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    <title>Research in Progress (RIP)</title>
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    <atom:link href="https://rip.trb.org/Record/RSS?s=PHNlYXJjaD48cGFyYW1zPjxwYXJhbSBuYW1lPSJzdWJqZWN0aWQiIHZhbHVlPSIxODAwIiAvPjxwYXJhbSBuYW1lPSJkYXRlaW4iIHZhbHVlPSI3MzAiIC8+PHBhcmFtIG5hbWU9InN1YmplY3Rsb2dpYyIgdmFsdWU9Im9yIiAvPjxwYXJhbSBuYW1lPSJ0ZXJtc2xvZ2ljIiB2YWx1ZT0ib3IiIC8+PHBhcmFtIG5hbWU9ImxvY2F0aW9uIiB2YWx1ZT0iMTYiIC8+PC9wYXJhbXM+PGZpbHRlcnMgLz48cmFuZ2VzIC8+PHNvcnRzPjxzb3J0IGZpZWxkPSJwdWJsaXNoZWQiIG9yZGVyPSJkZXNjIiAvPjwvc29ydHM+PHBlcnNpc3RzPjxwZXJzaXN0IG5hbWU9InJhbmdldHlwZSIgdmFsdWU9InB1Ymxpc2hlZGRhdGUiIC8+PC9wZXJzaXN0cz48L3NlYXJjaD4=" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
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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>
    <image>
      <title>Research in Progress (RIP)</title>
      <url>https://rip.trb.org/Images/PageHeader-wTitle-RIP.jpg</url>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/</link>
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    <item>
      <title>Quantifying the Flood Resilience Value of Water Quality Best Management Practices on Vermont Roads</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2689762</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Transportation networks have been recognized as contributors to water quality impairment by discharging stormwater, sediment, and nutrients to receiving waters. These contributions can occur through chronic inputs of water and pollutants washed from the road surface during storm events or through episodic and often catastrophic road failure by mass wasting or fluvial erosion at structure crossings during extreme storms. Research studies in forested areas of the eastern United States, and elsewhere, including those conducted by members of this project team, have documented rates of erosion and mass wasting from low volume roads and impacts on water quality. Our previous research has also documented the importance of unpaved roads on water quality impairment and quantified the effectiveness of best management practices (BMPs) in reducing sediment and phosphorus contributions.
The Phosphorus Total Maximum Daily Load for Vermont Segments of Lake Champlain (a.k.a. TMDL) called for reductions in phosphorus contributions from developed lands, motivating a need to address stormwater runoff from the state’s transportation network. Statewide efforts to achieve the reductions required by the TMDL led to the development of the Municipal Roads General Permit (MRGP) in 2018 and subsequent revisions. Recent extreme flooding events across the state, in particular the July 10-11, 2023 North Country Storm event and associated Great Vermont Flood which will be the focus of this project, in addition to subsequent flood events in December 2023 and July 2024, have resulted in the need for emergency repairs of damaged transportation infrastructure, and revealed the need to clearly communicate the cost benefit of improved stormwater management on the transportation network. In past research projects funded by the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation and the Vermont Agency of Transportation, we conducted retrospective analyses (i.e. a review of project planning documents and site visits to assess existing conditions) of transportation stormwater upgrades funded by the state’s Better Roads and Grants in Aid programs and found that the BMPs installed through these grants were highly robust to extreme flood events. This project therefore aims to expand on the research teams’ prior work to assess the life cycle cost-benefit of BMP adoption with a focus on the BMPs required by the Municipal General Roads Permit (MRGP), Sections 1 and 2 of the VT Road and Bridge Standards for municipal roads, and VTrans Drainage Management Standards for State roads. The data and results of this project may be used to update VT AOT’s Transportation Resilience Planning Tool or other mitigation practices.
To facilitate this work, we will form a technical advisory committee (TAC) composed of VTrans project champions (Todd Eaton), Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (VT DEC) staff engaged in the implementation of the Municipal Roads General Permit, members of at least one Regional Planning Commission, and others identified by VTtrans. The role of the TAC will be to help guide study design, facilitate the use of existing data, leverage on-going implementation of erosion control projects, and provide context for agency needs.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 08 Apr 2026 09:46:01 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2689762</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Finding the Bed Shear Stress Using the Logarithmic Law at Channel Roughness Transitions</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2672767</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Flow through transition of bed roughness occurs in many situations in highway transportation including culverts, bridge abutments, and roadways in the floodplain, where the bed materials can change abruptly from one type to another. A sudden change in bed roughness also occurs frequently in the laboratory when soil erosion and scour is studied using a sediment recess in an open-channel flume. In all the above, the bed shear stress is a fundamental flow parameter that must be determined accurately.

