Guidelines for the 2015-2016 Academic Year:
The International Data Analysis Contest for the 2015–2016 academic school year is a joint effort between the Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) program of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA); and the Task Committee on the Long-Term Pavement Performance Contest—a subcommittee of the Highway Pavement Committee of the Transportation and Development Institute (T&DI) of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). The contest guidelines for the 2015–2016 academic school year have been prepared by the T&DI of the ASCE and the FHWA for those interested in participating in the international data analysis contest.
Background & Scope of Contest:
Initiated in August 1998, the contest is designed to encourage students, professors, highway agencies, and consultants from around the world to use the LTPP data collected over the past two decades and document their findings in a written paper. The contest provides the opportunity for contestants (primarily students) to work individually or in a team to perform research that will benefit the highway transportation community. Authors of winning papers will receive a cash prize and an all-expense paid trip to Washington, DC to be nationally recognized at the 2017 Transportation Research Board (TRB) 96th Annual Meeting. In addition, winners will present their research topic at one or more TRB meeting sessions and will be given the option to have FHWA publish their winning paper, which will be available for researchers worldwide. All participants will receive a letter of recognition from ASCE and FHWA.
Theme, Categories, Awards, Contest Timeline, and Participants:
Theme: The theme for the 2015–2016 T&DI/ASCE-LTPP International Data Analysis Contest is:
“Select or Develop a Key Performance Indicator Using LTPP InfoPave™ to Evaluate a Question or Concern for Your Region or State”
The overall theme is very broad and gives the contestants the flexibility and creativity to select a topic of interest that will contribute to a better understanding of pavement performance. For example, a topic can range from how the environment does or does not impact pavement performance, or how heavy traffic loads can trigger early pavement distresses.
Challenge: This year’s contest includes a challenge topic for the 2015–2016 T&DI/ASCE-LTPP International Data Analysis Contest:
“Develop Threshold Triggers for Maintenance and Rehabilitation Treatments Using the LTPP Data”
Categories AND Awards:
Undergraduate
Graduate
Partnership
Challenge
Timeline:
Deadline to Submit Papers: June 1, 2016
Complete Evaluation of Papers: July 31, 2016
Notify Winners: August 15, 2016
Recognition/Awards at TRB 96th Annual Meeting: January 8, 2017
E-mail Submissions: Subject line should read: 2015–2016 T&DI/ASCE-LTPP International Data Analysis Contest:
E-mail: ltpp@asce.org | or abaker@asce.org
CD/DVD Submissions:
American Society of Civil Engineers, Transportation & Development Institute
1801 Alexander Bell Drive | Reston, Virginia, USA | 20191-4400
ATTENTION: Andrea Baker—T&DI/ASCE-LTPP Task Committee
2015-2016 T&DI/ASCE-LTPP International Data Analysis Contest
For more Contest Timeline details, and all Paper Guidelines and Contest Rules, please go to: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/research/tfhrc/programs/infrastructure/pavements/ltpp/contestguide.cfm .
Background of the LTPP Program: Brief History:
During the early 1980s, the Transportation Research Board (TRB) of the National Research Council, under the sponsorship of FHWA and with the cooperation of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), undertook a thorough study of the deterioration of the Nation’s highway and bridge infrastructure system. The study recommended that a Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP) be initiated to focus research and development activities that would make major contributions to improving highway transportation. The report, published as “TRB Special Report 202” in 1984, emphasized six research areas, with the Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) program as one of the key research areas. During 1985 and 1986, independent contractors developed details of the research programs for SHRP. The detailed programs were published in May 1986 as a TRB Report entitled “Strategic Highway Research Program—Research Plans.” To read more on the History, the Goals and Objectives of the LTPP, LTPP Experiments and Data Collected, Accessing Data and other LTPP Information, please click here.