Data & Modeling

The Annual New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) Research Showcase is an opportunity for New Jersey’s transportation community to experience the broad scope of ongoing academic research initiatives and share technology transfer activities being conducted by institutions of higher education and their associates.

CAIT-affiliated researcher Dr. James W. Hughes has been tracking the economic impacts of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic through his series of Fast Track Research Notes. As we head into the new year with a recent upsurge of cases both nationally and regionally, he provides some new insight on how the situation develops.

Last month we spoke to CAIT-affiliated researcher Dr. James Hughes to discuss COVID-19 and its potential impacts on the economy and regional transportation. Now we check back with him again for new insights as the situation progresses.

The February 2018 issue of CE magazine featured THMPER—a portable, rapid testing device for bridge load-bearing capacity. THMPER is a breakthrough because it does this critical task faster, cheaper, and with less traffic disruption than other current methods.

A three-year project at Columbia University is building Digital Twins of intersections, roadways, and other key infrastructure in New York City to monitor and map traffic flow throughout the city. Using Digital Twins can help officials simulate traffic and congestion conditions and test potential mitigation strategies.

CAIT's BEAST Lab has been testing a full-scale, 50-ft. bridge deck for a project sponsored by the FHWA to learn about how the bridge deteriorates under exposure to extreme environmental conditions and traffic loading — and to evaluate emerging bridge preservation technologies such as UHPC.

This summer, the BEAST Lab at Rutgers CAIT began to evaluate emerging bridge preservation technologies in addition to ongoing testing of a full-scale, 50-ft. bridge deck. Specifically, researchers started investigating UHPC to establish measurements of the material’s long-term performance under real-world conditions.

THMPER determines bridge load ratings faster, cheaper, and with less traffic disruption than other current methods. A portable evaluation tool and data lab, it employs three refined methods outlined by AASHTO: modal impact testing, refined analysis, and calibration of FE element models.

CAIT-affiliated researchers examine the impact of major trade agreements such as NAFTA and the European Union Customs Union, and their implications on transportation systems globally.

The Associate Director of CAIT, Dr. Patrick Szary, has served on the executive committee of CUTC previously as well as playing an instrumental role in both leading CAIT’s research in aligning with the national vision of USDOT while also engaging regional stakeholders and developing the Center as a dynamic resource.

Dr. Szary leads CAIT’s research efforts helping to align them with USDOT’s national vision and the needs of stakeholders in the Northeast region. He has been a member of CUTC’s executive board previously, most recently serving as Secretary last year.

The three-day event featured panelists from NASA, FAA, universities, industry, and more including associate director of Rutgers CAIT Dr. Pat Szary who presented on the safety and security roles that AI might play in the future of air mobility. A major theme of the event was addressing next steps in further implementing UAS.

Rutgers’ CAIT was awarded a $3.5 million grant from USDOT’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration under the University Transportation Center (UTC) program. This is the third time CAIT has successfully competed to retain its UTC status.

The BRP is aimed at preserving bridges in the state, enhancing the condition of key transportation infrastructure, and developing new technologies to help engineers build with resilience in mind.

On Tuesday, March 8th, CAIT celebrated International Women's Day with a special edition of its seminar series that showcased some of the latest achievements and research of women leaders in transportation.

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy recently announced the formation of a statewide council of leaders from various industry, community, and faith-based groups and institutions across New Jersey to work together and advise on the state’s restart and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

While extensive research has been done on train safety related to derailments and other areas, the same cannot be said for end-of-track collisions at passenger terminals. The Rail and Transit Program at Rutgers CAIT has taken an active research role in addressing this.

Traffic congestion costs the US billions each year in productivity as commuters find themselves stuck on the nation’s crowded roadways. As more people use the transportation system, investment in innovative, intelligent technology is needed to ensure that current infrastructure can support the growing need.

A two-part study conducted by Rutgers CAIT compared rates of unsafe pedestrian and driver behaviors before and after Street Smart NJ campaigns were implemented. The results prove the effectiveness of the program and provide new data for future decision making.

Researchers are developing a new tool to monitor track misalignment on the Manhattan Bridge that will help NYC engineers make informed repair and rehabilitation decisions in the future. They are also investigating the impact of dynamic amplification on bridge-fatigue life and possible mitigation options.

Due to how it is sourced and produced, the mechanical properties and characteristics of Recycled Concrete Aggregate can vary greatly. As demand for this material grows, it is important for the construction industry to understand the nature of RCA and how it can be applied to different projects.

