exercise will examine pathways related to vehicle crashes/traffic safety, transportation-related air pollution, transportation-related physical activity, and any additional pathways deemed feasible for quantitative modeling based on data availability and strength of evidence. The data sources will include census population counts, geographic information system layers, transportation network layers and average vehicle speed data, household travel surveys, physical activity surveys, police crash records for fatal and non-fatal incidents, baseline health outcome rates, and associations between transportation factors and health outcomes as derived from systematic reviews and meta-analyses (i.e., dose- and exposure-response functions). This will allow us to construct a detailed and representative model of American mobility patterns, their health impacts through safety, air quality, and physical activity, and how targeted policies can mitigate risks and enhance benefits holistically across these pathways. We will focus on practical solutions that include policy instruments such as shifting a portion of trips to electric vehicles, electric buses, and electric bikes—while ensuring alignment with existing travel survey data for realism. 
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 13 Jan 2026 15:05:48 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2652180</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Research Strategic Plan</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2640692</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) Research wants to develop a Strategic Research and Process Improvement Plan. The plan will support MoDOT’s mission, values, and tangible results and improve the effectiveness of the program. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 16 Dec 2025 09:23:27 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2640692</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Bridging Research, Innovation, and Practice: Partnership for the Advancement of Pavement Engineering and Asset Management in Virginia
</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2628344</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This proposed new collaboration between the Virginia Transportation Research Council (VTRC) and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) focuses on expanding and complementing the current and effective shorter-term focused applied research joint efforts between the two institutions, by establishing a joint program aimed at exploring ideas that will result in even more effective and efficient solutions in the midterm (3-5 years) but may require more fundamental research and development. The research program includes four tasks, including a first task focused on workforce development and three innovative projects identified in collaboration between the Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute (CRSI and VTRC. Additional topics may be added if new emerging technologies or concepts are identified during the duration of the project: Task 1. Workforce Development and Outreach;
Task 2. Innovative Pavement Instrumentation for Real-Time and Remote Monitoring; Task 3. Use of Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Digital Twin for Pavement Asset Management; Task 4. Physics-Informed Machine Learning (PIML) for Pavement Performance Prediction .
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 22 Nov 2025 09:01:16 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2628344</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Highway Research and Technology -- International Information Sharing</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2617648</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Highway authorities world-wide share many common concerns in the planning, design, construction, operation, and maintenance of highway systems. Most developed nations also support programs of research and development (R&D) on highway issues. The potential for information sharing and technology transfer is great. Coordination of research in the United States has focused primarily on technology transfer and information dissemination among the large and diverse community of state and local highway agencies within this country. There is a need to utilize a systematic exchange mechanism to learn from counterparts abroad, where many new developments have been tested and successfully used for highways. OBJECTIVE: The National Cooperative Research Program (NCHRP) 20-36 Project provides a coordinated approach to international information sharing and technology exchange. The project activities have a much broader scope than the typical NCHRP project in encompassing exchanges on all facets of highway technology, policy and management with our international partners. The project’s overall objective is to improve highway safety, development, maintenance and operations through dissemination of innovative technology and successful practices from around the globe. Such process enhances the roles of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), the Transportation Research Board (TRB) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in providing coordinated leadership for the exchange of international highway research and development, and provides state departments of transportation with information on practices and technologies that could help accrue technical and economic benefits. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 05 Nov 2025 16:52:25 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2617648</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Synthesis of Information Related to Highway Practices</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2617649</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Administrators, practicing engineers, and researchers continually face highway problems on which much information already exists, either in documented form or in terms of undocumented experience and practice. Unfortunately, this information is often fragmented, scattered, and under evaluated. Often it is unknown to the person normally responsible for initiating changes related to the topic (changes in specifications, procedures, etc.). As a consequence, full information on what has been learned about a valuable experience may be overlooked, and due consideration may not be given to recommended practices for solving or alleviating the problem.

