Research Section

Mission

We deliver knowledge solutions and innovations so that MoDOT can make informed decisions. Research staff administer contract research to outside organizations to solve organizational challenges.

Research projects are focused on how MoDOT can change processes, products or materials in order to do our jobs in the most efficient and economical manner.

The Research Section falls under the Construction and Materials Division within MoDOT and is located in the Central Laboratory building.

What We Do

We develop an annual research program, focusing on strategic areas such as Safety, Bridges, Pavements, Materials, Geotechnical Issues, Erosion Control, Maintenance, Multimodal Transportation, Best Practices and Customer Satisfaction.

The Research Section is also responsible for other activities:

Silane Bridge Deck Rating

Bridge decks are among the most vulnerable components of bridge structures due to the combined effects of multiple deterioration mechanisms, including traffic-induced abrasion, repeated freeze-thaw cycling, and chloride ingress. Surface impregnation using silane sealers has proven to be an effective method for mitigating concrete deterioration in b...

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TSMO Strategies and Automation in Work Zones

This research evaluated the Missouri Department of Transportation’s (MoDOT’s) use of Transportation Systems Management and Operations (TSMO) strategies in work zones, with an emphasis on Smart Work Zone (SWZ) technologies and automation. Project objectives included identifying available TSMO strategies, documenting examples of their use, implementi...

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New Technologies for Detecting and Mapping Passages Beneath Missouri Roadways

This project evaluated advanced, non-intrusive geophysical and remote sensing technologies for detecting and mapping subsurface passages beneath Missouri highways. Subsurface features such as karst voids, caves, sinkholes, and abandoned mine workings present ongoing risks to roadway safety, structural performance, and long-term maintenance, particu...

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Methods for Monitoring the Movement of Wildlife Through Concrete Barrier Gaps

This study evaluated the effectiveness of scupper-modified Jersey barriers in facilitating small wildlife movement across a newly constructed segment of Interstate 49 in southwestern Missouri. Traditional concrete median barriers can reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions through fewer crossing attempts but create impermeable barriers for small-bodied ...

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Accurate Collection and Reporting of Worker Presence in Work Zones

Highway work zones remain high-risk environments due to the close interaction between workers, live traffic, and heavy equipment. While platforms like the Work Zone Data Exchange (WZDx) and DOT traveler information maps provide location and traffic impact data, real-time, verified information regarding actual worker presence is often unavailable. T...

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Optimizing Missouri's Statewide Transportation Improvement Program Letting and Construction Schedule

This study evaluated how Missouri’s annual letting calendar could be structured to improve competition and lower award costs while remaining feasible under existing policies and delivery practices. Historical bid outcomes were used to estimate monthly “performance curves” that related workload share to observed price behavior. A genetic algorithm t...

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