TREC research addresses complex transportation problems by drawing on multiple disciplines, including engineering, planning, economics and design, from across the Portland State University campus. Use the search box at right to search for a specific project.
Research Highlights
Improving Walkability Through Control Strategies at Signalized Intersections
Sirisha Kothuri Christopher Monsere
The goal of signal timing at an intersection should be to separate conflicting movements in time, maximizing safety and efficiency for all users. In many jurisdictions, however, signal timing objectives have traditionally focused on allowing vehicle progression and reducing vehicular delay and stops. While these are important considerations in many contexts, other users (especially pedestrians) deserve similar focus and control strategies. Recent updates to the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM 2010…
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Bridge Pile Foundations Subjected to Liquefaction-Induced Lateral Spreading
Arash Khosravifar
The overall goal of this research is to improve the seismic safety and resiliency of highway bridges in the Pacific Northwest during earthquakes. Past earthquakes have shown that liquefaction-induced lateral spreading can be a major cause of collapse for pile foundations. Bridge engineers generally agree that pile foundations must be designed for: (a) lateral spreading loads caused by liquefaction of soils adjacent to piles, and (b) inertial loads during shaking resulting from the…
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