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    <copyright>Copyright © 2026. National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.</copyright>
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    <managingEditor>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</managingEditor>
    <webMaster>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</webMaster>
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      <title>How Much Pedestrian Harm Can We Attribute to Larger Vehicles in the Fleet?</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2229412</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This study will explore pedestrian injury outcomes in traffic collisions and the kinetic energy transfer from vehicles, contingent upon impact speed and weight. While research has shown that higher vehicle speed and size amplify the risk of fatal pedestrian injuries, limited attention has been given to the combined effect of vehicle design and speed on pedestrian fatalities. Although speculation links the increasing pedestrian fatalities in the United States to the growth of a vehicle fleet dominated by larger and heavier modes, particularly Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs), this hypothesis diverges. The research team proposes that at higher speeds, the significance of vehicle size diminishes in causing lethal pedestrian accidents. This claim is supported by the kinetic energy transfer expression where speed is raised to the second power, thus overshadowing the role of vehicle weight. However, lower-speed pedestrian crashes might involve different dynamics, particularly in neighborhoods and parking lots. Collisions with SUVs could elevate the chances of fatality not only due to excessive size but also due to potential chest or abdomen impacts followed by running over, owing to their higher hoods and larger forward blind spots compared to sedans. Consequently, differentiating the thresholds for speed and vehicle size as determinants of pedestrian injury severity becomes difficult, with each scenario demanding distinct countermeasures. Additionally, with the introduction of safety technologies such as pedestrian detection and emergency braking and increasing the trend towards vehicle electrification and automation leading to greater vehicle weight, understanding the extent of change in pedestrian injury risk is imperative. By employing econometric models, this study will utilize pedestrian crash and Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) data from California and Tennessee to investigate relationships among vehicle attributes, such as weight, speed, hood height, and safety features. For a more comprehensive understanding of these relationships, the study would also explore simulation techniques to model pedestrian-vehicle interaction during crashes involving different vehicle types, including SUVs and passenger cars.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 17 Aug 2023 16:58:06 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2229412</guid>
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      <title>Assessment and Repair of Prestressed Bridge Girders Subjected to Over-Height Truck Impacts (OHTI)</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1738102</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Having adequate reliable infrastructures, including bridges, has been crucial to the process of economic and social development of any country. Bridges are exposed to man-made and natural hazards such as earthquakes, floods, and impact loads. Vehicles and vessels may impact bridge columns, piers, and girders causing severe damage and yielding losses of human lives and economy. Based on bridge failure incidents occurred between 1967 and 2006, vessel and vehicles impacts are the second highest cause of bridge failure in the U.S. Failure occurred due to damage to bridge girders and columns. This project focuses on the behavior and repair of bridge girders subjected to over-height truck impacts.

OBJECTIVES: Vehicle impact is one of the major causes for bridge collapse in the U.S. The overarching goal of this project is to assess the damage to and repair of bridge girders due to the over-height truck impact using comprehensive experimental testing and analytical models. In particular, this project aims to determine: • The remaining carrying capacity of bridge girders damaged due to over-height truck impact which will allow stakeholders (e.g., state department of transportation engineers) to prioritize girders needing repairs. • Determine the carrying capacity of the damaged girders after being repaired using different repair measures. The repaired beams will be investigated under static and fatigue loads to determine their capacities.

]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 10 Sep 2020 10:54:48 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1738102</guid>
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