A research project is proposed to investigate the use of logarithmic law (log law) for finding bed shear stress near a sudden change in bed roughness. Velocity field measurements will be obtained using a Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) system. The measured data will be used to determine the distribution of bed shear stress by control volume analysis using the linear momentum equation to determine whether the log law can be applied to a developing boundary layer downstream of a bed roughness transition and develop procedures to reduce the measurement uncertainty of the method.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 23 Feb 2026 13:58:52 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2672767</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Improved VDOT Bioretention Media Specification</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2672501</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) uses bioretention as a stormwater control measure (SCM); however, the most recent special provision for VDOT bioretention soil media requires that testing the media’s infiltration rate use a unique mesocosm test method, outlined in VTM-134 (VDOT, 2025), which presents five challenges.  These are (1) inconsistency in how the media is placed and ultimately compacted in the test apparatus and therefore potential variability in the test results; (2) lack of labs willing to run the mesocosm test (only one in Virginia does this); (3) large amount of media required (40 5-gallon buckets of media and related materials); (4) lack of information proving this test is needed to procure successful bioretention soil media; and (5) a cost of $6,000 to run one test.  Due to these challenges, few media providers both try to meet the requirements and then succeed in doing so, which ultimately increases the overall project costs when bioretention is selected as the SCM.  A unique aspect of testing a media’s infiltration rate using the mesocosm test is consideration of how both de-icing salts and wet and dry cycles (to mimic rainfall patterns) impact a media’s infiltration rate. These unique aspects of the mesocosm test appear to be why it’s included in the current special provision. This study will recommend a specification for VDOT bioretention soil media that addresses the five challenges of the mesocosm test method to determine the media’s infiltration rate based on laboratory testing.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 19 Feb 2026 10:50:44 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2672501</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Investigate Wisconsin Bridge Scour in Mobile (Alluvial) Sand-Bed Rivers</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2671987</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The primary objective of this research is to enhance scour prediction accuracy for bridges in Wisconsin’s mobile sand-bed rivers by developing region-specific scour envelope curves. The proposed study will address the limitations of existing scour prediction methods by incorporating Wisconsin’s unique hydraulic, geomorphic, and sedimentological conditions. By refining existing scour envelope methodologies and tailoring them to Wisconsin’s river systems, this research aims to improve scour estimation accuracy, reduce unnecessary costs, and enhance long-term bridge safety and maintenance planning. In order to provide guidance for determining the probable depth of scour under various hydraulic, geological, and structural conditions, FHWA developed Hydraulic Engineering Circular No. 18 (HEC-18): Evaluating Scour at Bridges (Richardson & Davis, 2012). HEC-18 has served as a technical standard for bridge scour analysis in the United States. It establishes a comprehensive methodology for evaluating scour at bridge foundations, including pier scour, contraction scour, and abutment scour. Additional documents are also available, including HEC-20: Stream Stability at Highway Structures (Lagasse, Schall, et al., 2001) and HEC-23: Bridge Scour and Stream Instability Countermeasures (Lagasse, Zevenbergen, et al., 2001).These documents are also adopted by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) as the standard procedures for bridge scour analysis. To address the limitations of HEC-18, many state DOTs (e.g., Minnesota, Iowa, New Jersey, South Carolina) have developed regional modifications or supplemental procedures to enhance scour prediction models. While many state DOTs have developed regional modifications for HEC-18, or regional scour envelope curves, Wisconsin has not yet established a dedicated set of scour envelope curves tailored to its river systems. This study seeks to refine scour prediction in Wisconsin’s rivers by supplementing HEC-18’s methodology with locally derived scour envelope curves, improving the accuracy of scour predictions and optimizing bridge foundation designs.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 18 Feb 2026 11:26:47 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2671987</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Advanced InSAR–UAV-LiDAR Flood-Deformation Risk Monitoring for Efficient Mobility</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2669656</link>
