It feels like spring at Iowa DOT Research! This new season is nearly here, bringing an exciting time of growth and change. March 1 marks the start of our new research cycle as well! 

You may have the next great transportation-related idea; submit it now to give it the best chance to grow into a fully developed proposal!  
 
Submitting an idea at the start of the new research cycle means it will have the most time in the discussion and evaluation phase – a critical step toward helping it succeed. 
 
With more feedback and engagement, ideas become better, making them more likely to be selected for further development.  
 
Don’t have a submission of your own? No problem! You can help others improve their ideas by voting or adding your comments. Feedback for the spring cycle will remain open until July 25, 2021.  

Our annual research calendar shows how the whole process works throughout the year, and our Ideas site is the place to learn more and get involved. Check it out and see what ideas are growing at Iowa DOT Research!

While snowplows and deicing chemicals work well to clear Iowa’s roadways of ice and snow much of the time, these strategies have drawbacks: plowing is difficult and time-consuming work and deicers can cause damage to pavements and roadside vegetation. Certain locations are especially challenging, like bridge decks and exit ramps that require frequent reapplication of deicers and pedestrian sidewalks that are not easily cleared during snow events. 

Researchers have recently begun to explore a new approach that could help with these trouble spots: heating pavements and sidewalks with electrically conductive concrete to melt the snow and ice on the surface. 

To determine the benefits that electrically conductive concrete could offer, researchers needed a place to conduct field tests under real-world conditions. Now, the parking lot at Iowa DOT’s headquarters in Ames is home to the world’s largest installation of electrically conductive concrete, embedded with carbon fibers and a variety of differently sized and shaped electrodes in a range of configurations. 

For the past three years, researchers have monitored the pavement’s performance and have data to show its success. While questions regarding costs and operational logistics remain, the research shows that electrically conductive heated concrete could one day be a viable solution in some applications. 

Iowa DOT is excited about this promising new technology, and other states are taking notice as well. This project was recently honored by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) as a High Value Research project, and this technology was also selected by the AASHTO Innovation Initiative as a Focus Technology for its potential to significantly benefit agencies nationwide. 

Learn more about the project in Iowa DOT’s new research brief and the researchers’ final report and technical brief. 

Traditionally designed roads and bridges can easily withstand the occasional flood. But as storms that used to happen once every 100 years become more frequent and extreme, Iowa DOT must ensure its infrastructure is ready. 

To determine how much water future storms may bring and how often flooding may occur, researchers studied historic flood events and used the data to develop a new online resource – the Iowa Flood Frequency and Projections Tool – that anyone can use.  

In addition to updating its building standards, Iowa DOT is already using this project’s findings to redesign segments along two major highway corridors in the state. 

Learn more about this project in Iowa DOT’s new research brief, and check out other Iowa DOT research efforts on the News & Publications page. 

Each year, spring’s warmer weather can be a welcome change after months of winter. However, the rain and melting snow that accompany the higher temperatures can also pose a seasonal flood risk for some areas in Iowa.   

Flood damage to roads, bridges or other infrastructure is often easy to see; however, other adverse effects, such as road closures that limit mobility or detours that require longer travel times, are less visible and harder to gauge. 

To gain a more complete understanding of a flood’s impact and how the state’s finite resources should be allocated for maximum benefit, Iowa DOT Research partnered with researchers from Iowa State University on two research projects that concluded in 2021: 
 

• Asset Management, Extreme Weather and Proxy Indicators. Studying flood-prone areas in Iowa, researchers used simulations to identify the roads and bridges most at risk of flood-related closures, as well as the structures that serve the most traffic and keep communities connected.
• Assessing and Enhancing the Transportation Resilience for the State of Iowa. This study evaluated how well transportation systems in Iowa will be able to adapt and recover after a major flood event.

Together, these two projects provide a more holistic view of all the potential effects a flood could have on a community and which structures might be most vulnerable. Leveraging the information, Iowa DOT is better equipped to prepare for the next flood and prioritize the state’s resources where they’re most needed.

What does a year of transportation research look like? The Iowa DOT Research Section is proud to showcase its efforts in the new FY2022 Research At-A-Glance report.

