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    <title>Research in Progress (RIP)</title>
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    <language>en-us</language>
    <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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      <link>https://rip.trb.org/</link>
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    <item>
      <title>Laboratory and Field Testing of an Impact-Driven Multi-Resonant Energy Harvester for 
Electrical Power Generation in Rail-Track Systems – Phase II, Year 2</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2574692</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Reliable power sources are often unavailable across much of the rail network, hindering
the deployment of essential sensors and condition monitoring systems needed for real-time infrastructure assessment and safety. This research builds upon the first year of Phase 2, where the theoretical foundation and initial design of a Multi-Resonant Impact-Driven Energy Harvester (MRIDEH) were developed. The harvester employs an impact-driven mechanism and multiple resonators tuned to the dominant vibration frequencies of the rail track system under a moving train load to enhance electromechanical coupling and broaden its operational bandwidth. While the earlier phase focused on analytical modeling and theoretical investigations, the current work transitions the concept into a functional prototype through design refinement, fabrication, and experimental validation. The proposed research will focus on (1) optimizing the harvester’s design parameters to maximize power output through systematic parametric studies, (2) fabricating a prototype
incorporating the optimized design, (3) conducting comprehensive laboratory testing, including integration with an energy storage circuit for power management evaluation, and (4) conducting field tests under actual rail traffic conditions to assess performance and feasibility. The outcomes of this work will provide essential experimental evidence to confirm the practical performance of the MRIDEH system. This validation will demonstrate its ability to generate reliable electrical power from train-induced vibrations, supporting its use as a self-sustaining energy source. The findings will help advance the development of a scalable and low-cost solution that can be deployed across various segments of the rail network to power sensors and monitoring devices which are critical for improving the safety, reliability, and efficiency of rail operations by collecting real-time data on train movements
and track conditions.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 14 Jul 2025 18:56:30 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2574692</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Pavement Electromagnetic Energy Harvesting System from Highway-Speed Vehicles</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2379784</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Energy harvesting technologies from pavements generate carbon-neutral power to help meet the transportation sector’s electricity demands. Researchers will explore energy harvesting technologies in pavements as well as assess potential uses for the harvested energy. They will examine potential challenges in implementing this technology and determine if implementation is feasible. Harvesting energy from moving traffic could provide energy to various items within the transportation network in remote areas that do not have readily available access to the power grid.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 16 May 2024 09:44:12 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2379784</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Field Application of a High-Power Density Electromagnetic Energy Harvester to Power Wireless Sensors in Transportation Infrastructures</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1844161</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Traffic-induced vibration of transportation infrastructures is a reliable source of kinetic energy, which can be harvested to power conventional monitoring
sensors and peripherals installed on bridges, thereby reducing some dependence on non-renewable energy. The highway statistics shows that the average daily vehicles miles travelled in the US is more than 5 billion. This is a massive source of kinetic energy that lies unused in the national transportation network. This study focuses on the design and field testing of a high-power density electromagnetic energy harvester (EMEH) to convert such a kinetic energy into electrical energy for powering ubiquitous sensors installed on transportation infrastructures. The principal investigators have been investigating the design of the EMEH using analytical and finite element simulations, as well as, its laboratory prototype fabrication and testing in the first phase. The proposed EMEH utilizes the innovative concept of creating planar array of large number of small permanent magnets through certain optimization criteria to achieve strong and focused magnetic field in a particular orientation. The proposed EMEH has a compact design, such that it can be integrated into the power circuit of wireless sensor nodes (WSNs) and installed at suitable part of a transportation infrastructure without elaborate wiring. It is capable of continuously charging the rechargeable battery of a WSN, thereby extending the lifespan of the monitoring system, almost, indefinitely. For the next phase of this research, the principal investigators propose the development and field implementation of a larger scale and more compact version of the EMEH with a minimum of 500 mW output power to be installed on selected transportation infrastructures for the evaluation of its energy harvesting efficiency and capability to derive different types of monitoring sensors and peripherals. Three different highway bridges with different fundamental frequencies, ideally between 2Hz to 8Hz, will be selected for the field testing of the EMEH. An acceleration sensor will be used to record the traffic-induced vibration of each bridge during a normal daily traffic that after signal processing is used to measure the fundamental frequency of that bridge. The dynamic characteristics of the proposed EMEH (i.e. tip mass and spring stiffness) will be modified to put it into a resonant condition with the bridge by matching their natural frequencies. The output power will be monitored and used to continuously charge a rechargeable battery powering a wireless sensor. The focus is on the feasibility of the proposed EMEH to power sensors that are used to regularly monitor the structural integrity of materials and components of highway bridges such as acceleration and temperature sensors.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 31 Mar 2021 11:03:44 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1844161</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Energy Harvesting for Self-Powered Sensors for Smart Transportation Infrastructures</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1697940</link>
