Research Highlights

Examining the Geotechnical Earthquake Hazard to Transportation Assets in Oregon and Washington: Characterizing Earthquake-Induced Deformations of Silt Soils

Diane Moug
Critical transportation infrastructure in Washington and Oregon is vulnerable to damage during strong earthquake shaking, including the anticipated magnitude 9 Cascadia Subduction Zone event. A major hazard to transportation infrastructure is the failure and deformation of the underlying soil. Soils can undergo large deformations and strength loss when subjected to strong earthquake shaking. Current engineering practice has established guidance for estimating earthquake hazards for clay and s... Read More

Transferability & Forecasting of the Pedestrian Index Environment (PIE) for Modeling Applications

Kelly Clifton
There have been important advances in non-motorized planning tools in recent years, including the development of the MoPeD pedestrian demand model (Clifton et al., 2013, 2015). This tool and others are increasingly requested by governments and agencies seeking to increase walking activity and create more walkable places. To date, the MoPeD tool has been piloted with success in the Portland region using data unique to Metro, the metropolitan planning organization. However, there is increasing ... Read More