Researchers at Colorado State University developed and applied a methodology for performing a complete structural analysis of transportation infrastructure elements, moving from digital images, acquired from either hand-held cameras or uncrewed aircraft systems, through several image processing schemes into a finite element analysis of representative structures.
Several heat-related illnesses can affect workers. Some of the symptoms are non-specific. This means that when a worker is performing physical labor in a warm environment, any unusual symptom can be a sign of overheating.
Researchers at Utah State University studied the performance of concrete panels with embedded inductive charging systems in early near full-scale testing to learn how the panels performed under thermal stress from the charging system and load stresses from traffic.
Research at Colorado State University is a step toward improving models for simulating and representing the threats of natural hazards such as floods, landslides, and debris flows on transportation infrastructure.
With the increasing adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), particularly in rapidly growing regions like metropolitan areas, efficient deployment of charging infrastructure is critical to avoid overloading the power grid and to meet the charging needs of EV users. Researchers at the University of Utah developed a framework capable of modeling the spatiotemporal distribution of public charging demand and provide practical support for future public charger installations.
Drivers will be less likely to experience bumps at the ends of bridges thanks to research at the University of Utah into the settlement and heaving of soils used in bridge embankments. Laboratory tests were performed on compacted specimens of 10 embankment materials specified by the Utah Department of Transportation using both standard-size and large-scale equipment.
Researchers at the University of Colorado Denver developed a low-cost, scalable solution for real-time monitoring of roadway conditions, reducing traditional inspection costs from $429 per mile to near zero by utilizing GPS and smartphone sensors in vehicles.
Research at the University of Colorado Denver found that paratransit trips experience more inefficient travel times than an equivalent car trip. Paratransit is assumed to be an effective door-to-door service that enables people with disabilities to travel easily. However, when using the standard benchmark of car travel as a comparison, the research shows that paratransit often fails those with disabilities.
Wes Marshall, CTIPS director for the University of Colorado Denver, continues to garner press attention for his 2024 book, Killed by a Traffic Engineer: Shattering the Delusion that Science Underlies our Transportation System. Marshall was recently interviewed by Flora Lichtman for Science Friday, a program that airs on more than 500 public radio stations across the United States. Marshall’s interview aired April 18.
The University of North Dakota steel bridge team recently qualified for the Student Steel Bridge Competition National Finals to be held May 30-31 at Iowa State University in Ames. The team is advised by Sattar Dorafshan, CTIPS director for UND.
Arman Malekloo, a Ph.D. student at the University of Utah, has been named a 2025 Lifesavers Traffic Safety Scholar, one of only 29 students across the United States selected through a competitive application process. The honor gave him the opportunity to attend the Lifesavers Conference on Roadway Safety in Long Beach, California.
In this newsletter you will find a follow up to the article in the last issue on the bills before the N.D. Legislature geared toward impaired driving and traffic safety, along with related issues. In addition to two articles on judicial wellness, the usual crash statistics, case law, resources, and training sections are also included.
Light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensors are critical for autonomous vehicles that require unparalleled depth sensing. However, traditional LiDAR designs face significant challenges, including high costs and bulky configurations, limiting scalability and mass-market adoption.
New high-resolution computational fluid dynamics simulations are providing insights into the tremendous forces that cause semi-trucks and other high-profile vehicles to topple during high-wind events.
Asphalt paving safety generally includes three major areas. These areas are general heavy equipment precautions, precautions for paving operations, and treatment in the case of an accident or emergency.
Research at Colorado State University shows that action-conveying and emotionally motivated signs are more effective at influencing pedestrian safety and decision-making at railroad crossings.
Researchers at North Dakota State University improved commercial vehicle weight monitoring accuracy by more than 90% by combining traditional weigh-in-motion systems with machine learning techniques and advanced sensor data to integrate information on temperature fluctuations, pavement surface conditions, and vehicle dynamics.
Researchers at Colorado State University have developed an automated pothole detection tool, which combines visible and thermal images to reliably identify potholes under various conditions, particularly in regions with challenging weather.
