The following program objectives have been established by the WHRP Steering Committee:
TOC Goals and Performance Measures:
Address most critical problems to maximize effectiveness of existing and emerging highway components through the development and application of strategic and objective research
- Measure criticality of problem (via customer scans)
- Assess potential effectiveness of research
- Return On Investment
- Potential for success
- Usefulness of findings
- Measure of strategic value of research
- Fits business models of WisDOT and partners
- Fits regional and national research direction
- Measure of objectivity of research
- Advances unbiased research applications
Develop performance measures that can be used to predict and validate highway quality
- Establish appropriate performance tests with threshold values
- Measure the number of performance tests with threshold values established
- Measure of the value of the performance test
- Establish acceptance/rejection criteria
- Measure the number of acceptance/rejection criteria established
- Develop models to predict likely performance and validate
- Measure the number and use of validated models used to predict likely performance
- Isolate affects of construction factors
- Measure whether construction factors were isolated
- Develop methods for early prediction of performance
- Measure the number of methods developed for early prediction of performance
- Develop performance-based specifications
- Grading materials (to the extent possible)
- Asphalt materials
- PCC materials
- Structural materials and systems
- Measure the number of performance-based specifications developed
Reduce life cycle costs and time of construction while improving performance of the highway infrastructure
- Investigate promising new design methods
- Validate anticipated performance
- Measure number of projects to validate anticipated performance
- Build design tools
- Measure number of new design tools
- Design for sustainability[1]
- Measure degree to which sustainability of infrastructure is being considered in research
- Design for maintainability[2]
- Measure degree to which maintainability of infrastructure is being considered in research
- Identify improved project scheduling and management to minimize user delays and maximize speed of construction
- Measure number of new methods to improve project scheduling and management of construction
- Measure number of projects which consider user delay
- Measure number of projects which consider improving speed of construction
[1] Understanding the principles of sustainability and the interdependence of transportation, the environment, the economy, and social systems can help us learn to make the changes necessary to become effective stewards of our transportation network, natural resources and the environment. Design for sustainability of which many other disciplines are indispensable components, will engage partners from all arenas -- adult education, on-the-job training, other formal and nonformal education programs, and the media -- to reach out to as many individuals as possible. Clearly, the time is right to engage in a dynamic process to educate not only children but all citizens about the economic and environmental realities of today's transportation world.
[2] The relative ease and economy of time and resources with which an item can be retained in, or restored to, a specified condition when maintenance is performed by personnel having specified skill levels, using prescribed procedures and resources, at each prescribed level of maintenance and repair. In this context, it is a function of design.
Broad Program Objectives
Increase Level of Investment in Program --- Through mutual support and efforts of the department, academia, and industry, obtain joint partner funding and investments from regional and national interested parties. Encourage continued mutual support to achieve greater acknowledgment and recognition of the Program.
Expand Program through Joint Research --- Actively respond to inquiries for participation in multiple-state research, initiate multiple-state research projects, encourage sharing and using research results to avoid duplication, and expand the use of joint academia’s on specific projects.
Develop Academia Expertise --- Through research specialization, develop technical expertise in specific areas. Provide educational opportunities for future transportation leaders in those specific areas.
Assess and Meet Emerging Needs of Partners --- Determine research needs of department, contractor and consultant partners, and identify, focus and prioritize specific research opportunities to meet those transportation needs.
Integrate Program Goals and Outputs with Other Transportation Activities --- Integrate program efforts with other research initiatives underway in new product or method evaluations, operational solutions, academic learning, design and construction efficiencies.
Improve Effectiveness of Program --- Assure project quality and timeliness, to improve the effectiveness of the overall Program. Assist in project implementation, marketing efforts, and long-term follow-up.
Sharing of Specialized Equipment --- Obtain and share specialized equipment for the use of the full transportation research community.
Technology Transfer --- Determine, publish, and increase awareness and education of technology applications and best practices.