      <description><![CDATA[El Paso’s critical transportation corridors face compounding risks from ground deformation and flash flooding that can severely disrupt efficient mobility, impede traffic flow, and challenge infrastructure reliability. Such infrastructure disruptions compromise public safety by delaying emergency response access and increase collision risk on compromised roadways. Despite advances in satellite monitoring and hydrologic modeling, no integrated system currently provides transportation agencies with rapid and actionable, near-real-time alerts for combined flood-deformation hazards. This project is designed to support uninterrupted mobility directly by developing and demonstrating a unified monitoring framework that fuses millimeter-precision Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) deformation maps with Unmanned Aerial Vehicle–Light Detection and Ranging (UAV-LiDAR) terrain models and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR)-derived soil-moisture indices to deliver actionable risk assessments. The research addresses a core challenge in maintaining efficient mobility: predicting when and where infrastructure vulnerabilities will coincide with flood conditions. Using validated Persistent Scatterer (PS) and Small Baseline Subset (SBAS) InSAR processing chains, high-resolution UAV-LiDAR surveys, and machine learning algorithms trained on historical events, the proposed system will provide transportation agencies with advanced warning, which enables proactive response and traffic management. The project will produce a composite flood-deformation risk index with demonstrated 90% accuracy in hazard detection. An edge-computing prototype will be deployed in partnership with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to operationalize the fusion algorithms, enabling 24-hour processing turnaround and secure web-based risk visualization. Through formal partnerships with TxDOT and El Paso Water, the system will integrate real-time flow gauge data and infrastructure databases to enhance model calibration and validation. The project includes comprehensive technology transfer components, such as Docker-containerized software, training workshops for state Department of Transportation (DOT) engineers, and a commercialization brief outlining licensing pathways for rapid deployment across additional corridors.  ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sun, 15 Feb 2026 16:40:48 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2669656</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Novel Surge Barriers for Coastal Protection</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2665445</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Surge barriers are large hydraulic structures designed to protect vulnerable infrastructure from coastal storm surges and high tides. Preventing surges from moving into bays and estuaries minimizes the need for other expensive elements of a flood control system, such as levees and floodwalls. Surge barriers can provide cost-effective protection critical transportation infrastructure, such as ports, roads, and bridges. Conventional surge barriers comprise a fixed structure with movable vertically or horizontally opening gates that can be closed during extreme storms and tidal events. Disadvantages of fixed barriers include high cost, sensitivity to waste and silt, vulnerability to blockage by debris, constraints to marine traffic, and environmental impacts. Temporary surge barriers can avoid these disadvantages. This research evaluates three novel temporary barrier concepts: flexible membrane barriers, sinkable floating barriers, and shade curtain barriers. Flexible membrane barriers are self-deploying and permanently located on shore. Buried when not deployed, they rise with rising water due to their buoyancy. Sinkable floating barriers rest on the seabed when not deployed and, when needed, are raised to the surface by pumping air into a tube. Shade curtains are fabric barriers attached to an existing bridge. When not deployed, it is secured to the underside of the bridge deck. In advance of a surge, the fabric curtain is lowered using a sinker-cable system to provide a vertical barrier extending from the bridge deck to the seabed. Hydraulic loads are transmitted from the barrier to the bridge and its foundations, which must be capable of resisting the added loads. This project addresses three key issues related to temporary surge barrier deployment: site and environmental conditions for which temporary surge barriers are appropriate, hydraulic loading on the barriers, and structural/geotechnical design considerations for the barriers.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 04 Feb 2026 15:18:48 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2665445</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Novel surge barriers for coastal protection (TAMU)</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2663229</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Surge barriers are large hydraulic structures designed to protect infrastructure from coastal storm surges and high tides. Preventing surges from moving into bays and estuaries minimizes the need for other expensive elements of a flood control system, such as levees and floodwalls. Surge barriers can provide cost-effective protection critical transportation infrastructure, such as ports, roads, and bridges. Conventional surge barriers comprise a fixed structure with movable vertically or horizontally opening gates that can be closed during extreme storms and tidal events. Disadvantages of fixed barriers include high cost, sensitivity to waste and silt, potential debris blockage, and constraints to marine traffic. Temporary surge barriers can avoid these disadvantages. This