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    <webMaster>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</webMaster>
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      <title>Strategies for Deterring Bats from Transportation Infrastructure



</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1707188</link>
      <description><![CDATA[NCHRP Research Report 1166: Strategies for Deterring Bats from Transportation Infrastructure presents a guide to select and implement methods to temporarily deter and/or exclude bats from transportation structures ahead of and during construction and maintenance activities. The guide describes methods that are both sensitive to the biological needs of bats and effective for a range of geographical locations, project types, and site conditions. The guide was developed following a series of field evaluations, with a focus on nonlethal ultrasonic acoustic devices used alone and in combination with other methods. The findings of this research effort will prove useful to staff at state departments of transportation (DOTs) in balancing efficient project delivery with the need for responsible bat population stewardship.

Many bat species use bridges, culverts, and other transportation structures for roosting habitat, as well as for seasonal hibernation and maternity sites. These structures provide a valuable environment for bats whose populations have been declining in many regions due to loss of natural habitat and infection by the fungal disease known as white-nose syndrome. Accordingly, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and many state governments have instituted legal protections for vulnerable bat species. When state DOTs need to repair or replace transportation structures, they must take measures to avoid and minimize impacts to bats if protected species are present. To meet these objectives, state DOTs can restrict construction or maintenance activities to periods when bats are not present. However, temporary avoidance is challenging in regions where winter conditions and cold temperatures limit the construction season. Alternatives to temporary avoidance include methods that temporarily 
deter or exclude bats from a structure for the shortest length of time needed for construction or maintenance activities, with the intent to allow bats to return once the project is complete. Methods to accomplish this include physical exclusion and nonlethal acoustic deterrence. Selecting a method that will be effective in deterring or excluding bats and will be feasible for the project requires consideration of bat behavior, biological needs of bats, project characteristics, and site conditions.

Under NCHRP Project 25-63, “Strategies for Deterring Bats from Transportation Infrastructure,” Environmental Solutions & Innovations, Inc. was tasked with developing a guide that can be used by transportation agencies who need to exclude or deter bats at transportation structures. Emphasis was placed on approaches that employ acoustic deterrence and/or physical exclusion, discussion of when to use either method, potential pitfalls, and financial implications of both techniques. The guide also contains sections that define terminology, introduce United States bat ecology, and describe methods to recognize when and why bats may be present in transportation structures.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 20 May 2020 22:05:24 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1707188</guid>
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      <title>Autonomous Ultrasonic Thickness Measurement by a Magnet-Wheeled Robot (SN-6)</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1596889</link>
      <description><![CDATA[A wireless sensing device recently developed by PI Wang’s group has demonstrated various structural sensing capabilities for bridge applications.  In the meantime, a latest robot platform developed by Dr. La’s group at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) demonstrates promising performance navigating on steel bridge members. Marrying the two state-of-the-art developments, this project will produce a magnet-wheeled robot capable of autonomous nondestructive measurement on steel bridge structures. Both laboratory and field validations will be performed. 

Approach and Methodology: Earlier this year, Dr. H. M. La’s research group in the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) developed a small robot that is suitable for climbing on steel bridge members. Using roller-chains embedded with magnets, the tank-like robot can self-adapt and climb on curved steel surfaces, and transit over sharp corners. The robot weighs a few kilograms and can carry 1 kg of payload, which is sufficient for additional hardware expected in this project. Maximum recorded speed is over 30 cm/s. The UNR team will provide the robot platform for wireless sensing development and testing by PI Wang’s group at Georgia Tech.

Overall Objectives: This project will integrate advanced wireless sensing technologies to the UNR robot platform. At first, the functionality of ultrasonic thickness measurement will be developed on the mobile platform. The ultrasonic thickness measurement only requires access to one side of an object, and can achieve sub-millimeter accuracy. The technique can be used for corrosion and defect detection, e.g. on the web and flanges of an I-beam.  In addition, vibration measurements will be added to the robotic platform as well; potential applications include tension estimation in steel strands of cable-supported structures.

Scope of Work in Year 1: (1) Further advance the previously designed wireless sensing device for ultrasonic thickness measurement, (2) Design and test a push-pull mechanism for a transducer to be attached firmly on the surface of a steel member, and (3) Validate the performance of the wireless device on the robot platform for ultrasonic thickness measurement. 

Scope of Work in Year 2:  (1) Investigation of various ultrasonic transducer types, in particular the Alpha Series transducers (2) increase of sampling frequency over tens of MHz is desired by developing a new Martlet wing which supports a high sampling rate, (3) integration with the UNR Robot for agility and maneuvering over complex terrains.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 01 Apr 2019 20:02:12 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1596889</guid>
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      <title>The Identification of Stress State of Critical Bridge Components Using Nonlinear Acoustics</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1335185</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project will develop and demonstrate the application of nonlinear acoustics for identifying the stress state of critical highway bridge components through laboratory-scale and field testing. Work in Stage 1 will involve laboratory-scale demonstration of the proposed approach. Theoretical and numerical models will be developed to identify the most sensitive ultrasonic waves to the level of stress on structural steel. The selected ultrasonic waves will be tested on a wide-flange profile loaded uniaxially and a gusset plate loaded bi-axially. The load value will be increased incrementally, and the ultrasonic measurement will be taken at each loading step to develop a sensitivity curve of the stress-ultrasonic velocity relationship. Work in Stage 2 will involve field demonstration of the proposed approach based on the outcomes of Stage 1. A steel truss bridge provided by Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will be modeled using a finite element program. Truss elements will be modeled using discrete elements; the gusset plate will be modeled as a two-dimensional plate element. The stress levels of the selected elements will be identified using numerical simulation. Field measurements, using the hand-held ultrasonic device, the ultrasonic setting, and the correlation curve developed in Stage 1, will be taken for comparison with the finite element results. The field results will be used to further refine the correlation curve. Additionally, the required hardware variables for implementing the methodology into automated processing of the hand-held device will be identified and discussed with the instrument manufacturer. The outcome of this final stage will be the demonstration of the proposed approach in a real-life testing situation in the field.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 12 Dec 2014 01:00:47 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1335185</guid>
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