Bulk specific gravity is measured routinely during mixture design and quality assurance processes for asphalt mixtures. Due to a variety of factors, there can be large measurement variability that may require repeated measurements. The TRB IDEA (Innovations Deserving Exploratory Analysis) Program's NCHRP IDEA Final Report for Project 229: Laboratory Dielectric Measurement System (LDMS) for Asphalt Mixture Bulk Specific Gravity Determination seeks to establish both the reliability and standardizing proced...

Fatigue cracks developed under repetitive traffic loads are a major threat to maintaining the structural integrity of steel bridges. It is believed that 50 percent to 90 percent of all mechanical failures in metallic structures are fatigue related. The TRB IDEA (Innovations Deserving Exploratory Analysis) Program's NCHRP IDEA Final Report for Project 223: Fatigue Crack Inspection Using Computer Vision and Augmented Reality proposes a new concept that integrates computer-vision-based motion tracking and a...

A self-healing and conveniently removable pavement marking material allows for an increased marking life expectancy compared to existing epoxy systems. The TRB IDEA (Innovations Deserving Exploratory Analysis) Program's NCHRP IDEA Final Report for Project 219: A Novel Durable, Healable, and Conveniently Removable Pavement Marking Material Suitable for Both Permanent and Temporary Marking Uses details the development of a pavement marking material that can be used for both permanent and temporary applicat...

Anchor bolts, as a connection system used at the base of most highway support structures, commonly suffer from loosening effects that may impose high risk on collapse for the structures. The TRB IDEA (Innovations Deserving Exploratory Analysis) Program's NCHRP IDEA Final Report for Project 196: Smart Installation and Monitoring System for Large Anchor Bolts of Support Structures Made with 3D Printing Enhancement aims to develop a capacitance-based smart washer system that serves as an efficient way to mo...

Intersection markings gradually degrade due to traffic, rain, and snowplowing. The degradation can confuse drivers, leading to increased risk of traffic crashes. Timely obtaining high-quality information of intersection markings lays a foundation for making informed decisions in safety management and maintenance prioritization. However, current labor-intensive and high-cost data collection practices make it very challenging to gather intersection data on a large scale. The TRB IDEA (Innovations Deserving...

Ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) is a cementitious material that is rapidly going mainstream for use in bridges in the United States and Canada. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is poised to sharply accelerate usage of UHPC in the U.S. The TRB IDEA (Innovations Deserving Exploratory Analysis) Program's NCHRP IDEA Final Report for Project 235: High Bond Steel Fibers for Ultra High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) develops a novel type of steel fiber to reinforce UHPC and demonstrates its use in...

Snow and ice can easily accumulate on the lenses of signal lights and block light to the drivers of vehicles or locomotive engineers. Snow-clogged signal lights can decrease the performance of signalized intersections and railroads and may result in collisions in inclement weather conditions. The TRB IDEA (Innovations Deserving Exploratory Analysis) Program's NCHRP IDEA Final Report for Project 190: Self-de-icing LED Signals for Railroads and Highway Intersections aims at developing and demonstrating a n...

Transportation agencies are seeking ways to deploy safety applications at targeted intersections for long-term monitoring of traffic flow. The TRB IDEA (Innovations Deserving Exploratory Analysis) Program's NCHRP IDEA Final Report for Project 217: A Real-Time Proactive Intersection Safety Monitoring and Visualization System Based on Radar Sensor Data details the development of a proactive intersection safety monitoring and visualization system that can be implemented at any kind of intersection for any t...

The majority of traffic count portable data collections is done by road tube. While the hardware unit costs for road tubes are low, installation requires workers to kneel in the middle of the road sujecting them to potential harm. The TRB IDEA (Innovations Deserving Exploratory Analysis) Program's NCHRP IDEA Final Report for Project 216: A Portable Single Lane Traffic Counting Device details a visually based counting and classification device that is able to achieve expected results.

Construction is considered a hazardous industry responsible for a large portion of fatal and non-fatal work-related injuries. Despite efforts by the construction industry, many fatalities and injuries are still occurring, for one reason, because of dynamic and complex construction site conditions. The TRB IDEA (Innovations Deserving Exploratory Analysis) Program's  NCHRP IDEA Final Report for Project 206: Rule-Based Automated Safety Monitoring  System for Work Zone Safety  details a r...