Advancing Rail Infrastructure Asset Management and Hazard Mitigation: Educational Tools and Practitioner Decision Support Systems

As rail infrastructure ages and faces intensifying system stressors (e.g., flooding, icing, and extreme heat), agencies need to identify pathways to enhance the durability and operational reliability of their physical assets. However, there is a significant gap in available training material regarding Rail Infrastructure Asset Management (IAM) for both university students and current practitioners. Building upon the researcher’s ongoing research into adaptive capacity and international rail best practices, this project will translate rigorous research findings into accessible educational and research tools and practical decision-support systems. The project focuses on three primary technology transfer and workforce development initiatives: (1) Interactive Rail Asset Management Platform: The team will develop a web-based, interactive learning module (utilizing platforms such as Tigyog) targeting students and practitioners. This resource will cover the principles of IAM, condition assessment, and decision-making under uncertainty. It will feature "gamified" scenarios and narrative case studies drawn from the team's research, contrasting infrastructure failures (e.g., the East Palestine, Ohio derailment) with successful engineering adaptations (e.g., the Shinkansen automatic braking systems in Japan). Users will engage with a "build-your-own" asset management framework to apply these concepts in real-time. (2) University Teaching Packets: To address the lack of specialized rail engineering curricula, the team will create comprehensive teaching modules for instructors. These packets will draw from the team's six-country comparative analysis (U.S., Australia, Spain, Japan, Ghana, Argentina), providing lecture slides, assignment materials, and case-study evaluations. Topics will focus on identifying key asset vulnerabilities, institutional barriers to maintenance, and successful infrastructure hardening strategies. (3) Practitioner Decision Matrix: The team will develop a "Rail Hazard Mitigation Decision Matrix" for state agencies and rail operators. This tool will synthesize data on geographic hazards, system ownership models, and cost-benefit ratios to help managers prioritize physical infrastructure improvements.

• Record URL:
  • https://ncst.ucdavis.edu/project/advancing-rail-infrastructure-asset-management-and-hazard-mitigation-educational-tools-and

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $120,000.00
• Contract Numbers:

  DOT 69A3552348319

  DOT 69A3552344814

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590

  National Center for Sustainable Transportation

  University of California, Davis
  Davis, CA  United States 

  Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta

  790 Atlantic Drive
  Atlanta, GA  United States  30332-0355
• Managing Organizations:

  National Center for Sustainable Transportation

  University of California, Davis
  Davis, CA  United States 

  University of California, Davis

  1 Shields Ave
  Davis, California  United States  95616

  Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta

  790 Atlantic Drive
  Atlanta, GA  United States  30332-0355
• Project Managers:

  Cliff, Sydney

• Performing Organizations:

  National Center for Sustainable Transportation

  University of California, Davis
  Davis, CA  United States 

  Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta

  790 Atlantic Drive
  Atlanta, GA  United States  30332-0355
• Principal Investigators:

  Garrett, Adair

• Start Date: 20260401
• Expected Completion Date: 20270331
• Actual Completion Date: 0
• USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Asset management; Best practices; Decision support systems; Education and training; Maintenance of way; Railroad transportation
• Subject Areas: Education and Training; Maintenance and Preservation; Planning and Forecasting; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01985466
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: National Center for Sustainable Transportation
• Contract Numbers: DOT 69A3552348319, DOT 69A3552344814
• Files: UTC, RIP
• Created Date: Apr 12 2026 11:25PM