Exploratory Advanced Research Federal Register Notice Seeks Interest, Comments
On July 8, the Federal Register included a notice about the Exploratory Advanced Research (EAR) Program announcing five Exploratory Advanced Research projects that will take place at the Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center (TFHRC). The notice is seeking to encourage interest in the work by organizations or individuals conducting related work or anticipating the results of such work and to solicit comments about the long-term impact of the work on future research, technical innovation, or transportation industry practices. Interested parties are encouraged to provide comments to FHWA Docket No. FHWA-2008-0070 on or before October 6, 2008, in order for FHWA to consider the comments and to plan for coordination of research.
Following is a summary of the five exploratory advanced research proposals FHWA plans to undertake
Properties of Fly Ash in Hydraulic Cement Concrete (HCC) for Pavement Layers and Transportation Structures
This study will explore the attributes of fly ash to understand how it can be utilized in greater quantities.
The outcome of the study could accelerate the identification of technology and innovations to allow the massive use of fly ash from coal-burning that either does not meet current concrete materials specifications or is not used because of practical technical concerns.
Volumetric Particle Image Velocimetry (VPIV) System for experimental Bridge Scour Research
A proposed high resolution VPIV system would allow measurement of instantaneous flow volumes around bridge pier models, leading to more precise scour predictive models. It presently is practically impossible, by means of laboratory experiments, to visualize and to measure the entire instantaneous flow field around a bridge pier.
Flexible Skin Areal Shear Stress and Pressure Sensing System for experimental Bridge Scour Research
This study will explore ways to directly measure instantaneous boundary shear stresses and pressure fields for small scale bridge scour experiments, in order to advance the understanding of bridge scour problems.
The Composite Behavior and the Design Requirements of Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil Structures
This research will seek to understand how geosynthetic reinforcement interacts with compacted soil to allow for more effective and rational design guidance of GRS walls for highway applications. Many engineers have learned there are several fundamental discrepancies between current Material Science Engineering design methodology and the observed behavior of full-scale GRS earthgeosynthetic composite walls (alternating close layers of geosynthetic reinforcement and compacted fill). The research will improve the understanding of reinforced soil technology and support a paradigm shift into GRS technology.
Advanced Digital Imaging for Accident Prevention and Reducing Traffic Congestion
This research would explore extended range imaging techniques from scientific, art and astronomical photography for application to traffic safety and control. Current video imaging has limitations for use in safety, including erroneous early detection, late detection, failed detection and false positive detections. Attempts to resolve these problems by upgrading existing video technologies have not been successful. A radically different approach using advanced digital imaging technologies might provide a foundation on which to build solid reliable detection technologies with radically lower signal-to-noise ratios. This research might provide the foundation for a different approach to wide-area sensing using scientific imaging technologies rather than video-broadcasting technologies.
Important Links
For electronic access to the Federal Register for July 8, 2008
For electronic access to the EAR Federal Register notice or
To review or comment on the docket FHWA-2008-0070