Researchers at Colorado State University studied various approaches to eco-driving in connected autonomous vehicles to learn how best to evaluate the methods for energy economy. Eco-driving is a strategy designed to reduce fuel consumption by minimizing accelerations and unnecessary braking events.
Bridges are an integral and important part of road networks, but monitoring their condition using traditional methods is expensive, dangerous, and laborious. This study examines the rapidly emerging field of drone-based transportation asset monitoring, focusing on analyzing the cost efficiency and effectiveness of drone applications in bridge condition monitoring.
Research at South Dakota State University shows that plastic from used water bottles can be turned into microfibers and used to improve the performance of asphalt.
Good housekeeping is an effective way to eliminate potential hazards in the workplace. Good housekeeping practices involve material management and storage throughout your entire workplace. It also includes a material flow plan to ensure minimal handling.
Brady Haussler, NDDOT engineer and supervisor of UGPTI’s Department of Transportation Support Center recently received the Young Engineer of the Year Award from Chapter 4 of the N.D. Society of Professional Engineers. The Award recognizes outstanding educational and engineering achievements & professional, technical, civic and humanitarian activities.
The exponential growth of patent datasets poses a significant challenge in filtering relevant documents for research and innovation. Traditional semantic search methods based on keywords often fail to capture the complexity and variability in multidisciplinary terminology, leading to inefficiencies.
Cybersecurity challenges are increasing in the rail industry because of constant technological evolution that includes the Internet of Things, blockchains, automation, and artificial intelligence. Consequently, many railroads and supply chain stakeholders have implemented strategies and practices to address these challenges. However, the pace of cybersecurity implementation in the railroad industry is slow even as cyberthreats escalate. This study uniquely integrates bibliometric analysis with a systematic literature review to provide a holistic view of cybersecurity trends in rail freight.
Research at Utah State University suggests that travelers who adjust their travel behavior in response to area-wide pollution do so as a "risk averse" reaction rather than for "altruistic" reasons.
In this issue of the newsletter you will find an article about the current North
Dakota Legislative Session; an article on changes to the Impaired Driving Task Force, and an article on the best quotes, ideas and snippets from the 2024 newsletter volumes. The usual crash statistics, case law, resources, and training sections are also included.
With pedestrian injuries and fatalities increasing, researchers at Utah State University studied pedestrian and traffic behavior near transit stops to develop recommendations for locating, designing, and operating transit stops to improve both pedestrian safety and traffic operations at signalized intersections.
An uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV)-based system developed by researchers at Colorado State University is a step toward a cost-saving system that is more efficient and reliable for vibrations of bridges and other structures that are key indicators of structural health.
Researchers at Colorado State University developed a resilience-based framework that significantly improves recovery planning for transportation networks after earthquakes. The methodology integrates both traffic efficiency and safety.
Research at South Dakota State University could lead to new, less-damaging products and procedures for keeping roads and runways ice free. Chloride-based deicers are essential for ensuring road safety in cold seasons.
Researchers at Utah State University have developed a non-proprietary ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) mix that will be at least 50% less expensive than proprietary mixes.
Researchers at the University of Colorado Denver examined bridge beams reinforced with ultra-high performance concrete and carbon fiber reinforced polymer to determine how they perform under a combination of stresses such as cyclical structural loading and high temperatures.
Researchers with the Center for Transformative Infrastructure Preservation and Sustainability will present nearly 50 research papers at the 104th annual meeting of the Transportation Research Board (TRB) in Washington, D.C. January 5-9.
Ryan Jones, a Ph.D. student in Transportation and Logistics at North Dakota State University, has been named the 2024 Student of the Year for the Center for Transformative Infrastructure Preservation and Sustainability (CTIPS). He will be honored with other award winners from across the country during an awards ceremony January 4 in Washington, D.C.
In early research on infrastructure-embedded power systems for electric vehicles, researchers at Utah State University studied concrete slabs embedded with electric power systems to determine their durability.
This study systematically reviews the global SSB patent landscape using a cross-sectional bibliometric and thematic analysis to identify innovations addressing key technical challenges. The study classifies innovations into key problem and solution areas by meticulously examining 244 patents across multiple dimensions, including year, geographic distribution, inventor engagement, award latency, and technological focus.
