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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>Evaluation of Traffic Speed Deflectometer for Collecting, Reporting, and Utilizing Network and Project Level Structural Data in Ohio
</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2475943</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Currently, major rehab decisions and pavement management logic rely on the visual pavement condition survey (PCR).  Traffic speed deflectometer (TSD) may have the ability to help further prioritize projects needing structural treatments or validate when they are not needed to help refine scopes in the work plan process. Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) does not currently use structural measurement in pavement management, so this could be an enhancement to that process.    

The goal of this research is to utilize a TSD to collect deflection data on ODOT's network, perform data analysis to determine the applications/limitations of the results, provide data analysis methodology utilizing commercially available software (MS Excel, TSD manufacturer, etc.), and to perform cost benefit analysis on the process.               ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 13 Dec 2024 08:53:09 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2475943</guid>
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      <title>Effective Use of Traffic Speed Deflectometer for Network-based and Project-based Applications</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2414322</link>
      <description><![CDATA[For informed and more cost-effective maintenance and rehabilitation (M&R) needs assessments, the structural and surface conditions should be incorporated into the pavement management decision-making processes. The desire to characterize the network-level structural conditions in recent years has led to research efforts to investigate, validate, and demonstrate the effectiveness of Traffic Speed Deflectometer Devices (TSDDs). Several algorithms exist to provide the network-level and project-level information. However, none of them have considered the uncertainty of the field data in terms of the limitations of the sensors. For example, there is a certain minimum deflection velocity below which the results are unreliable. If the sensor is placed at a distance where the measured deflection velocities are less than that threshold, their magnitude is of little value in the analysis. On the other hand, if the precision of the measurement is extremely high, it would be hard to assign a representative value. Recent studies have shown that these types of uncertainty can be observed in several cases depending on the type and stiffness of the pavement. With the desire to automate the analysis, the reasonableness of the assumptions made in the analysis based on the uncertainties in the measurement should be considered to verify the veracity of the outcome. For example, one should understand when the measurement uncertainties of the deflection velocities with the farther sensors can influence the conversion of deflection velocities to deflections. As such, this study aims to identify and propose robust indices for network and project level applications and best-suited procedures for implementing them based on the type of pavement and the characteristics of the hardware of the device. The goals of this project are to provide guidelines and define processes to maximize the information and minimize the cost of network- and project-level uses of TSDDs. The first outcome is a guideline to help the National Road
Research Alliance (NRRA) partners select the best types of pavements that can be analyzed with confidence given the limitations of TSD. The second outcome of the project is a recommendation of the best data analysis procedures from those that have been proposed by several organizations. These algorithms will be selected in cooperation with TAP as part of Task 2. The outcomes of this study will be of particular value to SHAs to maximize their benefit-cost-ratio of using TSDDs by avoiding data collection on sections that are outside the useful range of operation of TSD (as discussed above) and using the best algorithm to analyze the data collected that balances the uncertainties in the measurements with the rigor of analysis. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 09 Aug 2024 14:23:54 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2414322</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Incorporating Traffic Speed Deflection Devices Measurements into Pavement Management and Design</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2335042</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Traffic speed deflection devices (TSDDs) that measure surface deflection at traffic speeds are used by several highway agencies in the United States and other countries to provide data to help with management of the highway network. For example, these data can be used for assessment of pavement structural condition, selection of pavement treatments, and other purposes. In comparison with traditional pavement deflection measurement (e.g., falling weight deflectometers), TSDDs provide a means for acquiring extensive amounts of data in a short period of time that can be effectively used in pavement management and design.

Recognizing that no widely accepted practices for incorporating the measurements obtained by TSDDs into pavement management and design are currently available, research is needed to identify the deflection-based measurements that are required for pavement structural assessment and other applications and develop a guide that presents procedures for incorporating these measurements into pavement management and design practices.

