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    <copyright>Copyright © 2026. National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.</copyright>
    <docs>http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss</docs>
    <managingEditor>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</managingEditor>
    <webMaster>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</webMaster>
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      <title>Research in Progress (RIP)</title>
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      <title>Feasibility of LED Solar Street Lighting</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2486973</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Street lighting provides documented safety benefits. Because of this, many segments and intersections of Minnesota’s roadway network have some form of lighting device. Traditionally, these devices have power supplied directly through wires; however, in rural areas it is often cost prohibitive to run dedicated power to remote intersections. Recently, this wiring has become the target for theft and vandalism, causing significant damage and cost for transportation agencies. This study will attempt to address these concerns (remote areas and theft) by assessing the feasibility of solar powered illumination devices in a variety of contexts around Minnesota.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 18 Jul 2025 09:25:19 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2486973</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Retrofit, Self-Contained, and Smart Solar Ice Control System for Resilient Infrastructure</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2262934</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The proposed project herein will implement a micro-radiant heating system (MRHS) as a retrofit layer on the surface of existing concrete pavement. The technology will utilize a combination solar photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) system and novel thermally active materials to keep surfaces free of snow and ice. The self-contained system will effectively provide heating, improve safety, reduce winter maintenance, while reducing carbon emissions to the environment compared to existing technologies, and eliminating the usage of deicing salt for the control of ice/snow during cold seasons. To enhance the performance, the system will incorporate low operating temperature phase change material (PCMs) based heat transfer fluid (HTF) and surface composition to circulate/store the energy in the system. The latent heat release from the PCMs provide backup source of energy during days when little-to-no-sun is available. As an additional benefit, the system will reduce the number of freeze-thaw cycles experienced by the pavement, improving long-term durability.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 06 Oct 2023 18:21:16 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2262934</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Evaluation of Renewable Sources to Power MDT- Owned Buildings and Facilities</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2016355</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Montana is a large state with large potential for the development of renewable energy. MDT has an obligation to the taxpayers to make responsible choices in the investment of resources. Implementing renewable projects can reduce agency operational costs, and those cost reductions can be allocated to other essential agency activities. There are tangible economic benefits associated with renewable resources. Photovoltaic (PV) solar panels are an efficient source of energy. The PV systems contain no moving parts, are silent, very durable and reliable, and are low maintenance. Wind turbines are increasingly common. Heat pumps are becoming more efficient in cold temperature environments. 

The proposed study includes the following: (1) Evaluate the cost effectiveness for MDT to invest in renewable energy sources to offset MDT energy use and to increase efficiency. (2) Evaluate MDT identified facilities, buildings and rest areas with highest renewable energy generation potential. (3) Determine electrical and heating loads from historical data sets. (4) Determine the renewable source that has the highest likelihood for success at the buildings, but also rank all renewable resources considered based on lifecycle and economics. Each financial analysis shall include all potential grants or rebate programs. (5) If the evaluation determines a technology that is not PV related is the most economically efficient system, propose a design for a MDT specified office/maintenance building and rest area in collaboration with MDT.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 02 Sep 2022 13:14:42 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2016355</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Field Test &amp; Evaluation of A Solar Snow Fence</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1895687</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Blowing and drifting snow onto roadways poses a safety concern to motorists, with state highway agencies bearing the responsibility to keep roadways clear and passable.  When compared to the more costly option of plowing and mechanically removing snow, state highway agencies use snow fences as a cost-effective alternative to control blowing and drifting snow.  With an estimated installed price of $25 - $60 per linear foot, and annual operating expenses of $0.20 - $1.20 per linear foot, snow fencing provides only seasonal-use.  By fully integrating photovoltaics into the design, snow fences can continue to perform their originally intended purpose while simultaneously providing the benefit of harnessing power from the sun.  Transforming snow fences into dual-use structures creates year-round value and revenue-generating potential for state highway agencies. The goal of this project was to construct, test, and evaluate the functionality, effectiveness, and reliability of a prototype solar snow fence in real-world conditions.  This included validating the solar snow fence's dual-use functionality to generate electricity year-round in addition to protecting roadways from blowing and drifting snow.  During a 12-month test and evaluation period, real-world data confirmed the dual-use functionality of the solar snow fence to generate power and store blowing snow.  The solar snow fence can provide state highway agencies with another tool to manage winter road maintenance efforts, expand energy management strategies, and achieve sustainability goals.
