Over the past five years, researchers at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute developed and implemented a simple and practical indirect tension asphalt cracking test (IDEAL-CT) for use during asphalt balanced mix design and quality control/quality assurance (QC/QA) testing. "Indirect Tension Asphalt Cracking Test: Ensuring Asphalt Mix Designs for Durable Pavements," by Fujie Zhou and Kelly West, is one of the feature articles in the May-June 2023 edition (Issue 345) of  TR News , TRB's magazin...

Life-cycle planning (LCP) is an integral part of the transportation asset management (TAM) framework. LCP is a process that estimates the full cost of managing an asset over its anticipated useful life. It is a practice based on economic and engineering principles to facilitate the development of a life-cycle activity plan for a given asset that balances costs, risks, and expected performance. NCHRP Research Report 1065: Life-Cycle Planning Analysis in a Transportation Asset Management Framework , from T...

Highway infrastructure assets are designed and built to serve long, useful lives. These assets undergo structural aging and degradation driven by traffic and environmental factors, natural and human hazards, and changes in demand and functional use. NCHRP Web-Only Document 365: Implementation of Life-Cycle Planning Analysis in a Transportation AssetManagement Framework , from TRB's National Cooperative Highway Research Program, develops a framework to perform life-cycle planning and is supplemental to NC...

NCHRP Web-Only Document 367: Postwar Commercial Properties and Section 106: Piloting the Methodology for Evaluating Historic Significance , from TRB's National Cooperative Highway Research Program, provides a guide for practitioners to better understand how to evaluate post-World War II commercial properties for National Register of Historic Places eligibility for transportation projects in compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. The document is supplemental to NCH...

Just as postwar houses and subdivisions are increasingly being considered for eligibility for listing in the National Register of Historic Places, so too are the commercial properties that stand alongside suburban and exurban roadways. Despite the large number of postwar commercial properties, very little guidance exists on how to consistently evaluate the potential significance of these properties. NCHRP Research Report 1067: Postwar Commercial Properties and Section 106: A Methodology for Evaluating Hi...

The recent COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the significant consequences that can result from disruptions in supply chains. The massive disruptions that occurred because of the pandemic were the result of a “perfect storm” from several events. From panic buying to increases in demand for goods and e-commerce from home-bound consumers, to stalled port operations, and labor shortages, disruptions can cause ripple effects throughout the economy and severely impact individual pocketbooks and stress levels relat...

Unemployment, low wages, poverty, and lack of affordable housing are the main drivers of an increasing homeless population throughout the U.S. in recent years. Transit agencies are being impacted by homelessness. While transit agencies cannot address the underlying causes of homelessness, there are opportunities to work with local partners to be a part of helping individuals in need, while providing a safe, reliable, and customer-friendly experience for all riders. TCRP Research Report 242: Homelessness:...

As freight transportation volumes have grown rapidly—further spurred by pandemic-driven e-commerce growth—state departments of transportation (DOTs) have become increasingly reliant on probe data to monitor freight infrastructure performance, manage demand, and understand freight infrastructure needs. NCHRP Synthesis 611: Use of Probe Data for Freight Planning and Operations , from TRB's National Cooperative Highway Research Program, documents current state DOT practices regarding the use of probe data i...

Five welding processes are approved within AASHTO and the American Welding Society's bridge welding code for the fabrication of steel highway bridges. Each of these processes produce heat-affected zones (HAZs) of varying size and severity in the steel. NCHRP Research Report 1056: Toughness Requirements for Heat-Affected Zones of Welded Structural Steels for Highway Bridges , from TRB's National Cooperative Highway Research Program, presents proposed requirements for the toughness of HAZs of welded struct...

Turf and vegetation management practices differ at airports because of each airport’s unique terrain, geography, and vegetation. Although there is some guidance from the Federal Aviation Administration on airside applications for artificial turf, information on the means, methods, techniques, and practices airports use to manage airfield turf and vegetation is sparse. ACRP Synthesis 128: Airfield Turf and Vegetation Management Practices , from TRB's Airport Cooperative Research Program, documents airfiel...