OBJECTIVE: In this project, particular highway problems, or sets of closely related problems, are designated as topics for information synthesis. For each topic the project objectives are as follows: (1) locate and assemble documented information; (2) learn what engineering practice has been used for solving or alleviating the problem; (3) identify all ongoing research; (4) learn what problems remain largely unsolved; (5) organize, evaluate, and document the useful information that is acquired; and (6) evaluate the effectiveness of the synthesis after it has been in the hands of its users for a period of time.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 05 Nov 2025 15:56:04 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2617649</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Consortium for Asphalt Pavement Research and Implementation 2 (CAPRI-2)</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2606485</link>
      <description><![CDATA[As owners and operators of the nation’s surface transportation infrastructure, state departments of transportation (DOTs) are striving to design and build longer-lasting and more cost-effective asphalt pavements that meet a higher level of sustainability, safety, and user satisfaction for the public. To achieve this goal, state DOTs continue to seek and adopt innovative technologies and optimized practices for designing, constructing, and preserving asphalt pavements. These innovative technologies and practices are often developed from collaborative research efforts supported by state DOTs, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and industry.

The Consortium for Asphalt Pavement Research and Implementation (CAPRI) is a voluntary consortium of flexible pavement stakeholders open to all state, local, and federal highway agencies, industry associations, individual companies, academic institutions, and research organizations. With the momentum that has been built over the past 4 years with the first CAPRI, stakeholders wish to continue the mission through a second solicitation of CAPRI (e.g., CAPRI-2) study. CAPRI-2 will continue to identify and address national priority research and implementation needs for asphalt pavements that state DOTs face today and will in the future. This second study will also aim to foster the development of practical innovations and practices.

OBJECTIVES: 1) Provide technical guidance on current and evolving specifications for asphalt materials; 2) Develop asphalt pavement research needs; 3) Conduct small-scale studies to address knowledge gaps or explore new topics; and 4) Foster the implementation of practical research findings to help improve the performance, sustainability, value, and safety of asphalt pavements. CAPRI serves as a key resource to the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Committee on Materials and Pavements, state DOTs, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and industry.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 02 Oct 2025 15:47:46 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2606485</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Research Data Management Plan</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2601430</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project will develop a comprehensive Data Management Plan (DMP) to guide how research data is stored, accessed, and shared within Idaho Transportation Department's (ITD’s) Research Program. The plan will improve data organization to ensure long-term accessibility and reuse, reduce duplication of effort, and make research findings more readily available to inform future projects. It will also establish protocols for collaboration with external partners and help ITD prepare for potential future data compliance requirements. Overall, the DMP will promote more consistent, transparent, and impactful management of ITD’s research outputs.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 17 Sep 2025 16:32:09 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2601430</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Construction Materials Research Roadmap and Priorities</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2601426</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project will create a prioritized research roadmap for Construction Materials, developed through facilitated discussions and workshops with Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) Headquarters and District staff. The roadmap will provide a framework for evaluating proposed research topics to ensure they are appropriately funded, scoped, and staffed. It will also guide the ITD Construction Materials team in determining whether specific topics are better advanced internally or through the Transportation Pooled Fund process, aligning research efforts with ITD’s mission and strategic goals.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 17 Sep 2025 16:26:32 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2601426</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Support for AASHTO Committees and Councils. AASHTO COBS Research Roadmap Update</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2590571</link>
      <description><![CDATA[In 2020, the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Committee on Bridges and Structures (COBS) initiated NCHRP Project 20-123(10), “AASHTO Committee on Bridges and Structures Strategic Plan, Operating Guidelines, and Research Roadmap Development.” Based on the findings of NCHRP 20-123(10), AASHTO COBS has updated the strategic plan, charter, and operating guidelines to implement a reorganized committee structure. Further development is needed to fully implement the research recommendations.

Research is needed to help AASHTO COBS focus its efforts in areas of greatest need and to foster, support, monitor, disseminate, and implement research in a manner that benefits state departments of transportation (DOTs).