      <description><![CDATA[While there has been intense focus on ubiquitous sensing of transportation infrastructures, powering sensors and other peripherals by drawing wires from existing utility lines becomes cost-prohibitive and frequently a complex operation. These sensors can be powered by alternative sources of power much more efficiently and at significantly lower costs. Harvesting energy from ambient vibration sources, including traffic induced vibration of transportation infrastructures, is one of the most attractive options for powering sensors on transportation infrastructures. The highway statistics shows that the average daily vehicles miles traveled in the US is more than 5000 million, representing a massive source of kinetic energy that lies unused in the national transportation network. A large portion of this unused kinetic energy is generated by the daily traffic load on highway bridges, pavements and other transportation infrastructures in the form of low- frequency vibration, and it can be effectively harvested to power sensors and monitoring peripherals. The proposed concept of the self-powered sensors relies on the use of existing sensors that could be powered by compact and modular energy harvesters installed in any part of a transportation infrastructure without elaborate wiring. The principal investigators have been investigating the application of electromagnetism in smart transportation infrastructures. The proposed research aims to develop an innovative approach, termed as electromagnetic energy harvesting system (EMEHSs), for energy harvesting from transportation infrastructures. The EMEHS will utilize the innovative concept of creating an array of large number of small permanent magnets through certain optimization criteria to achieve strong and focused magnetic field in a particular orientation. When these magnets are attached to a flexible sub-system and are placed close to copper coils, ambient and traffic induced vibration of the sub-system induces eddy current in copper coils, which can be further amplified by a secondary circuit and can be stored in chargeable batteries. The mass and stiffness of the sub-system can be adjusted such that a low- frequency vibration due to the traffic load can effectively induce the vibration of the sub-system. This vibration can be further amplified by tuning the frequency of the sub-system to resonance condition. A key innovation of the proposed research, as compared to other energy harvesters, will be the optimization of array of permanent magnets and planar shape of the copper coils to maximize harvested energy. Practical and economic feasibility and field implementation of the device on a bridge will also be investigated in this work. Based on detailed numerical simulations and modeling, a larger scale device will be first tested in the laboratory and then will be installed on a bridge to demonstrate the technology and its effectiveness in powering typical monitoring sensors.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 16 Apr 2020 09:05:14 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1697940</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Generalized Adaptation of an Electric-Hydraulic Hybrid 
Drive System</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1371688</link>
      <description><![CDATA[KersTech Vehicle Systems is in the process of creating a hybrid drive system combining a flat format hydraulic motor with an electric motor for energy recapture of vehicle momentum. The initial drive system is targeted at a specific vehicle application. A main component of the drive system being developed is a controller and the associated algorithm. The controller algorithm is a new adaptation of an optimally robust algorithm for model uncertainties and resilience against control feedback gain perturbations. This achieves general performance criteria to secure quadratic optimality with inherent asymptotic stability property together with quadratic dissipative type of disturbance reduction. The control system will be generalized for support of standard vehicle systems deriving a specification for sizing of algorithm parameters, behavior, and basic drive components. The combination of control algorithm, control algorithm implementation, electric-hydraulic hybrid drive will be tested to produce plans for system scaling and generalized application. The end result will be an electric-hydraulic hybrid drive prototype targeted at a specific test platform yet capable of adaptation to any vehicle of a similar weight. Early simulations indicate a 20-30% increase in efficiency over typical electric vehicles (EV) in frequent start-stop drive cycles. This translates into an increase in EV range and runt-ime and potential decrease in battery bank size and cost.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 14 Oct 2015 10:56:11 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1371688</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Improving Conversion of Syngas to Biofuels via Direct Monitoring and Control of CO/H2 in Bioreactors</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1370155</link>
      <description><![CDATA[No summary provided.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 25 Sep 2015 09:30:04 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1370155</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Kinetic-to-Electric Energy Conversion (KEEC)
</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1369872</link>
      <description><![CDATA[In phase I, researchers will evaluate existing piezoelectric generation technologies in the laboratory and through mathematical modeling to optimize placement in pavement. In phase II, project site selections will be made for demonstration and evaluation purposes.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 21 Sep 2015 15:29:38 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1369872</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Integrated Biorefinery Optimization through Biomass Fractionation, Gasification, and Advanced Catalytic Conversion Processes</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1368010</link>
      <description><![CDATA[No summary provided.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 04 Sep 2015 09:53:29 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1368010</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Kinetic-to-Electric Energy Conversion (KEEC)</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1365860</link>