research evaluates three novel temporary barrier concepts: flexible membrane barriers, sinkable floating barriers, and shade curtain barriers. Flexible membrane barriers are self-deploying and permanently located on shore. Buried when not deployed, they rise with rising water due to their buoyancy. Sinkable floating barriers rest on the seabed when not deployed and, when needed, are raised to the surface by pumping air into a tube. Shade curtains are fabric barriers attached to an existing bridge. When not deployed, it is secured to the underside of the bridge deck. In advance of a surge, the fabric curtain is lowered using a sinker-cable system to provide a vertical barrier extending from the bridge deck to the seabed. Hydraulic loads are transmitted from the barrier to the bridge and its foundations, which must be capable of resisting the added loads. This project addresses three key issues related to temporary surge barrier deployment: site conditions for which temporary surge barriers are appropriate, hydraulic loading on the barriers, and structural/geotechnical design considerations for the barriers.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 31 Jan 2026 11:29:01 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2663229</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Coastal and river bridge scour mitigation using hybrid solutions (TAMU)</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2663228</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Bridge piers, foundations, and abutments in coastal areas or across rivers often face heightened risk of detrimental scour development under wave and/or current loading. Along  coastlines bridges are part of essential evacuation routes, saving lives ahead of predicted storm impacts with life-threatening consequences if compromised. Further inland, many bridges across creeks and rivers that are part of rural transportation systems and low-volume road networks afford equally important transportation connections. When disaster strikes and these structures are compromised – as was painfully demonstrated in the recent Central Texas flash flood disaster – entire communities are cut-off from relief help or means to recover quickly. In most instances, bridge failure is initiated through hydraulically-induced scour formation and growth at the interface of the structural components and the surrounding sediment. If scour issues can be predicted and mitigated early, catastrophic failure can be avoided. The problem is that traditional mitigation techniques are costly or, in the case of rural bridges, may not even be included in the design. Here, the research team plans to test low-cost hybrid mitigation techniques that can help reduce scour impact to bridges caused by wave or current impact by using bio-cementation (such as Microbially-Induced Calcium Carbonate Precipitation - MICP) and/or geosynthetics in combination with the in-situ sediment.

Proposed Research: The team plans the following tasks to address the efficacy of these solutions to reduce scour: Task 1: Assess existing technological options for coastal and riverine bridge scour protection. This will be done via an in-depth literature review on scour protection with the goal of identifying various options, their advantages and limitations. 
Task 2: Conduct physical model wave flume scour tests with wave and/or current loading for different low-cost, hybrid scour protection combinations including MICP and geosynthetics in tandem with the in-situ sediments.
Task 3: Develop scour prediction equations based on the conducted physical model tests that can be used to assess the efficacy of the hybrid solutions for use in coastal and riverine bridge systems.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 31 Jan 2026 11:25:04 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2663228</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>COLLABORATIVE: Quantifying erosion and load transfer mechanisms of geosynthetic reinforced coastal pavement subgrades and embankments during inundation events (TAMU/TXST)</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2663227</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Project Description: Transportation infrastructure in coastal regions is highly susceptible to soil erosion and subgrade degradation under frequent inundation events caused by storm surges. Fines within the subgrade are washed out due to flood-induced subsurface flow, while overflowing water along embankments results in overtopping and eventually leads to surficial erosion and complete collapse. These processes result in embankment and pavement failures; addressing these issues requires novel and innovative infrastructure durability solutions. One approach that combines hydraulic protection of subsoils with reduced soil erosion and provides drainage to recede floodwaters from infrastructure is geosynthetics. Geosynthetics, like geocomposites and turf-reinforced mats (TRMs), are often used to control erosion in slopes and levees from overtopping and rainfall. Also, the use of geosynthetics is increasingly growing for pavement reinforcement applications. These well-established benefits of geosynthetics can be combined and effectively applied for coastal transportation infrastructure that often sees failures following inundation events. Hence, this research study focuses on evaluating geosynthetics to solve both embankment erosion and maintain drainable and resilient subgrade foundations to support coastal transportation infrastructure. 