With more than 200 research projects initiated, progressed or completed throughout the year, Iowa DOT gained valuable information on a variety of cutting-edge topics. From finding new uses for waste quarry fines ways to increasing the value of 3D Building Information Models, Iowa DOT Research continued to prioritize safety, mobility, sustainability, and technology to make transportation better for Iowans across the state.

The At-A-Glance also outlines the process Iowa DOT Research uses to gather research ideas, develop the research program, and work with partners to accomplish research objectives.

Interested in learning more about what Iowa DOT Research did in 2022, how it was done, and what’s coming next? Check out the full report!

Iowa DOT has partnered for decades with the national Transportation Research Board (TRB), a nonprofit and nonpartisan group dedicated to advancing transportation research.  

Working together provides a variety of mutual benefits: As a leader in transportation research, Iowa DOT shares its research results with other professionals around the country and helps shape transportation research at the national level.

In exchange, Iowa DOT can access TRB’s deep well of shared knowledge and apply it to projects and programs at home in Iowa. 

Learn more about Iowa DOT’s partnership with TRB.

Each January, thousands of scientists, researchers and other professionals attend the Transportation Research Board (TRB)’s annual meeting to learn and share cutting-edge practices and developments in transportation-related research. 

As an active leader and frequent participant in TRB activities, Iowa DOT will send staff members to the 2022 TRB meeting to give presentations and represent the state at the national level.  

This year, Iowa DOT staff will lead discussions on innovative bridge preservation techniques, asset management practices, and pavement technologies, in addition to attending a variety of panel presentations and conducting committee work.

Involvement in transportation research at the national level ensures our state has a voice in national transportation discussions. Learn more about how Iowa’s long-standing partnership with TRB helps Iowans across the state.

Each year, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) honors the best transportation research projects from each of its four regions with a prestigious High Value Research (HVR) award.   

As a member of Region 3, Iowa competes with eight other Midwestern states – Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin. After winning 12 HVR awards, (including supplemental HVR awards) in the last 10 years, Iowa is looking to do it again in 2023.  
 
The projects Iowa has submitted for consideration this year are: 

• Roadway Friction Modeling: Improving the Use of Friction Measurements in State DOTs. Pavement friction helps vehicles maintain control on a roadway. Like other states, Iowa DOT uses friction measurements to determine where salt or other treatments should be applied to improve surface conditions. In this project, collected data was used to train and improve computer models so that friction can be accurately predicted even when measurements aren’t available.     

• Assessment, Repair, and Replacement of Bridges Subjected to Fire. Though bridge fires don’t happen often, they can be destructive and costly. This research provides tools and guidance that will help the state’s engineers evaluate damage and make decisions in the aftermath of a fire.    

• Development of Non-Proprietary Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) for Iowa Bridges. UHPC is stronger and more durable than regular concrete, but proprietary formulas make it cost-prohibitive for many applications. This project developed non-proprietary UHPC mixtures that can be made with materials readily available in Iowa for a fraction of the typical cost.  

• Development of Digital As-Built: Incorporating As-Built Information into the I-80/I-380 Building Information Model (BIM) for Use in Future Asset Management Applications. Because modifications often occur during construction, the model that was used to design a bridge can be outdated by the time the bridge is completed. In a pilot project, Iowa DOT incorporated changes from a recently completed bridge, updating the original design with the alterations made during construction. With a better understanding of how the software needs to improve to keep up with modern needs, Iowa DOT is closer to achieving its goals for a fully digital design, construction, and asset-management process.  

After reviewing all of the projects submitted by the Region 3 states, AASHTO’s Research Advisory Committee will recognize the winners at the committee’s summer meeting in July. The winning states will also participate in a poster session dedicated to high-value research projects at the annual meeting of the Transportation Research Board in Washington, DC in January 2024. 

Learn more about the HVR Awards Iowa has won over the years. 

The federal State Transportation Innovation Council (STIC) Incentive program rewards states for creative thinking.

With awards of up to $100,000 each year, states can use STIC Incentive funds to explore new and innovative ideas to address transportation-related challenges.

Since 2014, Iowa has used more than $600,000 of this funding to identify and develop technologies, processes, and materials that might otherwise be out of reach using state taxpayer dollars alone.