      <description><![CDATA[In phase I, researchers will evaluate existing piezoelectric generation technologies in the laboratory and through mathematical modeling to optimize placement in pavement. In phase II, project site selections will be made for demonstration and evaluation purposes.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 15 Aug 2015 01:00:53 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1365860</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Vibrio Furnissii: A Biotechnology Platform for Biomass Bioconversion</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1363859</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This research project will develop an efficient and economical platform for direct bioconversion of biomass into kerosene and other long-chain alkanes.  The accomplishments have verified oil secretion by D. Hansenii under various conditions and quantified oil secretion by D. Hansenii under various conditions.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 04 Aug 2015 01:01:27 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1363859</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Novel Recoverable Enzyme Nanoparticles for Cellulose Hydrolysis</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1363843</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This research project developed a method to capture and reuse cellulose enzymes to improve ethanol conversion efficiency. Protein nanoparticles with bovine serum albumin were successfully fabricated.  Through variation in concentrations and time, control was demonstrated over nanoparticles size in range of 80 - 500 nm. Initial results show glucose oxidase-manganese peroxidase (MNP) constructs are stable for up to 40 days. Magnetic nanoparticles have begun to synthesize to test size dependence on activity and recoverability.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 04 Aug 2015 01:01:10 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1363843</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Mechanisms of Surfactant Effects on Biomass Conversion</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1363839</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The objective of this research project is to develop a comprehensive understanding (set of parameters) of the mechanisms by which surfactants enhance the enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 04 Aug 2015 01:01:06 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1363839</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Multi-Scale Model of the U.S. Transportation Energy Market for Policy Assessment - Part 1</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1359766</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Our current regulatory scheme for energy may not be viable as we turn to new energy sources including plug-in hybrid vehicles. By understanding the multitude of factors influencing market forces, this project will help assure that the regulatory actions by federal, state and local governments play a positive role in influencing the transportation energy market.  Achievement of federal targets for alternative energy use will require large-scale infrastructure investment in:  - New types of vehicles - Facilities for extraction, refining, and transportation of different alternative fuels - Biofuel feedstock production and transportation facilities - Fuel storage facilities - Fuel supply stations - Research and research facilities necessary to provide technological advances required for alternative fuels to be feasible  The exact type of investment, and the utility and life-span of the resulting infrastructure, is sensitive to a wide variety of dynamic factors, including supply and usage of different alternative fuels, weather fluctuations, production of biofuel feedstocks, prices and supply of traditional fossil fuels, and public perception of environmental concerns. All of these various factors are closely integrated and are ultimately regulated by market forces. Regulatory actions by federal, state and local governments can play a critical role in influencing the transportation energy market, but because of the high degree of interdependency between the various factors that govern this market, it is difficult to predict the market consequences and sensitivity to any given regulatory change. The proposed research will develop an agent-based complex systems model for transportation energy usage. This model is intended to be used for development of optimal regulatory approaches for control of alternative energy usage and infrastructure investment. Two scales of modeling are considered - a city scale, in which the actions of agents represent choices made by individual users, and a national scale, in which agents represent the aggregate population of a town or city and the agent choices are made subject to a probability distribution representative of the choices of the city population.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2015 01:01:17 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1359766</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Alternative Fuels Usage in Maritime Transportation System</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1357226</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The project will consist of two major components: An engineering analysis of vessel characteristics (University of Delaware), and A market assessment of the potential technology, infrastructure and regulatory conditions (Marshall University). The engineering analysis will provide the basis for understanding demand considerations such as volume of fuel, capital investments required for conversion, and necessary savings for feasibility of alternative fuel use. The market analysis will further inform conditions either inhibiting or facilitating market development for alternative fuels, and will employ a survey of key stakeholders, a scan of relevant state and federal policies and regulations, and appropriate case studies from Europe where liguified natural gas/compressed natural gas (LNG/CNG) adoption has taken place. The goals of the project are to: (1) characterize the demand for alternative fuels in maritime shipping (University of Delaware), which includes assessing   fleet volume, technological and engineering requirements for vehicle conversion, and environmental impacts of vessel conversation such as emissions; and (2) characterize the market structure for alternative fuels (Marshall University), including infrastructure for transport, storage and fueling and regulatory and policy considerations. Potential Implementation includes fleet conversion to alternative fuel usage. Expected benefits and impacts include the project informing the feasibility of implementing alternative fuels within Region III for maritime shipping, highlighting barriers to adoption and potential solutions.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2015 01:01:45 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1357226</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>HTML Preparation and 508 Compliance for Two Documents in the FHWA Office of Natural Environment</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1234782</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) Office of Natural Environment has a requirement to convert two developed documents into HTML format and become compliant with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 508), so that they may be posted onto the organization's website. The contractor shall provide all material, equipment, labor, and items necessary to convert the two documents (when combined include 325 pages) into an HTML format and made 508 Compliant by including alternate text for all images, and headings and scopes for all table rows and columns.  Alternate text must be descriptive enough so that anyone unable to view the document gleans the same information as one would from reading the text]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 03 Jan 2013 15:19:16 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1234782</guid>
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