Geosynthetic Reinforcement of Coastal Embankment Slopes: TRMs and geocomposites will be studied for this application. Texas State University (TXST) will measure the erosion characteristics of the test materials using the erosion function apparatus (EFA). The EFA will quantify the erosion rates of the soil with and without the protection of these geosynthetic layers under varying hydraulic stresses, providing insights into soil erodibility and material performance. Texas A&M (TAMU) will conduct small-scale flume erosion studies on model embankment slopes using a coastal, sandy soil. Flume studies on embankment slopes built with and without geosynthetic reinforcements will be subjected to overtopping and inundation flow conditions for various time periods. Erosion patterns will be studied via laser and digital image scans. These data will also assess the role of geocomposites and TRMs on mitigating soil erosion and enhancing slope stability.  
Geosynthetic Reinforcement of Coastal Pavement Subgrade Foundations: TAMU flume study results will yield erosion patterns, more specifically void patterns, that will be used to create an  “eroded” pavement structure. These artificial voids will be created inside a large box setup, with 12 to 18 in. of subgrade supporting a flexbase aggregate base layer. These box samples will be instrumented with moisture probes, pressure cells, and MEMS deformation sensors. Each model pavement will be subjected to cyclic plate load tests to study and evaluate the load-bearing capacity and load transfer mechanism from repeated loads to the underlying subgrades. The same tests will be performed on the samples after they are inundated. The role of geocomposites both before and after exposure to moisture inundation, as well as load transfer mechanisms on subgrades with erosion-simulated voids, will be evaluated.
This is a collaborative project between Texas A&M University (TAMU) and Texas State University (TXST). Flume and large-scale box studies will be performed at TAMU Galveston campus and Center for Infrastructure Research (CIR) laboratories, respectively. TXST will perform the EFA with geosynthetic layers experiments. EFA studies focus on evaluating the critical shear stresses (i.e., hydraulic shear stresses at which soil erosion initiates) of the reinforced/unreinforced subsoils. Changes in critical shear stress at discontinuities such as gravel/sand interfaces will be of particular interest.  These combined results will generate a comprehensive understanding of the potential improvements of embankment and foundation reinforcement using advanced geosynthetic materials in providing resilient support to transportation infrastructure in coastal corridors. The results of this project will be used to design Phase II with coastal railroad track embankments.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 31 Jan 2026 11:12:55 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2663227</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Assessment of hydroplaning potential in coastal regions using roadway characteristics and related datasets</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2663101</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Hydroplaning is a critical pavement safety concern that occurs when a layer of water builds up between the vehicle's tires and the pavement surface, leading to a loss of traction and vehicle control. It is a significant contributor to wet-weather crashes and thereby poses a serious challenge to highway safety, especially for coastal regions where rainfall is more abundant and more frequent. Hydroplaning risk assessment fundamentally depends on the integration of multiple diverse datasets that reflect the interaction among crash occurrences, pavement conditions, and vehicle dynamics. These data items are typically recorded in different datasets maintained by various owners or agencies, each with their unique collection methods and standards. This research will develop data-driven likelihood models based on a verification check of the reliability of the important data variables, and a fusion of the available history data from diverse data sources to assess hydroplaning risks for coastal highways. The proposed research will also develop recommendations to be considered for roadway design and construction in association with wet-weather accident reduction procedures for transportation agencies.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 29 Jan 2026 17:13:08 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2663101</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Optimizing SEAHIVE® solutions to mitigate bridge scour (TXST)</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2662984</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Bridge scour remains the top cause for bridge failure in the United States. When scour is observed during bridge inspections, a plan of action must be established to ensure the safety of the traveling public. Bridge failure is obviously costly; scour mitigation and monitoring are additional costs for the life cycle of the structure. Scour is additionally challenging to predict and unforeseen changes in the hydraulic load (both in direction and in magnitude from extreme events) can further exacerbate bridge scour. This research is the next phase of Texas State University (TXST)'s effort to implement SEAHIVE® elements for scour mitigation. SEAHIVE® is an engineered protection system composed of concrete hexagonal prisms. Perforations on the side faces of the elements provide passage for water flow, dissipating the energy within the system while also adding structural complexity to improve its potential for habitat creation. SEAHIVE® is under research and development at the University of Miami (UM) for wave energy dissipation. TXST conducted experimental and computational studies on a horizontally stacked three-unit SEAHIVE® system. A three-unit system placed three pile diameters in front of a monopile reduced the scour magnitude by 70.2% and volume by 94.1%. The configuration also reduced tangential velocity by one-third and vertical velocity by 80%, effectively weakening vortex strength and minimizing local scour. A limitation of the first phase is the SEAHIVE® system was continuous in that it extended edge-to-edge across the TXST flume and in the computational model.
