Research
Faculty in TISE perform research in a wide array of topics associated with many areas in transportation engineering. Examples include:
SYSTEMS
· Driver Behavior in Traffic, FHWA Exploratory and Advanced Research Program
· IntelliDrive
· Evaluation of Merits and Requirements of Next Generation Traffic Control Systems for Northern Regions Existing Infrastructure
· District Freight Trip Generation (FTG): On-Site Berths and the Curbside Implications
· Highway Safety Analytics and Reporting
· Geolocating and Analysis of Virginia Crash Data
· Enabling Secure and Resilient XFC: A Software/Hardware-Security Co-Design Approach
· Planning Corridors for Transit Signal Priority while Considering Pedestrian Delay
· Assessment of Capacity Changes Due to Automated Vehicles on Interstate Corridors
· Developing and Acquiring a Fully Instrumented City
· Energy and Emission Modeling of ITS Applications
· Studying the Impact of Inclement Weather on Traffic Stream Behavior
· Aviation Demand Modeling of the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NGATS)
· National Center of Excellence in Aviation Operations Research. Sponsor
· Runway Exit Design for Capacity Improvements. Sponsor
INFRASTRUCTURE
· Quality Management of Pavement Condition Data Collection (PI)
· Pavement Surface Properties Research Pool Fund Investigation at the Virginia Smart Road
· Feasibility of Using Friction Indicators to Improve Winter Maintenance Operations and Mobility
· Nanomechanics for Structural Materials
· Energy Harvesting from Public Roadways
· Integrated Traffic and Health Monitoring for Transportation Infrastructure Management
FACILITIES
Air Transportation Systems Laboratory
The Air Transportation Systems Laboratory (ATSL) is the focal point of all the research done at Virginia Tech as part of the FAA Center of Excellence for Aviation Operations Research (NEXTOR). Virginia Tech is the founding member of NEXTOR with MIT, UC Berkeley and U. of Maryland. Today NEXTOR has 8 universities. The Lab has a web site at: http://www.atsl.cee.vt.edu.
Virginia Tech Signal-Control-and-Operations Research and Education System Laboratory (VT-SCORES)
The lab contains state-of-the-art technology in traffic signal systems and transportation engineering. The goal of SCORES is to assess the operational effectiveness of the state-of-the-practice systems, to develop state-of-the art systems, and contribute to the emerging profession and education. The laboratory houses several traffic controllers from different vendors (Naztec, Econolite, and Siemens), hardware-in-the-loop simulation and hardware equipment (Naztec test boxes), video detection equipment, programmable microcontrollers, and six powerful workstation computers.
Virginia Tech Transportation Institute - VTTI
The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) is an interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, university level research center of Virginia Tech. VTTI was established in August 1988 in response to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s University Transportation Centers program, and in cooperation with the Virginia Department of Transportation. VTTI’s primary mission is applied research, which is accomplished by attracting a multi-disciplinary core of researchers and by educating students in the latest transportation technologies through hands on research and experience. In 1996, the Institute was designated as one of three Federal Highway Administration / Federal Transit Administration Intelligent Transportation Systems (FHWA/FTA ITS) Research Centers of Excellence. Since then, VTTI has grown tremendously and has garnered a reputation as one the leading transportation research institution in the nation. Its cutting-edge research is effecting significant change in public policies in the transportation domain on both the state and national levels.