Upcoming Research
Second Round of Exploratory Advanced Research Being Solicited
The Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA’s) Office of Corporate Research, Technology, and Innovation Management is pursuing 10 additional topics with an estimated Federal investment of $6 million. FHWA considered 39 topics based on investigative research and scanning for breakthrough technologies within and outside areas of transportation. These topics were identified with partners during scanning and convening activities then peer reviewed by over 60 independent experts with national or international reputation, with the final selection based primarily on (a) scientific or technical merit, (b) relevance and importance to FHWA, and (c) partnership.
FHWA is developing partnerships through a combination of contracting methods, including soliciting for partners through a Broad Agency Announcement (an open competition with proposals due in June and awards in September 2008) posted on FedBizOps. Five topics leverage expertise and facilities at the Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center (TFHRC) and one topic leverages an existing public-private partnership.
Of the 10 topics, 2 support reduced congestion. One supports research in predicting societal and complex natural systems. Three support research in the next generation of pedestrian and driver safety. Four topics support research in next generation solutions to build, maintain, and manage future highways.
For more information, contact David Kuehn, david.kuehn@fhwa.dot.gov, (202) 493-3414, or Terry Halkyard, terry.halkyard@fhwa.dot.gov, (202) 493-3467.
Current Research
The EAR Program funds exploratory advanced research across the range of issues that are critical to the transportation industry including
Exploratory advanced research includes foundational work that anticipates the questions and future needs in applied research or the application of innovations from other industries to the transportation sector.
Under SAFETEA-LU, the FHWA strives to develop partnerships with the public and private sectors. Further, the nature of exploratory advanced research stimulates the use of partnerships to apply ideas across traditional field of research and engage new approaches to problem solving. Accordingly, FHWA has and will continue to seek research partners through extensive outreach. FHWA wants to ensure all competent entities are aware of the solicitation and have an opportunity to compete for the work.
In order to ensure the highest technical merit, FHWA has and plans to continue to use peer review panels to evaluate solicitations. The panels are comprised of federal, state, academic and international scientific and engineering experts who are vetted to avoid potential conflicts of interest. The panels frequently include multiple disciplines to better assess cross-applications and novel approaches to research. In addition to the peer review, a multi-disciplinary management group within FHWA also assesses the mission focus and overall balance of projects within a round of research funding.
Focus Area: Predicting Societal and Complex Natural Systems
| Project Title and Short Description |
Partners |
Status |
Modeling the Urban Continuum in an Integrated Framework: Location Choice, Activity-Travel Behavior, and Dynamic Traffic Patterns - This project constitutes a comprehensive attempt to develop and demonstrate an integrated simulation approach that incorporates the land use patterns, dynamic travel behavior, and dynamic traffic patterns of urban systems modeling. Land use microsimulation models that attempt to simulate market dynamics (location choices) in the land sector, activity-travel behavior models that attempt to simulate the activity-travel patterns of individuals and vehicles along the continuous time axis, and dynamic traffic assignment models that attempt to simulate network dynamics and performance in real time, are key elements of this effort. |
Arizona State University with the University of Arizona and the University of Washington |
Underway with anticipated completion in 2011 |
Focus Area: Next Generation Solutions to Build, Maintain and Manage Future Highways
| Project Title and Short Description |
Partners |
Status |
Nondestructive Evaluation (NDE) for corrosion detection in reinforced concrete structures incorporating time-resolved thermography combined with three-dimensional (3-D) microwave Imaging—Corrosion of steel reinforcements is the main cause of damage and early failure of reinforced concrete structures in civil engineering. An objective, spatially resolved, and rapid corrosion inspection method could lead to cost savings of billions of dollars worldwide through the detection of corroded reinforcement in concrete at an early stage. To overcome difficulties with conventional inspection techniques, a benchmark project focuses on the promising technique of time-resolved thermography with induction heating combined with 3-D microwave imaging. [More] |
National Research Council Research Associate
|
Underway with anticipated completion in 2010
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Development of Stiffness Measuring Device for Foot Pad Roller Sensor for Pavements – The aim is to develop a measurement approach to determine mechanistic soil properties (e.g. stiffness, modulus) continuously in real time during static compaction of fine and mixed grain soils with a pad-foot roller compactor. |
Colorado School of Mines, Division of Engineering with Caterpillar Inc. and other roller manufacturers |
Underway |
High Performance Stress-Relaxing Cementitious Composites for Crack Free Pavements and Transportation Structures – The research is attempting a crosscutting and bold approach to address the issue of cracking in concrete pavements and structures. The research study proposes new concepts to prevent or reduce cracks, which are a major problem in portland cement concrete. If successful, the project can point the way to a new use of nano- to microscale inclusions in the concrete to enable it to relax a little under stress, thus reducing harmful cracking in concrete pavements. |
Texas A&M University, Texas Transportation Institute |
Underway with anticipated completion in 2009 |
Development and Demonstration of System-Based Monitoring Approaches for Improved infrastructure Management Under Uncertainty – This research will develop a novel integrated framework for improved infrastructure management, using novel sensing technologies, deterioration models, and decisionmaking tools. |
University of Central Florida with Lehigh University and Florida DOT |
Underway with completion anticipated in 2010 |
Focus Area: Next Generation Solutions for System Operations and Reducing Congestion
| Project Title and Short Description |
Partners |
Status |
Next Generation of Smart Traffic Signals – A self-adaptive traffic signal system that observes (through camera and other sensors) the traffic in the network, predicts the traffic demands and conditions, and sets phase durations to optimize an objective specified by the jurisdiction. |
University of Arizona ATLAS Center with City of Tucson and Maricopa County |
Underway |
Development and Evaluation of Selected Mobility Applications for VII – Research will design, test, and evaluate three innovative ways of using wireless communication capabilities from VII to improve mobility. |
California PATH Program with Caltrans |
Underway |
Intelligent Multi-Sensor Measurements to Enhance Vehicle Navigation and Safety Systems – This research aims to develop an accurate, robust, and reliable vehicle positioning system capable of providing accurate high-update-rate lane-level measurements for future navigation and control (safety) systems. |
Auburn University GPS and Vehicle Dynamics Lab with IBEO Automobile Sensors |
Underway with anticipated completion in 2010 |
Intersection Control For Autonomous Vehicles – Research will consider the impact of autonomous vehicles on urban traffic infrastructure, specifically at intersections. The aim is to dramatically decrease time wasted at intersections and increase vehicle throughput on roads. |
University of Texas at Austin |
Underway |
Focus Area: Next Generation Pedestrian and Driver Safety
| Project Title and Short Description |
Partners |
Status |
Layered Object Recognition System for Pedestrian Collision Sensing – Research will develop a real-time, in-vehicle, vision-only system that detects moving or stationary pedestrians on sidewalks and along roadways with high accuracy and a very low false alarm rate. |
Sarnoff Corporation with AutoLiv Electronics America |
Underway |
Increased Understanding of Driver Visibility Requirements – Research will develop a rational theoretical framework for determining the quantity and quality of visual information needed by drivers to navigate the roadway safely and effectively. |
SAIC with NIST and Texas Transportation Institute |
Underway |