From expanding the use of virtual reality techniques in public outreach to implementing new tools that help engineers understand what environmental obstacles exist underground, STIC funds bring innovations to Iowans across the state.

Learn more about Iowa’s STIC and its STIC projects.

A new Iowa DOT Research engineering study has recalculated the load ratings for bridges built according to specific standard plans in the state.

Such studies are conducted every few years in Iowa to keep up with changing laws and other demands. They help keep road users safe by ensuring that heavy vehicles are properly permitted and travel along approved routes and that legal loads are properly restricted when necessary.
   
The project team gathered data for hundreds of bridges that were built using Iowa DOT’s standard plans and used cutting-edge software to create a series of tables that engineers across the state can use to report and verify a bridge’s load capacity. The load ratings also give state and federal decision-makers more information on the bridges in Iowa’s inventory.

Learn more about the project and what it means for road users in Iowa through the new research brief and final report.
 

The new Spring Research Cycle opened on March 1, bringing a new chance to see your research ideas become reality.   
 
Yours may be the next great transportation-related idea; submit it now and give it the best chance to grow into a fully developed project!   
  
Submitting an idea at the start of the new research cycle means it will have the most time in the discussion and evaluation phase – a critical step toward helping it succeed.  
  
With more feedback and engagement, ideas become better, making them more likely to be selected for further development.   
  
Even if you don’t have a submission of your own, you can help others improve their ideas by voting or adding your comments. Feedback for the spring cycle will remain open until July 25, 2023.   

You can head to the Ideas site now to review, rate, and comment ideas that were submitted in the fall. 
 
You can also visit our website to learn how the whole process works throughout the year -- Check it out and see what ideas are growing at Iowa DOT Research! 

Thanks to a $1 million grant from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Iowa DOT is implementing new construction methods to partner with county road departments across the state to replace aging infrastructure.

The funds come from FHWA’s Accelerated Innovation Deployment (AID) Demonstration program, which helps states improve safety and efficiency of roads and bridges using cutting-edge materials, techniques, and technology.

Iowa DOT qualified for the AID grant with its plan to use "bridge bundling," ultra high performance concrete (UHPC) as a joint material and the use of pre-fabricated box beam components and other efficiencies to save time and money.

Another goal of the project is for local public agencies to become familiar with UHPC and its many benefits. 

Working closely with several Iowa counties, Iowa DOT first evaluated county bridges of similar size and condition across the state.

The agency had previously developed design standards for box beams (pictured) using funding from the Iowa Highway Research Board and input of more than 50 county and industry experts. 

A group of Iowa DOT and county stakeholders identified 14 Iowa bridges across the state eligible for this project.

The project includes using a materials contract with added options bidding to bundle the new box beams and the UHPC materials to maximize the number of possible bridges built with the grant funds.

Eight of the 14 bridges were included in the final contract. 

Reconstruction on five of the bridges will be complete by fall of 2020, with the remaining three finished in 2021. 

A series of videos highlight the building process at different sites across the state.

National Aviation Day, which takes place every year on August 19 in honor of Orville Wright’s birthday, celebrates the advancement of mechanical flight. 

Aviation has come a long way since the early flying machines; today, unmanned aircraft systems, or UAS, represent the latest in aviation technology. At Iowa DOT Research, we’re exploring how we can use UAS technology to improve safety and mobility for the people of Iowa. 

One of our current research projects explores how routine environmental assessments could be conducted using drones outfitted with special cameras and other equipment. These assessments, which evaluate the impact of potential construction on a natural area, are typically done manually and require significant time in the field. By using UAS to scan the area from the air, the job could be done faster with less cost. 

It’s likely beyond what the Wright Brothers had dreamed, but thanks to National Aviation Day we have an annual reminder of where we started and how far we’ve come.  

Iowa DOT’s engineers have long recognized the link between the quality of a pavement’s foundation and the long-term durability of the finished road. But despite improvements in how foundations are designed and the types of materials that are used, there is sometimes still a gap between how the road is intended to be constructed and what is actually built.  