Researchers at South Dakota State University found that a combination of steel slag and steel chips, two common steel byproducts, can help reduce the levels of E. coli and phosphorus in storm runoff water from transportation infrastructure and other areas.
Yun Zhou, Kimberly Vachal, Kelly Bengtson, Del Peterson, Kshitij Sharma, and Andrew Kubas This study was aimed at understanding winter truck crashes, given the prominence of commercial vehicle travel in the region’s economy. Truck mobility was studied in the Safe System context with an investigation into North Dakota’s primary east-west traffic corridor along Interstate 94.
Researchers at the University of Colorado Denver and Colorado State University have developed computer models that will help decision-makers, such as highway agency staff and building owners and managers, allocate limited financial resources in ways that will most effectively extend the lives of structures such as bridges and buildings.
Researchers at Utah State University examined how the vital connections between bridge components used in accelerated bridge construction react to vehicle impacts and how those impacts affect any subsequent earthquake activity.
Researchers at the University of Utah developed a repair technique that will reduce maintenance costs and sustain the safety of bridges that are suffering from delamination of their concrete bridge decks.
Carbon monoxide, more commonly referred to as CO, is a highly toxic gas, produced by devices that burn fuels – often found in our everyday lives. Carbon monoxide can’t be seen, smelled, or heard, but can be extremely dangerous to humans. Carbon monoxide is only detectable with an electronic carbon monoxide sensor.
Solid-state batteries (SSBs) offer significant improvements in safety, energy density, and cycle life over conventional lithium-ion batteries, with promising applications in electric vehicles and grid storage due to their non-flammable electrolytes and high-capacity lithium metal anodes.
In this issue of the newsletter you will find an article about Adult Treatment Court Best Practice Standards as well as Addressing Addiction with Evidence-Based
Solutions. The usual crash statistics, case law, resources, and training sections are also included.
Researchers at the University of Colorado Denver studied timber bridges as well as computer models to determine how two common load rating methods are related.
Researchers at Utah State University studied the connections between steel reinforcement bars embedded in concrete bridges to help bridge designers improve designs for accelerated bridge construction. The construction technique cuts construction time and costs, reduces risk for workers and the traveling public, improves quality assurance, and is more environmentally friendly.
With winter weather comes snow fighting and with snow fighting comes fatigue. Unpredictable weather can lead to long difficult hours on the road with few breaks and little sleep. However, there are several things agencies and drivers can do to make sure crews are in good shape to combat Old Man Winter, maintain our roads, and get home safely.
Utah State University researchers developed a protective coating to safeguard bridge decks overlaid with polymer concrete, a material that is seeing an increased use because of its high bond strength, short curing times, good resistance to water and chlorine penetration, and excellent skid and abrasion resistance.
UGPTI hosted North Dakota’s first autonomous trucking conference, Autonomous Trucking in North Dakota: Prospects and Challenges, October 16-17, 2024 in Bismarck, ND. The more than 120 attendees included stakeholders from trucking and autonomous vehicle industries, technical experts, highway safety specialists, enforcement personnel, regulatory agency staff, local and tribal government staff and researchers.
Researchers at the University of Wyoming developed a system for establishing passing zones on rural two-lane highways that is more accurate and more efficient that an existing outdated system. The two-vehicle system uses vehicle-to-vehicle communication, video technology, GPS, speed data and machine vision systems to establish passing and no-passing zones.
Researchers at the University of Utah are developing accurate ways of modeling the seismic performance of bridges constructed using accelerated bridge construction techniques that enhance construction quality and speed.
In this issue of the North Dakota Impaired Driving Newsletter we feature the traffic safety partner showcase, continue discussion on plea agreements, and discuss preventing addiction before it starts. Also, review the summer ND Impaired Driving
Conference and include a list of upcoming training and events along with a training resource listing.
Employees encounter risks and hazards to injuring their hands more than they are aware of at their workplace. A statistic from NDACo – 20% of all Highway Department claims involve the hands. How are they injuring their hands?