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this research is to expand the analysis to more realistically simulate field-scale challenges and to establish baseline design parameters towards testing a prototype system in the O.H. Hinsdale Wave Research Laboratory at Oregon State University (OSU). The calibrated coupled hydrodynamic-morphodynamic model in Open FOAM will be used for further analysis to include studying the effects of: soil density, flow height, velocity, and  SEAHIVE® length to pier diameter ratios. Additionally, in this phase we will analyze vertical SEAHIVE® systems, including a SEAHIVE® skirt around the monopile and a SEAHIVE® wall. Such data are needed more fully understand the practical boundaries of SEAHIVE®  as an effective green-gray scour counter measure and design the prototype scale experiments in the OSU flume.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 29 Jan 2026 15:52:49 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2662984</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Assessing Transportation Infrastructure Exposure to Flooding Using Next-Generation Flood Maps in Eastern Oklahoma </title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2646941</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) flood maps are widely used as a primary reference for the planning, design, and risk assessment of transportation infrastructure, particularly for evaluating flood exposure to roads, bridges, and overall network performance during extreme weather events. While FEMA maps are routinely used by stakeholders, they have come under increasing scrutiny due to a key limitation: FEMA’s 100-year flood maps assume that the “100-year flood” is produced by a single design storm, commonly referred to as the “100-year storm.” As a result, these maps are deterministic, indicating only whether an area is flooded or not under the 100-year storm event. This approach fails to represent the full range of meteorological and hydrologic variability. To address this limitation, FEMA, in collaboration with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), launched the Future of Flood Risk Data Initiative (FFRDI) project. This initiative represents a paradigm shift: moving from deterministic to probabilistic flood hazard maps. Yet, there remains a critical question: how will these next-generation probabilistic flood maps impact transportation infrastructure risk analyses compared to the traditional, deterministic FEMA products? Addressing this question is urgent. Understanding how the new probabilistic maps alter flood exposure assessments is essential for transportation agencies to update resilience strategies, design standards, and emergency management plans. Without proactive evaluation, agencies risk facing misalignments between outdated flood data assumptions and modern hazard realities. This project aims to lead the first assessment of transportation infrastructure flood hazard exposure using probabilistic flood maps by using the FEMA’s FFRDI framework. The study will focus on the Illinois River watershed in eastern Oklahoma, covering approximately 800 km² from the urban center of Tahlequah to the Arkansas state line. This area includes critical transportation corridors such as State Highways 10 and 82, U.S. Highway 59 and 412. The domain was strategically selected based on the availability of pre-calibrated and validated hydrologic and hydraulic models provided by the USACE Tulsa District, ensuring realistic implementation within the project timeline. 
Using the Illinois River Basin in eastern Oklahoma as a case study, this project has three primary objectives: (1) generate high-resolution probabilistic flood hazard maps following the FFRDI methodology; (2) assess transportation infrastructure flood exposure by intersecting these maps with road and bridge datasets; and (3) quantify differences between traditional and probabilistic flood maps, with a focus on transportation-related impacts. The project will be carried out through five main tasks: Task 1 involves generating synthetic storm events using stochastic storm transposition methods. Task 2 includes hydrologic and hydraulic simulations using HEC-HMS and HEC-RAS models. Task 3 focuses on developing probabilistic flood maps. Task 4 evaluates infrastructure exposure under both traditional and probabilistic mapping approaches. Task 5 tracks progress across all tasks and compiles key deliverables through mid-year and final reporting. Expected outcomes include a publicly available dataset of probabilistic flood hazard maps and a catalog of flood-exposed transportation assets within the study area. Ultimately, this work will demonstrate the added value of probabilistic flood products for improving hazard characterization and will offer practical guidance for DOTs and planners seeking to integrate next-generation flood data into transportation resilience planning. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 05 Jan 2026 23:01:23 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2646941</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Reinforcement Mechanism of Articulating Concrete Mats (ACMs) and Geosynthetic Fabric for the Design of Highway Embankment in Coastal Louisiana </title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2646938</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Coastal highway embankments differ significantly from conventional highway embankments or levees due to their exposure to hurricanes and tropical storms. These events generate substantial hydrodynamic wave pressures that must be considered in design. Reinforcing soil fills at different elevations with geosynthetics is a common approach, but doing so effectively requires research that enhances existing design methods and clarifies their underlying rationale. Design elements such as tensile forces, reinforcement length, and vertical spacing depend on understanding the mechanical behavior of these materials under extreme loading.  