Dr. Jie Gong’s recent work has focused on promoting coastal urban community resilience, including leading remote sensing-based post-disaster reconnaissance missions during Hurricane Sandy and other storms with the goal of advancing damage assessment methods and turning data into actionable resilience knowledge.

Dr. James W. Hughes has been tracking the economic impacts of COVID-19 throughout the pandemic with his series of “Fast Track Research Notes.” As recovery continues and vaccines are distributed at a larger scale, he discusses some of the shifts that have occurred and what things might look like as we rebuild.

New research from Rutgers CAIT is examining the consistency and relationship of three Pavement Condition Indexes. Analyzing them can result in more durable and sustainable airfield pavement in the long-term, and has the potential to help find improvements to the current practices in airfield-pavement management systems.

The infrastructure bill recently passed by the United States Senate could foster economic growth in the region as has been the case historically with infrastructure investment in New Jersey. CAIT-affiliated researcher, Dr. James W. Hughes, discusses this opportunity and potential roadblocks to economic recovery.

The Coastal Universities Coalition is a consortium of the nation’s leading academic institutions convened to develop science-based solutions to the most pressing issues facing populated coastal regions. This month, a CAIT researcher was invited by the organization to speak on infrastructure resilience.

On September 16th from 2-3 pm, Rutgers Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT) hosted affiliated researcher Dr. Nenad Gucunski for a presentation on the state-of-the-art in the use of Nondestructive Evaluation and other technologies for the comprehensive assessment of concrete bridges.

Changing global climate patterns and warming temperatures are increasing the risk and vulnerability of numerous key transportation infrastructure assets, and new research from a CAIT-affiliated researcher suggests that this may include asphalt pavements as well.

The Walter L. Huber Civil Engineering Research Prizes are awarded to ASCE members for notable achievements in research related to civil engineering. Dr. Hao Wang was recognized by ASCE with a Huber Prize this year for his innovative research developing sustainable, durable, resilient, and smart pavement systems.

Rutgers CAIT researchers Dr. Peter Jin and Dr. Jie Gong are contributing research on digital twin projects as part of a new Center of Excellence for Engineering Secure Environments from Targeted Attacks at Rutgers University that will combat potential threats to buildings, schools, stadiums, and other infrastructure.

The system analyzes video footage to detect illegal pedestrian activity and deliver data to help reduce preventable train strikes.

Inaccurate network pavement data can impact pavement management decisions such as roadway repairs and more. CAIT researchers at the Rutgers Asphalt Pavement Lab are working with NJDOT to test new pavement inspection equipment and locations to ensure data is accurate and representative of roads in New Jersey.

The 23rd Annual NJDOT Research Showcase was an opportunity for the New Jersey transportation community to learn about the broad scope of academic research initiatives underway and share technology transfer activities being conducted by institutions of higher education partners and their associates.

The continued spike of COVID-19 throughout the country could short-circuit New Jersey’s recovery which began to rapidly rebound in May and June, according to a new Rutgers report.

In the years following the devastation that Hurricane Maria caused for Puerto Rico, CAIT-affiliated researchers at PUPR have been collecting field data from damaged traffic signs and bridges, testing these transportation assets to better understand their structural failures and breaking points during the storm.

The Region 2 UTC consortium is focusing on developing practical tools and methods to improve infrastructure health, durability, and resilience. Partners are: Atlantic Cape Community College, Columbia, Cornell, NJIT, Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico, Princeton, Rowan, SUNY–Farmingdale, and University at Buffalo.

On December 9th from 1-2 pm, CAIT researcher and dean emeritus of the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers, Dr. James W. Hughes, discussed economic trends the Northeast region is facing as it heads into the new year and continues to recover from the COVID-19 Pandemic.

On October 20th from 12 noon to 2 pm, the Rutgers Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT) will host a seminar on port logistics. Click here to learn more and register.

On January 29th, 2021, from 2-3 pm EST CAIT will host UTC partners from the Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico for a seminar on their latest research studying damages from Hurricane Maria to improve future infrastructure resilience.

News from the USDOT Region 2 University Transportation Center led by Rutgers CAIT.

News from the USDOT Region 2 University Transportation Center led by Rutgers CAIT.

News from the USDOT Region 2 University Transportation Center led by Rutgers CAIT.

News from the USDOT Region 2 University Transportation Center led by Rutgers CAIT.

News from the USDOT Region 2 University Transportation Center led by Rutgers CAIT.

News from the USDOT Region 2 University Transportation Center led by Rutgers CAIT.

News from the USDOT Region 2 University Transportation Center led by Rutgers CAIT.