Research at Utah State University will help guide programs designed to change travel behaviors in a way that will improve air quality. The research provides insight into people’s perceptions of air pollution and how they change (or do not change) their travel behavior in response to episodes of area-wide poor air quality.
Researchers at Utah State University are taking advantage of novel pedestrian push-button traffic signal data to advance pedestrian traffic monitoring and improve pedestrian traffic safety.
North Dakota State University researchers studied walkability on the Fort Totten Indian Reservation to improve pedestrian safety and mobility. In many Native American communities, walking is a significant form of mobility to reach destinations such as schools, stores, parks, and post offices.
Research at Utah State University provides a roadmap for standardizing connected and autonomous vehicle (CAV) crash reporting practices across the United States.
Jeremy Mattson and Dilip Mistry Public transportation plays a fundamental role in the livability of communities of all sizes. The Rural Transit Fact Book provides information on transit service availability and cost to help the transit industry in the United States provide efficient and effective service to meet rural community mobility needs.
Research at North Dakota State University’s Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute shows that a parent advisory letter can be an effective tool for improving teen driver safety.
Jeremy Mattson and Jill Hough This study examines rural transit needs for Jaunt. The objective is to quantify the need for transit services in each of Jaunt's partner jurisdictions. Recommendations and cost estimates are provided.
Safe + Sound Week is a nationwide event held each August that recognizes the successes of workplace health and safety programs and offers information and ideas on how to keep America's workers safe. This year Safe + Sound Week will provide resources for businesses on Job Hazard Analysis (JHA). These materials will be posted before the start of Safe + Sound Week. Please check back soon!
Blind spots behind and around vehicles are not immediately obvious to employees on foot. By training employees on where those blind spots are and how to avoid being in them, employers can prevent some back over incidents.
On July 15, Dr. Chris Pantelides discussed research related to using FRP composites in new bridge structures. Capacity degradation in RC components of existing bridges occurs in harsh weather conditions when corroded steel reinforcement expands, which causes subsequent strength losses in concrete through the development of cracking and spalling.
UGPTI recently partnered with WDAY radio to produce a series of truck safety public service announcements to be broadcast on WDAY affiliates, including its American Ag Network stations, across North Dakota.
The benefits of autonomous trucking to the state and the challenges faced in implementing the technology will be key topics of the North Dakota Autonomous Trucking Conference to be held in Bismarck, October 16-17.
The Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute (UGPTI) has built a web-based traffic data analysis tool. This traffic analysis tool uses existing traffic signal control devices to collect data 24 hours per day, seven days per week, and 365 days per year. The primary purpose of this pilot project was to develop the agency-to-UGPTI connections and build a compatible traffic analysis tool database for the Bismarck-Mandan MPO to collect data from intersections operated / maintained by City of Bismarck.
A new bridge beam design performed well in tests conducted by researchers at Colorado State University. The analysis they used can be applied to design and assess other similar bridge beam designs.
The project, led by UGPTI Director Denver Tolliver, focuses on accelerating the deployment of autonomous trucks in rural areas and also supported by funding from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. The project was recently featured in outreach by NDSU’s Office of Research and Creative Activity.
Researchers at Utah State University are using data collected during a 2020 earthquake near Salt Lake City to help improve models used to design earthquake resistant transportation infrastructure.
Monday, July 15, 2024: 10-11 a.m. Central Time. This research is related to using FRP composites in new bridge structures. Capacity degradation in RC components of existing bridges occurs in harsh weather conditions when corroded steel reinforcement expands, which causes subsequent strength losses in concrete through the development of cracking and spalling.
An extreme heat event is a series of hot days, much hotter than average for a particular time and place. Extreme heat is deadly and kills more people than any other weather event. Climate change is making extreme heat events more frequent, more severe and last longer. But we can take action to prepare. Prepare now to protect yourself and your employees.
On June 12, 2024, Molly Wagner and Manish Skirgaokar, Ph.D. conducted a webinar discussing their findings from MPC research. One objective is to understand how attributes of transportation infrastructure impact the daily mobility of people with disabilities. A second is to understand how the implementation and management of transportation assets impact the accessibility of travel for people with disabilities.
