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Mississippi Transportation Research Center

Dr. Dennis D. Truax - Director
The Mississippi Transportation Research Center (MTRC) functions to conduct scholarly research designed to advance current transportation-related technologies in the State of Mississippi. It serves to support educational opportunities for the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) personnel, and others associated with the MDOT, to strengthening of their professional expertise, enhancement their work-related effectiveness, and advance their professional careers. MTRC also engages as a basis for information exchange with peer transportation centers and other identified organizations and corporate entities as deemed appropriate by MDOT. Finally, this center strives to develop, execute, and administer work assignments under a Master Agreement which expedites research efforts at Mississippi’s universities in support of the missions and research needs of MDOT.

When MDOT identifies a problem or subject area for a research project, the appropriate MDOT Division prepares a draft scope of work for the project. The MTRC assists in preparation of the draft as needed. With MTRC working in a supporting role, the MDOT division defines the research team at the various State Institution of Higher Learning universities to provide the needed work. The MTRC then assists the principal investigator(s) in developing a detailed scope of work, task list, progress schedule, and cost estimate for Work Assignments under the Master Agreement.

The MTRC provides credit and non-credit instructional programs as requested by the MDOT. Overall the MTRC and the Division of Academic Outreach and Continuing Education (AOCE) at Mississippi State University would provide administration of credit instructional programs. Both university and non-university personnel would provide the course instruction as needed, and the center, as supported by CEE and the Bagley College of Engineering, would maintain equipment and facilities as required for providing courses. Courses shall be selected by MDOT in coordination with the MTRC and executed through Work Assignments. A single Work Assignment may provide for more than one course.

A number of states support Transportation Research Centers. These peer centers communicate and exchange information on activities and research. The MTRC will participate in these exchanges as approved by MDOT. This exchange can take several forms and activities will be defined, approved, and reviewed by MDOT, as appropriate, on a regular basis. For example, representative of MTRC will attend technical and professional meetings deemed appropriate by MDOT.