News from the USDOT Region 2 University Transportation Center led by Rutgers CAIT.

News from the USDOT Region 2 University Transportation Center led by Rutgers CAIT.

News from the USDOT Region 2 University Transportation Center led by Rutgers Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation. Includes stories on recent events, research, and faculty accomplishments and activities.

News from the USDOT Region 2 University Transportation Center led by Rutgers CAIT.

News from the USDOT Region 2 University Transportation Center led by Rutgers CAIT.

News from the USDOT Region 2 University Transportation Center led by Rutgers CAIT.

News from the USDOT Region 2 University Transportation Center led by Rutgers CAIT.

News from the USDOT Region 2 University Transportation Center led by Rutgers CAIT.

News from the USDOT Region 2 University Transportation Center led by Rutgers CAIT.

News from the USDOT Region 2 University Transportation Center led by Rutgers CAIT.

News from the USDOT Region 2 University Transportation Center led by Rutgers CAIT.

News from the USDOT Region 2 University Transportation Center led by Rutgers CAIT.

News from the USDOT Region 2 University Transportation Center led by Rutgers CAIT

News from the USDOT Region 2 University Transportation Center led by Rutgers CAIT

News from the USDOT Region 2 University Transportation Center led by Rutgers CAIT.

News from the USDOT Region 2 University Transportation Center led by Rutgers CAIT.

Self-driving shuttles are one part of NJ Transit’s future plans for filling in the gap on first and last-mile transit options. The agency hopes to test this technology as part of an innovative pilot program that Rutgers CAIT has partnered with them on.

Columbia University recently announced 10 faculty teams that were each awarded $85,000 to develop innovative technology for New York City during COVID-19. CAIT-affiliated researcher Dr. Sharon Di was among one of those faculty teams selected for a project developing a crowd management systems for public transit systems.

Using cutting edge technology stemming from augmented reality and connected vehicles, a CAIT researcher presents a potential new way to analyze infrastructure failures despite a lack of available data — as was the case in the Edenville Dam failure.

The DARPA Young Faculty Award works to identify and engage rising stars in research, and help them develop research ideas within the context of national security needs. CAIT-affiliated researcher Dr. Javanmard won the award this year.

The technology was created as part of a UTC project analyzing potential mobility and safety concerns of the transportation network surrounding the American Dream Mall in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Led by Columbia University, this grant will develop a new Center for Smart Streetscapes in collaboration with state-of-the-art labs at Florida Atlantic University, University of Central Florida, Lehman College, and Rutgers University/CAIT.

The way that we think about and use transportation as it exists today has been shaped by innovative women leaders throughout history. They have contributed greatly to the safety of all modes of travel, efficiency of our transportation systems, and the development of new technology that drives transportation into the future.

In June UTC partners at Cornell's Local Roads Program will host a free webinar on low-volume roadway pavements and how to use a new software they have developed to help local agencies do their own pavement designs.

FHWA acting administrator Brandye Hendrickson has announced the fifth round of the agency’s Every Day Counts (EDC) program, 10 selected proven, yet underutilized innovations to enhance safety, reduce congestion, shorten project timelines, and improve sustainability.

The second edition of Fast Track Research Notes published by CAIT-affiliated researcher Dr. James W. Hughes was published earlier in June and looked at New Jersey's May job gain and recovery following staggering loses due to the Coronavirus Pandemic. 

The project is related to a recent presentation at the 2019 Graduate Seminar Series hosted by Rutgers Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, where Mr. Joseph Englot, National Director of Infrastructure Security at HNTB, discussed alternative fuel vehicles, fire events, and more.

A new Rutgers Regional Report documents the rise of international migration as a primary demographic engine of growth as the result of a region suffering from sustained domestic out-migration. As demographic changes impact the workforce and movement of people and goods, it might also shape the larger transportation network.

Bridge owners faced with difficult choices every day rely on multiple resources help them make maintenance and rehabilitation decisions. There are many databases out there, but no single source for comprehensive bridge performance data. Until now.

At the 30th annual CUTC Awards Banquet, a UTC student from Rutgers University was recognized by CUTC as the CAIT 2020 Student of the Year. The award highlights outstanding UTC students and their accomplishments in the field of transportation.

CAIT researchers at the Rutgers Asphalt and Pavement Laboratory created this new free technology and are now licensing it to professionals in the field. The software can easily provide analysis for various asphalt-performance testing specifications while alleviating errors and decreasing testing time.

