Coordination of Highway Research

with University Transportation Centers

Michael F. Trentacoste

Associate Administrator for Research, Development, 

and Technology

Federal Highway Administration

Webinar on National Highway Research Priorities

March 28, 2012
Webinar Series Topics and Dates

• 1- State of Good Repair, March 28th ← today

• 2- Economic Competitiveness, April 5th

• 3- Safety, May 8th

• 4- Livability and Sustainability, May 9th

• 5- Policy and Innovative Financing, May 10th

2
Invited Participants

• New University Transportation Centers (UTCs)

• State Research Managers

• Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Division Office 

Research Coordinators

3

Host and Presenters

• FHWA Research and Development (R&D) 

Offices and Program Offices
Webinar Purpose

• Provide FHWA perspectives on national challenges 

and highway research priorities

• Opportunity for UTCs to consider highway research 

priorities in their research plans and initiatives

• Inform State Research Managers on priorities

• Provide FHWA contacts for follow-up 

communications and coordination 

4
For more information about UTC 

participation, contact:

Debra Elston, 202-493-3181

www.fhwa.dot.gov/research

Thanks for Your Participation

Thanks to the Research and Innovative 

Technology Administration (RITA) for this 

opportunity to communicate priorities to 

the UTCs
Visit our Web Site at 

www.fhwa.dot.gov/research 6
State of Good Repair

Jorge E. Pagán-Ortiz

Director, Office of Infrastructure Research and 

Development

Federal Highway Administration

Coordination of Highway Research with University Transportation Centers

March 28, 2012
Topics to be Covered

• Background

• Grand Challenge and National Needs

• Infrastructure Research and Technology (R&T) Strategic 

Plan

• Infrastructure R&T Roadmap

• Initiatives with Work Plans Funded

• Initiatives for Future Work Plans

• Exploratory Advanced Research

8
Background

• Most of the Nation’s highway and bridge 

infrastructure is at or past its theoretical design 

life.

• Therefore, our infrastructure will be facing need 

of repairs or major rehabilitation.

9
Grand Challenge

• Unprecedented fiscal challenges to operate, 

maintain, and invest in highway infrastructure to 

maintain the state of good repair and provide the 

improvements needed to support economic 

growth.

10
National Needs

• Develop and apply innovative solutions to meet 

the needs of the traveling public.

• Focus on the necessary research and 

technology.

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Infrastructure Research and 

Technology Strategic Plan

• One, unified plan to provide strategic direction 

for all Infrastructure related research and 

technology efforts at FHWA.

– For the next 5 years and beyond

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http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/12028/index.cfm

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Guiding Principles

• FHWA R&T Process, from research to 

implementation, is systematic and begins with 

the end in mind.

• Stakeholders are engaged throughout the 

process – communication of programs and 

projects is effective.

• Performance of initiatives is measured and 

evaluated. 

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Objectives and Strategies

• 7 Objectives and 28 Strategies

– Objectives to achieve expected outcomes to support the goals of 

the FHWA Strategic Plan and U.S. Department of Transportation 

(USDOT) Strategic Plan. 

– Strategies to describe and define the work required to achieve 

objectives and outcomes and, ultimately, the FHWA and USDOT 

strategic goals.

• FHWA Strategic Plan:

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/12028/index.cfm

• USDOT Strategic Plan: Approved by Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB), but not posted yet

15
Strategic Plan Objectives

1. Highway Safety - Reduce the number of fatalities attributable to infrastructure design 

characteristics and work zones. 

2. Infrastructure Safety and Security - Improve the safety and security of highway infrastructure.

3. Infrastructure Management - Improve the management of infrastructure assets and advance the 

implementation of a performance-based program for the National Highway System (NHS).

4. Project Delivery - Improve the ability of transportation agencies to deliver projects that meet 

expectations for timeliness, quality and cost. 

5. Mobility - Reduce user delay attributable to infrastructure system performance, maintenance, 

rehabilitation and construction.

6. Infrastructure Performance - Improve highway condition and performance through increased use 

of design, materials, construction and maintenance innovations.

7. Environmental Sustainability - Reduce the life-cycle environmental impacts of highway 

infrastructure (design, construction, operation, preservation, and maintenance).

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Strategic Plan Structure Example

• Objective 6 – Infrastructure Performance: 

Improve highway condition and performance . . .

– Strategy 6.2 - Develop and deploy design and preconstruction 

technologies and innovations to . . .

• Initiative 6.2.1 - Deploy existing and proven criteria, technologies and 

procedures to design infrastructure to . . .

• Initiative 6.2.2 - Research and develop the next generation of analysis and 

design tools . . .

• Initiative 6.2.3 - Develop and deploy contracting procedures . . .

17
Infrastructure R&T Roadmap

• The Infrastructure R&T Process identified 76 

Initiatives.

• Developed 7-year work plans for 14 of the 76 

Initiatives.

– Projects and activities of national importance.

• UTCs may consider undertaking research in one 

or more of the 14 Initiatives.

