Below are brief descriptions of communications products recently developed by the Federal Highway Administration’s Office of Research, Development, and Technology. All of the reports are or will soon be available from the National Technical Information Service (NTIS). In some cases, limited copies of the communications products are available from FHWA’s Research and Technology (R&T) Product Distribution Center (PDC).

When ordering from NTIS, include the NTIS publication number (PB number) and the publication title. You also may visit the NTIS website at www.ntis.gov to order publications online. Call NTIS for current prices. For customers outside the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the cost is usually double the listed price. Address requests to:

National Technical Information Service
5301 Shawnee Road
Alexandria, VA 22312
Telephone: 703–605–6050
Toll-free number: 1–888–584–8332
Website: www.ntis.gov
Email: customerservice@ntis.gov

Requests for items available from the R&T Product Distribution Center should be addressed to:

R&T Product Distribution Center
Szanca Solutions/FHWA PDC
700 North 3rd Avenue
Altoona, PA 16601
Telephone: 814–239–1160
Fax: 814–239–2156
Email: report.center@dot.gov

For more information on R&T communications products available from FHWA, visit FHWA’s website at www.fhwa.dot.gov, the FHWA Research Library at https://highways.dot.gov/resources/research-library/federal-highway-administration-research-library (or email fhwalibrary@dot.gov), or the National Transportation Library at ntl.bts.gov (or email library@dot.gov).

Automation in Highway Construction Part I: Implementation Challenges at State Transportation Departments and Success Stories

Publication Number: FHWA-HRT-16-030

The Federal Highway Administration conducted research to document gaps for implementing automation in highway construction and to develop guidance for State departments of transportation to assist agencies in implementing and using automation to improve project delivery. There are two volumes of the final report. Part I presents a description of the key automation technology areas and the associated benefits, challenges, and solutions.

This volume provides State DOTs a focus on five key technology areas: remote sensing, technologies for locating underground utilities, three-dimensional (3D) design, machine control and automation, and field technology and inspection. This volume documents success stories and best practices for automation in highway construction; best uses for individual technologies, including the types of costs and resources required by the industry and agencies for implementing these technologies; and the associated returns on investment. This volume also documents the challenges of automation technology in the areas of surveying, utilities, real-time verification, and data management.

The document is available to download at www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/pavements/16030.

Automation in Highway Construction Part II: Design Guidance and Guide Specification Manual

Publication Number: FHWA-HRT-16-031

The second volume of FHWA's report on research on implementing automation in highway construction and guidance for State DOTs presents an overview of enabling technologies and policies as well as implementation strategies, design procedures, and practical guidelines to properly generate 3D models for use in construction and other phases of highway project delivery.

3D design practices are common in State DOTs, but automation technology requires added detail in 3D design models to output data in a reusable and robust format, and it requires additional organization and description of the data. This report provides the accuracies needed for both survey control and topographic survey. The report describes how construction specifications can incorporate practices to manage the use of automation technology in a manner that adapts to project characteristics and evolving technologies. State DOTs interested in developing 3D digital design for use in automation in highway construction would benefit from reading this volume.

The document is available to download at www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/pavements/16031.

Mechanisms of Hydration and Setting of Ordinary Portland Cement in Simple and Complex Systems

Publication Number: FHWA-HRT-17-102

This summary report provides a description of research conducted to improve the understanding of the mechanisms of hydration of portland cement in complex and simple mixtures. The summary report also describes research that develops analytical methods to directly observe hydration processes in real time, and develops and validates improved computer models to design optimal concrete composition, curing methods, performance, and durability.

The goal of FHWA's project, "Mechanisms of Hydration and Setting of Ordinary Portland Cement in Simple and Complex Systems," was to develop more efficient and effective ways to use concrete. Project scientists developed innovative analytical technologies to observe the mechanisms of hydration in three dimensions at the nano-, micro-, and macroscopic scales. These unprecedented observations have provided a depth of understanding of hydration mechanisms that was not previously possible.

This perspective enabled researchers to develop a new and clearer hypothesis to understand the mechanisms of cement hydration. Computer models based on the new hypothesis will provide engineers and practitioners with tools to produce more efficient, durable, and cost-effective concrete products and structures.

The document is available to download at www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/ear/17102/index.cfm.

LTPP InfoPave™: Knowledge Into Action...Performance Data For Pavement Innovation

Publication Number: FHWA-HRT-18-011

The FHWA Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) program's web portal—LTPP InfoPave™ at https://infopave.fhwa.dot.gov—facilitates access and analysis of LTPP and other pavement-performance data through a variety of online data selection applications and data viewing tools, organized into hubs.

This brochure highlights each LTPP InfoPave hub, including Home, Data, Visualization, Analysis, Tools, Operations, Reference Library, and Non-LTPP data. The data retrieved from LTPP InfoPave can be used for research, pavement design, and product development for decades to come.

The LTPP program was initiated in 1987 to satisfy a wide range of pavement information needs. Over the years, the program has accumulated a vast repository of research-quality data, extensive documentation, and related tools, which compose LTPP's comprehensive information management system.

The document is available to download at www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/pavements/ltpp/18011/index.cfm.

LTBP InfoBridge: Gateway to Bridge Performance Information

Publication Number: FHWA-HRT-19-009

The FHWA Long-Term Bridge Performance (LTBP) Program's web portal—LTPP InfoBridge at https://infobridge.fhwa.dot.gov—provides for storage, retrieval, dissemination, analysis, and visualization of data collected through State, national, and LTBP Program efforts to enable users with the ability to holistically assess bridge performance on a network or individual bridge basis.

This brochure highlights key LTBP InfoBridge modules, including Find Bridges (also Advanced Find and Map Find), Performance Dashboard, Bridge Information, Visualize Bridge Data, Bridge Analytics, Library, and Help. LTBP InfoBridge is a comprehensive bridge performance portal enabling researchers to develop tools and products that will enhance understanding of the performance of highway bridge assets, leading to more efficient design, construction, rehabilitation, maintenance, preservation, and management of those assets.

The LTBP Program is designed to collect critical performance data that are not available elsewhere and merge them with data gathered from available sources.

The document is available to download at www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/structures/ltbp/19009/index.cfm.