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this project is to develop an AASHTO COBS research roadmap that identifies, supports, disseminates, and implements research to help state DOTs address pressing needs in bridges and structures and reflect AASHTO COBS priorities and advancements in the industry.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 18 Aug 2025 19:29:36 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2590571</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>District Highway Management Research On-Call (ROC)  FY26-28</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2582820</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) is charged with the management and maintenance of Ohio's vast transportation system.  ODOT strives to execute this charge in the most effective and efficient manner possible.  At times, ODOT encounters situations where low-cost, short-term, focused research tasks are needed to address an urgent issue.  While important and potentially impactful, these research tasks do not warrant the level of a full-scale research project.  Due to the time-sensitive nature of these tasks, it is possible that some of these tasks go unmet because the standard contracting process requires more time than available.  To address this issue, ODOT developed the Research-On-Call (ROC) program.  The ROC is designed to provide direct, quick access to researchers in specific areas of expertise to conduct short-term, focused, urgent research tasks.  This ROC will focus on tasks to support District Offices with system management and maintenance improvements.  
             ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 04 Aug 2025 13:34:53 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2582820</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Maine Interstate Rutting Research</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2554004</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Performance management data indicates that pavement rutting on the Maine interstate system has been worsening in recent years.  The percent of interstate segments and miles classified as “Good” rutting has steadily declined from greater than 40% in 2011 to less than 10% in 2023.  The Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT) Research and Innovation Office evaluated rutting data on I-295 and I-95 from 2015 to 2023 in greater detail.  This evaluation shows that the data suggests initial rutting (the first network data collection after pavement is placed) has increased significantly to nearly 0.2 inches (threshold for “Fair” rutting based on the Highway Performance Monitoring System criteria from FHWA). This evaluation also shows that the average rate of annual rutting across these two major interstate routes has been increasing.  The data suggests that rutting starts from a higher value than it used to and then it increases year-over-year faster than it used to.
During this evaluation timeframe, the interstate paving strategy has changed to rely heavily on a lower cost-per-mile Ultra-Thin Bonded Wearing Course (UTBWC) surface treatment.  The lower cost per mile treatment allows for more miles to be paved per year.  By design, this strategy leads to fewer years between treatments and more miles of paving per year. However, initial results suggest that we are not getting the anticipated treatment life; which forces us to increase the frequency of paving.
The conclusions from this review are alarming if they are taken at face value, however, the accuracy and reliability of the network rutting data has been called into question based on this evaluation and related conversations.  Field work is necessary to test the accuracy of the rutting data and to determine if the high initial rutting is present.  There will also be strategic field pilot sections to determine if UTBWC is rutting differently than other surface pavements in the early months after treatment.
Most of the worst rutting locations on interstate have been long-standing issues for decades.  Field work is required to determine how these locations can be fixed.
This document lists the action items proposed for the proposed interstate rutting effort, as well as the estimated cost and value provided by each item.
The purpose of this project is to ensure MaineDOT uses appropriate strategies to cost effectively and accurately measure and manage the condition of our highest priority roadways.
Several objectives have been identified to deliver the project goals.  Through execution of these objectives, MaineDOT will improve confidence and accuracy of network condition data that is used to make project funding decisions.  MaineDOT staff will also complete detailed analysis of chronic rutting locations to understand why these areas are rutting and to identify treatments that can be used for mitigation. 
The total additional funds needed to execute the action plan over the next three years is $1 million. The actual cost to complete this effort is higher but some costs and staff time will be included in existing projects. The following table lists the objectives proposed and the estimated additional cost required to complete them.
 ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 02 Jul 2025 10:17:24 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2554004</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Reconnecting in Housing Coordination Opportunity</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2521602</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This research effort will create a series of practitioner-oriented tools and materials to help metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) develop housing coordination plans, recently enabled under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). This project also helps MPOs use this new tool to better integrate transportation planning into other federally required planning processes required by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Economic Development Administration (EDA). As a result of this research, MPOs and their partner organizations will be able to utilize housing coordination plans to reconnect housing and jobs within communities, reduce spatial mismatch and segregation, and lower the combined cost of housing and transportation. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 11 Mar 2025 13:37:54 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2521602</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>SPR-4944:  INDOT Research &amp; Development Teamwork and Leadership Development</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2516414</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The leadership group will engage in part of this learning sequence ahead of the Technicians. This is to ensure that the leadership team can work through learning and applying new work management techniques ahead of engaging in these new methods with the Technicians. The learning activities will include the application of the tools and learning in their work outside of the hours included in this estimate. Purdue MEP Consulting hours will be included to ensure that the application of methodologies and tools is well aligned with the desired outcomes.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 27 Feb 2025 11:35:14 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2516414</guid>
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