Advancements in technology now make it possible to directly measure and analyze a pavement’s foundation during the construction process to ensure it has been compacted sufficiently and uniformly. This gives inspectors the tools to pinpoint any weaknesses in real-time so they can be addressed while construction is still underway.  

With a grant from the federal Accelerated Innovation Deployment (AID) Demonstration program, Iowa DOT and a team of engineers recently piloted new tools and methods to assess the foundations at five road construction projects across the state. The efforts helped the team better understand what measurements should be taken, how the equipment should be used and calibrated, and how the data should be interpreted.  

The project’s results will help Iowa DOT and other transportation agencies across the country save significant resources as better foundations lead to longer-lasting pavements with fewer maintenance needs.  

Learn more about this project in Iowa DOT’s new research brief.

Each year, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) honors the best transportation research projects from each of its four regions with a prestigious High Value Research (HVR) award.  

As a member of Region 3, Iowa competes with eight other Midwestern states – Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin. After winning 13 HVR awards, (including supplemental HVR awards) in the last 11 years, Iowa is looking to do it again in 2024.   
 
The projects Iowa has submitted for consideration this year are:
 

• Advanced Testing and Characterization of Iowa Soils and Geomaterials. The strength and durability of a pavement’s foundational layers are critical to a road's long-term performance. However, the standard tests that have traditionally been used to assess the characteristics of subgrade materials are not always sufficient for Iowa’s aggregates and soils. This study applied advanced testing methods to produce results that more accurately reflect field conditions.
   
• Evaluation of Otta Seal Surfacing for Low-Volume Roads in Iowa: Comprehensive Laboratory Evaluation and Characterization and Full-Scale Field Implementation. In a previous project, Iowa DOT constructed a low-volume road using Otta seal technology to evaluate its potential. This study evaluated the road’s performance and developed specifications for using Otta seal methods on Iowa’s roads in the future.
   
• Modernizing Utility Infrastructure Management: Early Identification and Location of Utility Facilities. As communities grow and become more connected, an increasing amount of utility infrastructure is placed below ground in the public right of way. To better manage these public spaces and improve safety and connectivity for everyone, Iowa DOT collaborated with a variety of public and private stakeholders to develop a database of these unseen pipes and cables and guidance for sharing and maintaining location information.
   
• Actionable Flood Warnings based on Ground-truth Data to Support Iowa DOT BridgeWatch Platform Functionality. With an accurate flood warning, Iowa DOT can take steps to protect the state’s bridges and minimize travel disruptions. However, many of the state’s flood-prone bridges are located outside of the current forecasting network. This research assessed Iowa’s current floodplain maps and developed a long-term plan for extending the forecasting technology to include all of the state’s at-risk bridges.

After reviewing all of the projects submitted by the Region 3 states, AASHTO’s Research Advisory Committee will recognize the winners at the committee’s summer meeting in July. The winning states will also participate in a poster session dedicated to high-value research projects at the annual meeting of the Transportation Research Board in Washington, DC in January 2025.

Learn more about the HVR Awards Iowa has won over the years. 

Behind every Iowa DOT research innovation is a real human being dedicated to helping ideas become reality. Here you can learn more about the Iowa DOT Research staff members and what makes them tick.

Name: Brian Worrel, Research Program Manager, Research & Analytics Bureau.
Number of years in this role: 5


What do you do in the Research & Analytics Bureau?

As the Research Program Manager, I oversee and coordinate all of the individual research programs so that we’re all working together and moving in the same direction.

I also serve as the voice for Iowa on several national transportation research initiatives, including AASHTO’s Research Advisory Committee.

Have you always been drawn to research? What has your career path been like?

I started my career with Iowa DOT while in grad school, with a job as a bridge rating engineer.

I worked in the Bridges and Structures Bureau for 10 years before moving to research.

What’s your favorite part of your work?

I really like how the research bureau touches every section of the DOT.

The nature of our work means we come in contact with every bureau and section and get the chance to understand how each plays into the bigger picture.

As an engineer I love learning; working in the research bureau means I’m always discovering something new.

The best part of my work is when we get to work with a new individual or bureau that hasn’t been involved with us before, and we spark an interest and work together towards a successful first project.

