NCDOT Research and Development Overview Current as of May 2020 - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

NCDOT Research and Development Overview Current as of May 2020

NCDOT Research Overview Covered in this Presentation NCDOT Research and Development Program Basics Finding Completed Research National Activities Successful and Ongoing Projects How you can be involved! 2

NCDOT Research Overview NCDOT Research Program Basics 3

Brief NCDOT Research Overview Research and Development Office Roles Contract Research with In-house research and Universities and implementation efforts Consultants with business units NCDOT Research National Research Library and reference Coordination services (documents, AASHTO, TRB, NCHRP, research etc) Pooled Funds https://connect.ncdot.gov/projects/research/Pages/default.aspx 4

Brief NCDOT Research Overview Why do we conduct research? Improve Planning, Support NCDOT Engineering and Operations and Business Practices Maintenance Activities Why? Produce Innovative Develop relationships Usable Products and with researchers Processes 5

What do we research? (pretty much anything involving transportation) 6

Brief NCDOT Research Overview Who conducts research? Universities Consultants 7

NCDOT Research Overview Annual Research Program Match NCDOT research needs with expertise at universities and transportation research centers Initiate ~20 - 30 new projects per year More than 100 active research projects and programs Nearly all NCDOT activities are eligible for research funding 8

NCDOT Research Overview Annual Research Program Goals Improve NCDOT Planning, Engineering and Business Practices Support NCDOT Operations and Maintenance Activities Conduct research that can be implemented Develop relationships with researchers so they understand the needs and operations of NCDOT to maximize research benefits 9

NCDOT Research Overview Annual Program FAQ Who typically Who decides on How long does it submits Research what projects are take for an Idea to Needs? funded? become a project? Typically 1 Anyone at NCDOT, year from with manager close of approval solicitation NCDOT selects all projects through period* a multi step *Contingency University process funds are researchers in coordination with available for DOT business rapid / off cycle units needs 10

NCDOT Research Overview Annual Program FAQ (2) How long do What types of How are Research Projects are Projects Projects Last? common? managed? Laboratory / Field Research Unit Testing and Analysis handles fiscal and Variable contract portion 2 years is Policy / Practice / typical, can Design Steering Committee reviews be as short as technical content Best Practice 6 months or Synthesis as long as 3 Committee Chair is years often the idea Etc, etc. submitter 11

Brief NCDOT Research Overview Project Selection Oversight Research and Development Unit Oversees Overall Program Research Subcommittees Review and Recommend Proposals for Solicits Ideas Funding Environmental Research Executive Committee Research Engineers Structures and Geotech Approves Work Program Manage Projects Pavement, Materials, Maintenance Senior Executives Planning, Policy and Transit Management Coordinate all Traffic, Mobility and Safety Activities 12

Brief NCDOT Research Overview Universities Engaged in Research Appalachian State* UNC-Charlotte* East Carolina* UNC-Greensboro Elizabeth City State* UNC-Wilmington* Fayetteville State* Indiana State* NC A&T* Michigan State* NC Central* Virginia Tech* NC State* Central Florida* UNC-Asheville* Illinois UNC-Chapel Hill* Auburn * Master Agreements Current Research 13

Brief NCDOT Research Overview How is Research Funded? State Planning and Research (SPR) Part B Federal Grants State Project Funds Federal Project Funds 14

Brief NCDOT Research Overview Research Program Annual Timeline May-June Solicit Research Ideas from DOT and Universities July-August May-July Research Ideas Evaluated by Research Projects Start August 1 Committees March-May September-October FHWA Reviews Final Partner Universities Program Develop Proposals November-December February Proposals Evaluated by Award Notifications Research Committees December-January Executive Committee Review 15

NCDOT Research Overview Technical Assistance Need a quick hit project? Lab testing? White paper writing? Survey conducted? Try our technical assistance program Easily contract with Limited to 80 hours of Managed by ITRE expertise across the state investigator time 16

Brief NCDOT Research Overview Implementation and Technology Transfer (T 2 ) What is • Moving completed state and national research into practice. Implementation? • Training How is this • Workshops accomplished? • Development Why is this program • Assist NCDOT in using research important? products and processes. 17