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• 3.2.1 - Infrastructure Condition 

Assessment (Aramis Lopez, 202-493-3145)

• 3.2.2 - Non-Destructive Evaluation 

Tools, Software and Guidance (Firas Ibrahim, 202-493-3053)

• 4.1.2 - Effective Quality Assurance 

(Tom Harman, 410-962-0134)

• 5.2.2 - Accelerated Construction & 

Preservation (Rob Elliott, 404-562-3941)

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• 2.2.2 - Hazard Mitigation and 

Adaptation Countermeasures (Sheila Duwadi, 202-493-3106)

• 2.4.1 - Rapid Infrastructure 

Assessment (Joey Hartmann, 202-366-4599)

• 3.1.1 - Infrastructure Performance 

Standards (Steve Gaj, 202-366-1336)

• 3.1.5 - Durable and Long Lasting 

Infrastructure (Katherine Petros, 202-493-3154)

14 Initiatives with Work Plans Funded
14 Initiatives with Work Plans Funded 

(continued)

• 6.1.2 - Infrastructure 

Preservation (Bryan Cawley, 

202-366-1333)

• 6.2.1 - Proven Infrastructure 

Design Deployment 

(Mark Swanlund, 202-466-1323)

• 6.2.2 - Next Generation 

Infrastructure Design 

(Lou Triandafilou, 202-493-3059)

• 6.4.1 - Material Characterization 

(Jack Youtcheff, 202-493-3090)

• 6.4.3 - Innovative Materials 

(Suneel Vanikar, 202-366- 0120)

• 7.6.1 - Renewable, Reusable, 

Recycled Materials 

(John Bukowski, 202-366-1287)

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Project Examples

• Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil-Integrated Bridge 

Systems

• Ultra High-Performance Concrete

• Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement

• Long-Term Bridge Performance

• Long-Term Pavement Performance

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Project Examples (continued)

• Life-Cycle Assessment of Pavements

• Energy Production within Highway Right of Way

• Flooded Pavement Assessment

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Initiatives for Future Work Plans

• 13 Initiatives (from the original 76 Initiative list)

– No projects and activities have been identified for these 

initiatives.

– UTCs may consider undertaking research in one or more of 

these initiatives. 

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Initiatives for Future Work Plans 

(continued)

• 1.2.1 - Enhancing friction/ texture 

on new and existing surfaces 

(Katherine Petros, 202-493-3154)

• 3.2.5 - Data quality management 

and control effects from data 

variability 

(Aramis Lopez, 202-493-3145)

• 3.3.1 - Overall integrated asset 

management approach 

(Katherine Petros, 202-493-3154)

• 3.3.2 - Project and program level 

management decisions 

(Aramis Lopez, 202-493-3145)

• 3.4.1 - Health of the highway system 

(Katherine Petros, 202-493-3154; 

Firas Ibrahim, 202-493-3053)

• 4.2.1 - Improved, streamlined and 

refined analysis, design, and 

construction procedures 

(Katherine Petros, 202-493-3154)

• 4.2.2 - Innovative project delivery 

methods 

(Katherine Petros, 202-493-3154)

• 4.2.3 - Quality and maintainability of 

accelerated construction projects

(Lou Triandafilou, 202-493-3059)

24
Initiatives for Future Work Plans 

(continued)

• 4.3.2 - Payment and acceptance to 

long-term performance and 

quantities to minimize agency risk

(Katherine Petros, 202-493-3154)

• 5.2.1 - Techniques for prefabricated 

construction of the infrastructure

(Lou Triandafilou, 202-493-3059)

• 6.1.3 - Enhance the effectiveness of 

rehabilitation and reconstruction 

activities 

(Katherine Petros, 202-493-3154)

• 7.1.2 - Assessing sustainability in 

project-level decision-making 

(Katherine Petros, 202-493-3154)

• 7.1.3 - Adaptation to the impact of 

Climate Change 

(Katherine Petros, 202-493-3154; 

Sheila Duwadi, 202-493-3106)

25

Initiatives will be posted on the FHWA Research Home Page!
Exploratory Advanced Research

• Goal:

– Conduct research on longer term and higher risk breakthrough 

research.

• Contact: David Kuehn, 202-493-3414

• Potential opportunities for future UTC 

involvement:

– Breakthrough Concepts in Material Science

– Technology for Assessing Performance

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Breakthrough Concepts in Material 

Science 

• This focus area leverages new approaches in 

material science.

– Goal: Produce innovative new highway materials that enable

• Functionality

• Constructability

• Sustainability and 

• Cost effectiveness of highway infrastructure and system monitoring sensors

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Breakthrough Concepts in Material 

Science (continued) 

• Investigating new topics in this focus area.

– Alternative and supplementary cementitious materials.

– Environmentally resilient structures and pavements.

– Adaptive materials.

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Technology for Assessing 

Performance

• Seeking novel approaches and breakthrough 

technology.

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Technology for Assessing 

Performance (continued)

• Investigating new topics in this focus area.

– Utilization of environmental chambers for structural research.

– Active wireless sensors for structural or pavement health 

monitoring.

– Nondestructive evaluation virtual laboratory.

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Webinar Series Topics and Dates

• 1- State of Good Repair, March 28th ← today

• 2- Economic Competitiveness, April 5th

• 3- Safety, May 8th

• 4- Livability & Sustainability, May 9th

• 5- Policy & Innovative Financing, May 10th

31
Any questions?

For more information, contact:

Jorge E. Pagán-Ortiz, 202-493-3022

jorge.pagan@dot.gov
Visit our Web Site at 

www.fhwa.dot.gov/research 33