We help someone see the value of the research and make it worth the effort for them.

What initiative on the horizon do you think will make a big impact for the research bureau?

I’m excited for our new ideas website and the new level of engagement that we can achieve – both internally at DOT and externally with our stakeholders, industry partners, and with the public.

What do you like to do in your time off?

I like playing board games with family and friends. I also enjoy spending time outside, and I could watch pretty much any sci-fi movie or TV show.

Iowa’s research into the viability of using corn-based deicers—an alternative to traditional chloride- and acetate-based solutions—to keep snow and ice from the state’s roadways has earned accolades from peer states in the Midwest and national recognition. 

Each year, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) honors the best transportation research projects from each of its four regions with a prestigious AASHTO “Sweet 16” award.  

This year, Iowa’s research into the environmental benefits of using agro-based deicing blends was deemed to be innovative and worthy of this award by the agency’s eight peers in AASHTO Region 3: Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin.  

Iowa is no stranger to the Sweet 16 award, having earned 7 of these awards since 2013, including one just last year for its Remote Controlled Hydrographic Survey System, a boat with data collection equipment that engineers can control remotely to quickly and safely survey Iowa bridges.

AASHTO’s Research Advisory Committee will recognize all 2021 winners during its summer meeting in July. Winners will also participate in a poster session dedicated to high-value research projects at the annual meeting of the Transportation Research Board in Washington, DC in January 2022.

When animals attempt to cross a roadway, the results can be hazardous for everyone. In Iowa, crashes between vehicles and large wildlife like deer can pose a serious threat. But dangers also exist when vehicles swerve to avoid an animal in the road, or when drivers stop to help an animal across.

Even lesser known are the risks for smaller animal species like reptiles and amphibians. For these populations, roads that bisect a natural habitat can inhibit migration and affect animals' habits during mating season.  

World Animal Road Accident Awareness Day – this year on October 10 – serves as an annual reminder of the importance of keeping animals off roadways, for the health and safety of humans and animals alike.  

Since 2017, Iowa DOT Research has partnered with other transportation agencies in the United States and Canada on the Wildlife Vehicle Collision Reduction and Habitat Connectivity Pooled Fund. Together, the group works to identify potential solutions for keeping animals off roadways without restricting safe passage – such as tunnels, fences, and noisemakers – as well as strategic messaging that can effectively increase driver awareness.  

By sharing the costs of research, each agency can benefit from the findings with less financial investment than they would spend on their own.   

Learn more about Iowa DOT Research’s commitment to safety for all road users on the Ideas site. 

Traditionally, the criteria used for testing concrete mixtures are largely based on material strength and air content. But verifying that pavements are sustainable and long-lasting depends on other engineering properties. Iowa DOT led a multistate, multiyear effort to deploy new technologies that ensure high-quality pavements that require less maintenance over time. 

This research project involved comprehensive educational initiatives, pilot testing, and project support. As a result of this effort, Iowa DOT and 18 other states have improved concrete mix specifications and are using new performance-based testing technologies to deliver improved concrete pavements. 

Iowa DOT is also leading a follow-up project focused on handling concrete mixes at the construction site.  

This research gives agencies new and better tools to select effective performance-based specifications for pavements and overlays that perform well throughout their design life cycles.  

Learn more about this project in Iowa DOT’s new research brief, and check out other Iowa DOT research efforts on the News & Publications page. 

Every year, World Meteorological Day falls on March 23 – a day spotlighting the link between our atmosphere and its impact on our daily life.  

But for Iowa DOT, focusing on weather is more than a one-day event – weather affects the work we do throughout the year.  

As lead state of the Aurora pooled fund study, Iowa is instrumental in developing high-tech Road Weather Information Systems, or RWIS, that sense and anticipate potential hazards – such as foggy, icy, or flooded roads – and convey that information to maintenance crews and travelers in real time.  

This important work is funded by 18 state departments of transportation and other public and private-sector interests around the world. As a result, Iowa DOT gets major research findings and state-of-the-art solutions for far less than it would by funding studies on its own.  

To see Iowa DOT Research’s RWIS technology in action, check out our Weatherview app and see how weather is affecting roads in your area!