NCDOT Research Overview Finding Completed Research 18

NCDOT Research Overview NCDOT Web Resources https://connect.ncdot.gov/projects/research/Pages/default.aspx Research Forms Quarterly Newsletter Current and Past Projects and Reports are Online Easiest way to find us: Go to google and search for “NCDOT Research” 19

NCDOT Research Overview Online Transportation Report Research Resources NCDOT Project Page • https://connect.ncdot.gov/projects/planning/Pages/ProjectSearch.aspx TRID Transportation Research Database • Largest of it’s kind in the world • https://trid.trb.org/ Google Scholar • It’s Google, so you know there is a lot of data • https://scholar.google.com/ 20

Brief NCDOT Research Overview Research Library Services (If you need help finding anything) Located in Century Center, Building B On-staff Librarian, Lamara Williams-Jones, provides reference and research services Many engineering and transportation related books, journals, specs and other documents Historical information to the 1920s Board of Transportation Minutes Online Catalog: http://ncgov.nccardinal.org/eg/opac/home 21

NCDOT Research Overview National Research Activities 22

NCDOT Research Overview National Initiatives Research Advisory Committee Long-Term Pavement Performance Study Representative Pooled Fund – NCDOT Coordinator for NCHRP Manager Pooled Funds National Representative 23

NCDOT Research Overview Transportation Research Board (TRB) http://www.trb.org/Main/Home.aspx Annual Meeting Brings Create a MyTRB count Largest Organization of together 12,000 and become a Committee Transportation practitioners, researchers Friend or Member to stay Professionals in the and policy makers. on top of technical Attendance is free to NCDOT World. Part of NASEM* developments employees Hundreds of journals and Free webinars! articles free to download Sign up for free topical These often include PDHs with your DOT email newsletters and you can subscribe to address. Hard copies notifications by topic available as needed. *National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine 24

NCDOT Research Overview NCHRP National Cooperative Highway Research Program http://www.trb.org/NCHRP/NCHRP.aspx Managed by TRB, funded YOU can submit ideas! Approximately $44M by States and FHWA. YOU can participate in annual budget (NC sends Ideas submitted by states project panels – includes about $1.2M) and AASHTO committees synthesis and full projects Selections made by Practical expertise AASHTO R&I Committee Standing NCHRP Project needed to guide projects for full projects, synthesis 20-44 supports and move research into projects selected by implementation practice project panel 25

NCDOT Research Overview Pooled Funds http://www.pooledfund.org/ Managed by FHWA with NCHRP Support A group of states decides that “XYZ” needs researching. Proposal is written, funding is solicited from peers. If commitment is met, research is advertised Each paying state gets at least 1 Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) Member NCDOT currently participating in about 20. • If you see a project or solicitation of interest on the website above and have questions or wish to participate, let me know. 26

NCDOT Research Overview AASHTO Technical Service Programs (TSPs) https://www.transportation.org/technical-service-programs/ Funded by R&D and covers many support activities including • Lab Certification • Continue access and update to LRFD • Approved products evaluation • Snow and ice support groups etc DOT reps are assigned to each program TC3 Curriculum is embedded in the NCDOT LMS 27

NCDOT Research Overview Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) https://itre.ncsu.edu/focus/ltap/ Managed by ITRE Technical and policy training for local agencies “Roads” Scholar Program to train transportation workers and supervisors NCTROADS is a mailing list for information exchange 28

Brief NCDOT Research Overview Example Projects 29

Brief NCDOT Research Overview 2018-16 Mechanically Fastened CFRP to Retrofit Prestressed Concrete and Steel Bridge Beams https://connect.ncdot.gov/projects/research/pages/ProjDetails.aspx?ProjectID=2018-16 30

Brief NCDOT Research Overview 2017-04 Quantifying the Impact of Crack Sealant on Pavement Surface Friction https://connect.ncdot.gov/projects/research/pages/ProjDetails.aspx?ProjectID=2017-04 31