Projects Approved and Funded by MDOT

2/15/14 - 12/31/22Dennis D. TruaxMississippi Transportation Research Center
2/15/17 - 12/31/22Isaac HowardMDOT Specific Materials, Design, and Construction Procedures for Chip and Scrub Seals
2/15/18 - 12/31/20Pengfei LiDevelopment & Evaluation of Wi-Fi Highway Performance Evaluation System on Highways
2/15/16 - 12/31/20Isaac HowardSoil Cement Manual of Practice: Interconnected Framework for Pavement Design, Laboratory Mixture Design, and Construction Quality/Assurance
2/15/18 - 12/31/20Isaac HowardConversion Factors and Regression Parameters to Back Cast Strength and Modulus of Cementitiously Stabilized Materials
2/15/18 - 12/31/19John BoydVegetation Management Program
2/15/18 - 12/31/19Daniel CarruthHigh-Quality Simulation for Maintenance and Transit operator Training
2/15/18 - 12/31/19Li ZhangPerformance Measures of Traffic Signal Control Systems
5/1/18 - 12/31/18Dennis D. Truax2018 Mississippi State Mississippi Summer Transportation Institute
5/1/17 - 12/31/17Dennis D. Truax2017 Mississippi State Mississippi Summer Transportation Institute
2/15/14 - 12/31/17Isaac HowardField Aging Effects on Asphalt Mixed at Different Temperatures and Hauled Different Distances
5/1/16 - 12/31/16Dennis D. Truax2016 Mississippi State Mississippi Summer Transportation Institute
2/15/14 - 12/31/16Li ZhangOrigin Destination (O-D) and Travel Time (TT) Data
5/1/15 - 12/31/15Dennis D. Truax2015 Mississippi State Mississippi Summer Transportation Institute
10/1/05 - 12/31/16Isaac Howard; Farshad AminiLong Term Monitoring and Performance of Paving Fabric Interlayer Systems to Reduce Reflective Cracking
2/15/12 - 12/31/15Li ZhangReal-Time Transit Vehicle routing Optimization in Emergency Evacuations (NCITEC Project)
2/15/12 - 12/31/15Li ZhangCost Share for NCITEC Project
2/15/12 - 12/31/15Li ZhangIntermodal Transportation Systems Risk Analysis and Resilience in New Madrid Seismic Zone: The Impact to Mississippi (NCITEC Project)
2/15/12 - 12/31/15Isaac HowardState Study #250 - Full Depth Reclamation for High Traffic Applications
5/1/14 - 12/31/14Dennis D. Truax2014 Mississippi State Mississippi Summer Transportation Institute
Fall 2013 - 12/15/14Sandra D. Eksioglu and Xiaopeng LiAnalyzing the Impact of Intermodal-Related Risk to the Design and Management of Biofuel Supply Chain
Fall 2013 - 42 monthsIsaac HowardField Aging Effects on Asphalt Mixed at Different Temperature and Hauled Different Distances
5/1/13 - 12/31/13Dennis D. Truax2013 Mississippi State Mississippi Summer Transportation Institute
5/1/12 - 12/31/12Dennis D. Truax2012 Mississippi State Mississippi Summer Transportation Institute
2/1/12 - 6/30/14Isaac HowardFull Depth Reclamation for High Traffic Applications
2/1/12 - 6/30/15Seamus FreyneAcceptable Vibrations on Green Concrete
2/1/12 - 6/30/13Lesley StrawdermanDriver Speed Limit Compliance in School Zones: Assessing the Impact of Sign Saturation
5/1/11 - 12/31/11Dennis D. Truax2011 Mississippi State Mississippi Summer Transportation Institute
5/1/10 - 12/31/10Dennis D. Truax2010 Mississippi State Mississippi Summer Transportation Institute
10/1/09 - 12/31/11Li ZhangI-55 Integrated Diversion Traffic Management Benefit Study (Updated 11/17/14)
10/1/09 - 12/31/11Feng WangEvaluation of MDOT’s Distress Thresholds for Maintained Pavement Projects
10/1/09 - 12/31/11Wei ZhengInstrumentation Computational Modeling for Evaluation of Bridge Substructures Across Waterways
5/1/09 - 12/31/09Dennis D. Truax2009 Mississippi State Mississippi Summer Transportation Institute
10/1/08 - 6/30/10Feng WangEmergency Evacuation Study for the Greater Jackson Area (Dynasmart-P Development)
10/1/08 - 3/31/13Isaac HowardProperties of Flexible Pavements Due to Bituminous Surface Treatments
10/1/08 - 9/30/10Isaac HowardUtilization of Rap in Construction (Phase II High Rap Surface Course)
10/1/08 - 3/31/10Waheed UddinPerformance Evaluation of Roundabouts for Traffic Delay and Crash Reduction in Oxford, MS
10/1/08 - 3/30/12Tom WhiteStrain Resistant, Extended Performance Pavements, an Alternate to Sub drainage
10/1/08 - 3/30/12Jordan WhittingtonIn-House Support to State Study No 217
10/1/08 - 3/30/12Chris Saucier and Miriam SmithDevelopment of a Method for Estimating Lateral Earth Pressures for Retaining Structures Sited in Expansive Clay Deposits
10/1/08 - 3/30/10Li ZhangFramework of Calculating the Measures of Resilience (MOR) for Intermodal Transportation Systems
5/1/08 - 12/31/08Dennis D. Truax2008 Mississippi State Mississippi Summer Transportation Institute
10/1/07 - 9/30/09Isaac HowardLaboratory and Field Study of Chip and Scrub Seals to Develop Asphalt Maintenance Toolbox
10/1/07 - 9/30/08Isaac HowardUse of Maturity Meters in Construction
10/1/07 - 9/30/10Tom WhiteOpen Graded Friction Courses for HMA Pavements
10/1/07 - 9/30/10Isaac Howard and L. Allen Cooley, Jr.Effect of Coarse Aggregate Cleanliness and Moisture Content on Stripping Susceptibility & Long Term Performance of HMA
5/1/07 - 12/31/07Dennis D. Truax2007 Mississippi State Mississippi Summer Transportation Institute
10/1/05 - 9/30/06Waheed UddinGround Penetrating Radar Study-Phase (Technology Review & Evaluation)
10/1/05 - 9/30/06Emmett CrockettEnhancing Mobility to Improve the Quality of Life in the MS Capitol Region
10/1/05 - 9/30/07Jordan WhittingtonEvaluation of the Effectiveness of Drainage Layers

For more information about funded projects, how to apply, or to access the original reports, please visit: https://mdot.ms.gov/portal/research.