Developing Methodologies to Predict and Quantify the benefits of Research that Creates Durable and Longer Lasting Highway Infrastructure
Mark J. Magalotti P.E. Ph.D.
IRISE ANNUAL MEETING MAY 24, 2021 1 University of Pittsburgh | Swanson School of Engineering
The Research Problem
The transfer of new technologies into practice is the ultimate goal of IRISE research More durable and longer lasting highway infrastructure creates benefits to extend the life of highways and bridges These benefits must be measured decades into the future The challenge is to quantify and predict benefits for many of these advancements
University of Pittsburgh | Swanson School of Engineering
Project Objectives
Benefits must be considered in the cost of design, construction and maintenance phases of highway infrastructure projects
Environmental impacts and sustainability benefits are difficult to evaluate but need to be considered Methodologies must be developed that quantify and can extrapolate cost and user data available on an appropriate scale (national, state or project) for highway infrastructure and user costs University of Pittsburgh | Swanson School of Engineering
IRISE Projects to be Evaluated
Landslide Best Practices – Just underway Joint Design Optimization – Underway soon Preliminary Evaluation of Pavement Surface Distresses Related to Pavement Marking – Just underway Remote-Controlled Technology Assessment for Safer Pavement Construction and QA/QC – Just underway Development of Simplified Mechanistic-Empirical Design Tool for Pennsylvania Rigid Pavements - Completed Material Compatibility Repair - Completed
University of Pittsburgh | Swanson School of Engineering
Project Approach/Deliverables
Task A Literature Review Task B Development of Methodologies Task C Application of Methodologies to Research Results Task D – Final Report
University of Pittsburgh | Swanson School of Engineering
Schedule/Status
Task A Literature Review – Completed report issued 2/21 Task B Development of Methodologies – Work completed, collecting baseline data, report to be issued 6/21 Task C Application of Methodologies to Research Results – To be completed after research results are available 12/21 Task D Final Report – 3/22 University of Pittsburgh | Swanson School of Engineering
Application of Research Results
New research application methodologies for highway infrastructure
Quantification of research benefits for current and future IRISE projects Incorporation of methodologies into future research scopes University of Pittsburgh | Swanson School of Engineering