A CAIT proposal transforms part of downtown New Brunswick into a test bed for technologies that collect, process, analyze mobility big data—a crucial component to future integration of autonomous vehicles, a safer pedestrian and cycling environment, and robust public transit.

New report provides assessment of 2020’s economic journey and an outlook for 2021.

Rutgers researcher says progress will be much slower as rapid recovery phase wanes.

New Jersey has regained nearly half of the jobs it lost due to the pandemic-driven economic contraction of March and April, but future employment gains will become increasingly difficult.

Rutgers researchers provide analysis on the pandemic’s impact on state’s economy through new Rutgers Regional Report published by a CAIT-affiliated researcher.

Under-designing roads can mean more expensive repairs for local towns and counties in the long run. Cornell’s Dr. David Orr, PE, developed an innovative tool to help bring the proper pavement designs to local agencies. The product launched this winter following testing by local agencies and stakeholders in New York State.

Rutgers researchers also expect pandemic-driven changes to the housing market, with shift to “live, work, play habitat.”

Federal Transit Administration Grant Award Advances Transit Innovation and Safety.

From addressing the challenges posed by COVID-19 to maintaining our roads, bridges, and other critical infrastructure in the region, take a look at some of the recent highlights from researchers at Rutgers Center for Advanced infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT) as we head into the new year and close out 2021.

Amid restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic affecting the region, researchers at the Rutgers Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation have still been able to conduct important work and take on new challenges in transportation—highlighted by recent media coverage and virtual events.

The USDOT Region 2 UTC Consortium spreads knowledge through published works, conference presentations, and other opportunities. Here are some examples of the recent activities and accomplishments of our researchers.

Researchers at the Rutgers Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation continue to conduct important work and take on new challenges in transportation during the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic. Here are some of our recent highlights.

As the USDOT Region 2 University Transportation Center, part of CAIT’s mission is to share the innovative tools, technologies, and processes that its researchers develop with the right stakeholders so that they can be implemented and solve the most pressing challenges today’s transportation network and industry faces. 

Researchers at the Rutgers Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation continue to conduct important work and take on new challenges in transportation during the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic. Here are some of our recent highlights.

This October, CAIT has been in the news for various research and projects, has seen faculty members honored for their excellence in education and research, and has hosted a number of classes and site visits.

Researchers at the Rutgers Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation continue to conduct important work and take on new challenges in transportation during the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic. Here is some of what we have been working on, highlighted by recent media coverage and virtual events.

From analyzing research gaps in applying autonomous and connected vehicles to discussing scenarios for railway tunnel fires, Region 2 UTC partners had an eventful summer. Below are some highlights from our researchers to you, and upcoming events to look out for.

Amid restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic affecting the region, researchers at the Rutgers Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation have still been able to conduct important work and take on new challenges in transportation—highlighted by recent media coverage and virtual events.

From innovative research to receiving awards, read about some of the recent highlights and successes from researchers at the Rutgers Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation during the summer months.

Researchers at University Transportation Center (UTC) partner school, Columbia University, are conducting a survey to better understand people's travel pattern changes before and after the pandemic to ultimately help improve transit service.

U.S. News & World Report revealed its 2021 Best Colleges ranking this September. Among a number of schools, many UTC partners were recognized in general as well as for their individual engineering programs.

CAIT has been busy in recent months with projects ranging from building virtual reality modules for workforce training to using drones in innovative ways for highway interchange asset inspection. Check out the latest edition of Transportation Today, our print newsletter, for these stories and much more.

Dr. Xiang Liu is driving rail research and academics at RU. He is PI on several FRA research contracts. One on PTC—a hot topic after recent derailments—and another developing advanced risk analysis. Liu says RU can provide cutting-edge tech solutions and well-“trained” talent that railroads need.

As the Region 2 UTC lead institution, Rutgers CAIT gathered its consortium partners and high-level industry leaders to discuss the next round of UTC projects, clients’ priorities, and collaboration. Discussions focused on finding real-world implementable solutions for pressing transportation issues in the region.

Hurricanes or other extreme events can cause pipeline leaks, joint-weakening, or even ruptures. Dr. Jie Gong developed a mapping, monitoring, and risk-evaluation system combining lidar, infrared imagery analysis, and GIS-based assessment tools to identify vulnerable pipelines after a disaster.

A project from UTC partners at Rowan University is working to develop an AI-based algorithm that will automate the process of identifying landing sites from video data as well as satellite images—increasing safety and efficiency in the NAS.

A study on managing risk associated with broken rails by Dr. Xiang Liu was chosen for a special issue of Transportation Research Record that collects papers from 2016–2017 that were most frequently cited and mentioned in journal articles, federal reports, and policy publications.

