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:

Pile Setup and Restrike Procedures

The primary objective of this research is to provide MoDOT with rational procedures and guidelines to incorporate pile setup in MoDOT pile design. Pile setup refers to the time-dependent increase in the capacity of driven piles that occurs after the end of pile driving. High-strain dynamic load test data from end of driving (EOD) and beginning of r...

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Impacts of Hydraulic Modeling Methods on Bridge Scour Analysis

This study was conducted investigate the impacts of hydraulic modeling methods on bridge scour analysis, develop recommendations for sediment/soil sampling methods, and to conduct bridge scour risk assessments. Field data were collected at five study sites to obtain the required terrain and soil/sediment input data for hydraulic modeling and scour ...

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Truck Parking Investments for Missouri

Missouri’s multimodal freight system is critical to the health of both the state and national economy, and as the economy and population grow, goods movement activity is expected to increase. This growing demand for goods will likely mean more trucks on the road, leading to a greater need to enhance the infrastructure necessary for trucks to improv...

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Performance of Cost-Effective Non-Proprietary UHPC in Thin-Bonded Bridge Overlays

The constructability and performance of non-proprietary thixotropic ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) for thin bonded bridge deck overlay construction was investigated. Task 1 reviewed the main literature on UHPC for thin bonded overlays and non-proprietary UHPC. Task 2 involved fine tuning of two non-proprietary UHPC mixtures to enhance thixo...

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Consultant Support for Intelligent Compaction and Paver-Mounted Thermal Profiling Projects in 2022-2023

Due to the success of the MoDOT 2017-2021 Intelligent Compaction and Paver-Mounted Thermal Profiling (IC-PMTP) projects that demonstrate the paving quality improvements on numerous field projects, MoDOT has established a plan that includes additional IC-PMTP projects in 2022 and 2023. To ensure the continued success of the MoDOT IC-PMTP projects in...

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Field Demonstration of Post-Consumer Waste Plastics and Ground Tire Rubber in Columbia, Missouri

Research has shown that asphalt pavements can serve as a destination for some of the major streams of waste materials around the globe, such as scrap tires and plastics.  Ground tire rubber (GTR) from scrap tires has been used in asphalt pavements since the 1960s, but has not achieved its full potential in terms of market adoption. A field demonstr...

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