 
The Final Report is available.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 08 Dec 2021 09:35:23 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1895687</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Development of Low-Cost Weigh‑In‑Motion (WIM) and Response Spectra Techniques
Phase I of “Development of a Cost-Effective Sensing System for Integrated Traffic
and Pavement Response Monitoring in Support of Pavement Management"
</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1593607</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The research team proposes to develop a long‑life weigh-in-motion (WIM) system with much lower costs using the piezoelectric sensors developed in a former EAR (Exploratory Advanced
Research) project, as explained in the previous section. The team will name this system as P-WIM. The P-WIM will essentially consist of several piezoelectric disks sealed in a protective package made from engineering plastics. A wireless transmission module will be included in the package of the P-WIM to enable wireless data transmission. The P-WIM will be powered by solar panels and supplemented by the energy harvested from pavement deformations and vibrations. If the system is successfully developed, in the planned Phase II, the load response spectrums will be developed for evaluating the pavement responses. This additional capability will be integrated into a comprehensive system to supply asset management systems with unique traffic and pavement response data for better decision-making.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 19 Mar 2019 14:20:25 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1593607</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Energy Harvesting and Advanced Technologies for Enhanced Life (1.11)</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1591028</link>
      <description><![CDATA[A solar energy harvesting system was examined to heat water using a proto-type asphalt pavement in the lab, but it was not efficient.  Thus, a second approach was continued to create an efficient asphalt pavement solar collector using thermoelectric generators (TEGs). Thorough testing was needed to evaluate the implementation of the energy harvesting device into the roadway. The temperature difference between opposing TEG surfaces will generate the required voltage to operate the roadway sensors.  Now that the solar harvester has been installed into the shoulder of a roadway, the ability of heat transfer to generate electrical energy needs to be tested in this real-world application. To bring heat to the TEGs from the asphalt surface layer, the harvester included an insulated copper plate that reached 25mm (1 in.) below the top layer. This allows temperature difference readings as well as maximum power output voltage. This copper plate will be heated from the sun heating the asphalt surface layer and transfer the energy into the harvester system.  Calculations show that this heat transfer is reasonable if heat flow along the plate into deeper asphalt layers can be neglected. 
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 08 Mar 2019 12:41:47 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1591028</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Automated Data Collection for Origin/Destination Studies of Freight Movement</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1474440</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The collection of reliable Origin/Destination (O/D) data for freight has profound consequences for a large range of applications in both planning and operations. Indeed, in both research and practice, a large number of applications rely heavily on such data. This project has four major objectives:  Assess gantry-mounted cameras and OCR technology for collecting large sets of O/D Data. Develop a database-based system for O/D data archival and analysis. Design and deploy a hardware system for rapid installation in a large number of installation scenarios on highway gantries. Design and deploy a solar-based system for power.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 14 Jul 2017 12:30:25 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1474440</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Solar Lighting Evaluation for Highway Applications</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1441868</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This study is aimed at evaluating use of solar lighting trailers as a method of temporary lighting for highway work zones.  The scope of work involves evaluation of lighting illumination, its comparison with lighting standards, and a cost benefit analysis of the use of such alternative lighting technology.  It will involve technical evaluation, computer simulation, and laboratory as well as field testing.  The proposed effort would expand on the previous work of the Advanced Highway Maintenance and Construction Technology (AHMCT) research center evaluating the effectiveness of using hydrogen based fuel cell type lighting systems in highway work zones.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 04 Jan 2017 10:55:05 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1441868</guid>
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