U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590
202-366-4000
Federal Highway Administration Research and Technology
Coordinating, Developing, and Delivering Highway Transportation Innovations
| CATALOG |
| This catalog is an archived publication and may contain dated technical, contact, and link information |
| Publication Number: FHWA-HRT-15-024 Date: December 2014 |
Publication Number:
FHWA-HRT-15-024
Date: December 2014 |
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NOTICEThis document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Transportation in the interest of information exchange. The U. S. Government assumes no liability for the use of the information contained in this document. This report does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. QUALITY ASSURANCE STATEMENTThe Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) provides high-quality information to serve Government, industry, and the public in a manner that promotes public understanding. Standards and policies are used to ensure and maximize the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of its information. FHWA periodically reviews quality issues and adjusts its programs and processes to ensure continuous quality improvement. |
The Exploratory Advanced Research (EAR) Program addresses the need for longer term, higher risk research with the potential for long-term improvements to transportation systems—improvements in planning, building, renewing, and operating safe, congestion-free, and environmentally sound transportation facilities. The EAR Program seeks to leverage advances in science and engineering that could lead to breakthroughs for critical current and emerging issues in highway transportation—where there is a community of experts from different disciplines who likely have the talent and interest in researching solutions and who likely would not do so without EAR Program funding.
Broad scientific participation and extensive coverage of advanced ideas and new technologies are secured by engaging stakeholders throughout the EAR Program’s processes—not only in identifying and scoping topics, but also in ensuring the technical quality of sponsored research through expert panels and in communicating research results.
This catalog of results documents the output of that effort, a critical link in the chain of research, development, and deployment of new technology and practices necessary for the United States to have the best transportation system in the world for decades to come.
The EAR Program focuses investments in areas where changes in science and engineering can dramatically lead towards making the highway system safer, more durable, and more efficient:
The results of EAR Program–funded projects may include new fundamental insights and how they can be applied in highway transportation; new research methods, models, or data that can accelerate applied research; or new system concepts or prototypes, including laboratory testing and possibly limited field testing. The program does not fund projects through commercialization or deployment. Rather, results must be taken up by the research community, with the support of other funding sources. FHWA is committed to transitioning the results of EAR Program-funded projects and takes an active role in demonstrating results to audiences critical to continuing the research and development cycle.
Through eight solicitations, the EAR Program has awarded 75 projects (36 of which are ongoing as of September 2014) involving both government and academic researchers. These projects represent the investment of $72 million in FHWA funds and leverage $26 million in matching funds. Additional projects will be funded in 2015. The following pages contain summary descriptions of the results of selected recently completed research investigations.