Because coastal embankments are subjected to wave pressures from storms with defined return periods, engineers must account for the maximum hydrodynamic loads these storms generate. In particular, the unique reinforcement roles of geosynthetics and articulating concrete mats (ACMs) must be thoroughly understood to optimize the design. Key factors include ACM layer thickness, the number and arrangement of non-woven geotextile separator layers, and failure modes such as tensile rupture and pull-out resistance in geogrids and woven geotextiles.  

Building on the results from Southern Plains Transportation Center (SPTC)-funded Cycles 1 and 2, this project will use experimental and numerical methods to evaluate the behavior of geosynthetic reinforcements placed at various elevations within embankment fills. Emphasis will be placed on understanding how these materials fail under load and how their performance changes with elevation and storm intensity. In addition to continuing the work from earlier phases, this project will also assess the seepage-reduction capabilities of non-woven geotextiles and the surface stabilization benefits of ACMs applied to embankment slopes.  

Large-scale direct shear testing will be conducted to analyze both tensile rupture and pull-out failure mechanisms in conditions representative of coastal environments. Seepage and slope stability analyses will complement this testing to evaluate the combined performance of ACMs and geotextile separators under storm loading.  

The findings from this research will help validate and refine current design guidelines for coastal highway embankments that incorporate geosynthetics and ACM armor. The study will also contribute to a deeper understanding of conventional geosynthetic failure mechanisms in coastal applications. Ultimately, the research will yield practical, implementable steps for assessing both internal and external stability in coastal embankment design.  ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 05 Jan 2026 22:35:37 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2646938</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Hydrologic and Hydraulic Software Enhancements 2 (SMS, WMS, Hydraulic Toolbox, and HY-8)</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2640674</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This Transportation Pooled Fund (TPF) project will: 1) Enhance the capabilities of the four Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) sponsored software programs and ensure they remain consistent with the latest FHWA technical reference documents; 2) Update the software user manual documentation; 3) Make new software versions publicly available; 4) Develop and deploy technology transfer materials and workshops to test and demonstrate new software content and features; 5) Inform users of the availability of new software versions and features through website postings, email notifications, newsletter articles, conference presentations, and other avenues.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 17 Dec 2025 15:42:55 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2640674</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>DOT Application of the Palmiter Stream Management Technique in Small Streams

</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2633332</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) has one large experimental installation of the Palmiter Method in Clark County along the Mad River.  ODOT is interested in expanding the use of this technique across the state. Rapid deployment/implementation of the method on smaller streams with erosion concerns near infrastructure is potentially a better application of the method.  It is unclear how the method can be deployed and what benefits and drawbacks are likely in a small stream.  There is potential that the Palmiter Method is much better suited for small stream erosion issues, using low-cost materials, and potentially beneficial to stream habitat (as measured using OEPA sampling methods).  

The Palmiter Method was initially vetted using a Researcher-On-Call (ROC) contract with Ohio University who looked at what was known about the technique and potential applications in the DOT. No actual installations were constructed and monitored for risks/benefits/cost comparisons with traditional methods. ODOT manages thousands of stream erosion issues across the state. The most predominant stream type and stream/road interaction in the system are smaller streams that erode around culverts, into embankments, and undermine road shoulders. Research is needed to investigate the use of the Palmiter Methods on small streams comparing the cost, time, success/failure, biological impact, permitting, stream hydrology, and structure longevity compared to more traditional methods used to maintain erosion on small streams.

The goal of this research is to compare the Palmiter Method to traditional methods for erosion control in small streams.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 02 Dec 2025 13:37:51 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2633332</guid>
    </item>
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