The objective of this research is to develop a guide for incorporating TSDDs measurements into pavement management and design. The procedure contained in the guide shall be consistent with current practices for management and design of asphalt, concrete, and composite pavements.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 05 Feb 2024 16:20:52 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2335042</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Demonstration of the Application of Travel Speed Deflectometer (TSD) Data in Developing Long-Range Corridor Planning and Management Strategies for Critical Transportation Corridors Within the Mississippi State Highway System</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2264433</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The objective of this work is to demonstrate the effectiveness and methods for MDOT to leverage the evaluation of traffic speed deflectometer (TSD) data generated as part of MDOT’s participation in the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Pooled Fund Study TPF‐5(385). Under the FHWA TPF-5(385) study, approximately 200 lane miles of TSD data was collected in the fall of 2022, primarily on MS-16 and MS-19. The proposed evaluation will include combining the TSD data with layer thickness calculated from the onboard 3D GPR system to calculate pavement layer moduli, structural number, remaining pavement service interval, and recommended asphalt overlay thickness. This analyzed data will be used to assist MDOT in the selection, prioritization, and scheduling of projects and proposed treatments based on realistic current and projected roadway structure information.  Additionally, this information will be incorporated into the newly revamped MDOT Pavement Management System (PMS).  THE PMS will be used to develop several optimized funding strategies for evaluation and implementation.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 09 Oct 2023 09:34:50 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2264433</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Pavement Management – Network Level Pavement Structural Evaluation</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2077936</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Participation in VDOT led TPF-5(382) to collaborate in research focused on collection and effective use of Traffic Speed Deflection Devices (TSDDs) data.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 06 Dec 2022 09:48:33 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2077936</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Developing Safety Performance Functions for Rural Two-Lane Highways that Incorporate Speed Measures</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1516175</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Highway Safety Manual (HSM) currently provides safety performance functions (SPFs) for several types of roadways and intersections. Highway agencies can calibrate the SPFs to local conditions for use in predicting expected safety outcomes for given roadway designs and safety features. These SPFs, and others developed in-house by highway agencies, are a function of annual average daily traffic (AADT), since the likelihood of crashes on a roadway is directly related to the number of vehicles using it.

Speed, too, is generally understood to be an important factor in roadway safety performance. The severity of the crash is particularly sensitive to vehicle speeds, since the crash energy increases by the square of the vehicle velocity. Speed may also affect the probability of crash occurrence, although this relationship is less well-understood. Despite the importance of speed on safety, predictive models generally do not yet include speed measures.

Research is needed to understand which speed measures (e.g., average speed, 85th percentile speed, speed variance, speed limit violation rate, etc.), in conjunction with geometrics, cross section, and context, are the best predictors of crash frequency and severity.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this research was to develop a predictive methodology for rural two-lane, two-way highways, for consideration by the AASHTO HSM Steering Committee, that incorporates speed measures (or surrogates for speed measures) to estimate crash frequency and severity. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 19 Jun 2018 10:31:38 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1516175</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Work Zones and Travel Speeds: The Effects of Uniform Traffic Officers Speed Management Measures</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1357361</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Speeding is a significant contributing factor to crashes and injuries in work zones. The primary objective of this research is to assess the effectiveness of Uniform Traffic Officers (UTOs) and other speed mitigation measures used in work zones on maintaining safe travel speeds. Specifically, this project will examine at least three different types of work zone speed management scenarios: (1) Use physical traffic calming measures only (i.e., without any enforcement); (2) Employ UTOs when work zones are active; and (3) Perform targeted enforcement at selected periods. The travel speeds will be measured before, during, and after these scenarios to examine the effects of the interventions.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 12 Jun 2015 01:01:08 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1357361</guid>
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      <title>Analyzing the Effectiveness of Enhanced Penalty Zones and Police Enforcement as Freeway Speed-Control Measures</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1229819</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Speeding has been well recognized as an important contributing factor to traffic crashes. Past research also indicates that driver behavior related to speeding is influenced by both the risk and the consequences of being caught for violations. Correspondingly, the deterrents for speed violations can be in one of two major forms: (1) Police enforcement of speed limits (determines the risk of getting caught) and (2) Severity of the punishment for violation of speed limits (determines the consequences of getting caught). The intent of our study is to examine the simultaneous impacts of enforcement (by police officers) and increased penalties on freeway speeds and crashes using data from the Enhanced Penalty Zones (EPZs) established by the 2006 Florida Legislature on Interstate 95 in three counties in Florida. The data on enforcement activities will be collected during this study period by the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), a matching partner in this project.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 03 Jan 2013 13:49:09 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1229819</guid>
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