FHWA selected CAIT as PI on a competitive five-year contract worth up to $25.5 million for the Long-Term Bridge Performance program. Envisioned as 20-year research study, it will be the first nationwide effort to collect uniform quantitative data on bridge performance.

This new research project will help to identify best practices to facilitate truck movements and minimize truck wait time at JFK International Airport for land-side cargo movements through a systems analysis of cargo movement and logistics.

Elizabethtown Gas brought in a Rutgers Drone team to map a gas pipeline replacement project and capture geolocations of newly installed underground infrastructure. The data collected will help the team develop enhanced As-Built models that are vital for informing infrastructure stakeholders in the area.

Since Hurricane Ida struck New Jersey, a team of Rutgers engineers, researchers and students has been in the field assessing flood damage and gathering data to help improve flood prediction models and how New Jersey responds to future storms.

Recent UTC projects from Rutgers CAIT address critical issues of asset management, transportation safety, and infrastructure resilience during severe weather events as Hurricane Season 2020 continues.

The Middlesex County - Mobility Living Laboratory is transforming 12 downtown city acres and the wider Middlesex County into a cutting-edge smart mobility testing ground, designed to create an "innovation economy" in the region that aligns with the state's goals.

CAIT expert briefed NJDOT on “gee whiz” automated systems and advanced technologies developed at the center that give bridge owners a picture of bridge health inside and out, and accelerated testing that indicates how they may hold up over time.

The 99th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board will feature transportation professionals from around the world for a week of presentations, posters, meetings, awards, networking, and more. Use this schedule to find out when and where researchers from Rutgers CAIT will be discussing their own work.

University at Buffalo engineers, and CAIT UTC partners, Dr. Negar Elhami-Khorasani and Dr. Anthony Tessari are looking at how to improve fire safety in tunnels.

USDOT launched a national competition, Solving for Safety: Visualization Challenge, for crash data analysis innovations. Competition is open to local government personnel, data scientists, academics, and safety experts.

Transportation professionals from around the world came together last week to share research, discuss the future of the industry, network, and more. Among them, researchers from CAIT shared their own work ranging from autonomous vehicles and accessibility to preventing tunnel fires.

CAIT-affiliated researcher Dr. Sharon Di is part of a team of Columbia University researchers who recently received NSF funding to create a virtual replica, or digital twin, of New York City that will continuously learn and dynamically update itself as the city traffic environment changes in real time.

UTC Partners at Atlantic Cape Community College were recently selected among a group of 15 new schools to participate in the FAA’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Collegiate Training Initiative.

Dr. Matthew Bandelt, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the New Jersey Institute of Technology and a CAIT University Transportation Center partner, won the award to continue his research studying the use of highly ductile concrete materials in structural systems.

Five students from Atlantic Cape Community College will be joining researchers from Rowan University to investigate potential improvements to artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms—with the goal of further developing these technologies to learn from and adapt to a perpetually changing environment.

Atlantic Cape Community College (ACCC) is helping its students enter the multi-billion-dollar drone industry in two ways: with micro-credentials offered through a new degree program, and by establishing the college’s drone-pilot certification program as the industry standard.

On August 30th, Rutgers CAIT hosted UTC partners from Rowan University to discuss their research Evaluating the Mobility Impacts of American Dream Complex and Developing Innovative Intersection Safety Tools, as part of a presentation during the CAIT Seminar Series.

University Transportation Center partners at Rowan University are creating an effective and specialized approach to the Last Mile Challenge for the City of Camden, NJ, to improve transportation accessibility, public health, education, and employment opportunities for city residents.

Research with GatewayJFK and JFK International Airport analyzed the benefits of an airport-wide Truck Flow Management System to coordinate truck traffic and cargo movements throughout the airport and surrounding region.

On Friday, January 29th, CAIT hosted UTC partner Dr. Gustavo Pacheco-Crosetti for a seminar presentation on his work to date studying the damages from Hurricane Maria on Puerto Rico in order to improve future infrastructure resilience.

On December 9th CAIT hosted affiliated researchers from Columbia University for a webinar on their latest research studying the “Effects of Exposure to Fire on Strength of Suspension Bridge Cables Over Time” as part of the ongoing CAIT Seminar Series. Watch the webinar here.

Bridge to Employment is a J&J youth development program designed to inspire young people from historically marginalized communities to stay in school and pursue STEM careers. A local site kicked off year 3 of its program with lab tours and technology demonstrations at Rutgers CAIT this September.