All Research

Coastal transportation networks are shaped by the interactions of many forces at once — communities, infrastructure, weather hazards, and government response — and no single model captures all of them together. This project develops an agent-based modeling framework that simulates how these elements interact, enabling scenario planning and policy testing for improving coastal resilience. The framework pays particular attention to environmental justice, ensuring that resilience benefits reach vulnerable communities equitably.

Floods damage roads and disrupt travel, but assessing that risk is difficult without reliable historical data and computationally efficient models. This project developed a framework using hundreds of 2D hydrodynamic flood simulations to estimate both infrastructure repair costs and travel time delays across flood scenarios. Applied to Harris County, Texas, the study analyzed inundation depths and associated damages across more than 21,000 road segments. By combining direct and societal costs into a single metric, the framework gives transportation planners and engineers a practical tool for prioritizing flood mitigation investments. The methodology is designed to scale to other flood-prone regions.

When a hurricane hits, pavement damage across a coastal road network can be extensive and unevenly distributed. Using Hurricane Harvey as a case study, this project analyzes pavement condition data from Houston before and after the storm to understand how different road types hold up — and how maintenance and repair decisions can be optimized in the aftermath. The goal is faster, smarter recovery for coastal communities facing recurring hazards.

Managing the long-term risk of coastal bridge networks requires integrating data from many sources — bridge inspections, traffic monitoring, streamflow records — in a way that captures how these systems interact. This project developed a city-scale knowledge graph for Miami-Dade County that maps relationships between variables relevant to bridge life-cycle risk, including correlated climate hazards like flooding and hurricanes. Built on the AutoGraCS framework, the knowledge graph is designed to scale easily to other regions and can be converted into Bayesian networks for probabilistic risk analysis. The result is a foundation for future digital twins of coastal transportation networks.

Coastal roads face constant stress from saltwater, extreme weather, tides, and wind-driven water, making condition monitoring both critical and difficult. Traditional image-based pavement assessment tools lose accuracy in these environments. This project developed AI and machine learning models trained specifically on coastal pavement conditions to detect and classify pavement distress more accurately. The research produced a library of coastal pavement surface images, validated models for real-world conditions, and a technology transfer plan to help highway agencies adopt and implement the tools.

Many coastal states are legally required to maintain public beach access while also protecting inland areas from flooding and storm surge. This research investigates bio-cementation — using microbial and enzymatic processes to bind sand particles together — as a nature-based method to stabilize engineered dune slopes that can support vehicle traffic while resisting wave erosion. Laboratory testing will evaluate both erosion resistance and load-bearing capacity of treated versus untreated dune sand under varying wave and traffic conditions, with the goal of offering a sustainable alternative to conventional coastal access and flood protection infrastructure.

This project develops a decision-making tool to assess and strengthen the durability of transportation corridors in coastal communities, with a focus on supporting the blue economy. The research addresses challenges posed by natural hazards and the role of durable infrastructure in regional economic growth. Blue and green economy principles are integrated into workforce development efforts, with education on designing infrastructure resilient to natural disasters. A case study in a Puerto Rico coastal community will produce a framework for evaluating blue economy goals through the lens of transportation durability.

Bridges in coastal and inland areas face serious risk from scour, the erosion of sediment around structural foundations caused by waves and currents. These structures serve critical roles in evacuation routes and rural transportation networks, and when they fail, entire communities can be cut off from emergency relief, as seen in the recent Central Texas flash flood disaster. Most bridge failures begin with this hydraulic scour process, yet traditional mitigation methods are expensive and often absent in rural bridge design. This research aims to address that gap by testing affordable hybrid protection techniques that combine bio-cementation (specifically Microbially-Induced Calcium Carbonate Precipitation) and geosynthetics with natural sediment to reduce scour damage. The work will include a literature review of existing scour protection options, physical wave flume testing of various hybrid combinations under wave and current loading, and the development of scour prediction equations to evaluate how well these solutions perform in both coastal and riverine settings.

Coastal erosion removes the soil that supports roads, bridge piers, and retaining walls, leading to structural distress and failure. This project developed synthetic composite mangroves — engineered to mimic the wave-buffering root systems of real mangroves — as a nature-based solution for protecting coastal transportation infrastructure. Lab testing evaluated how different root system designs reduce wave velocity and energy. Results were incorporated into design methods and coastal infrastructure software, with findings shared through national conferences, classroom curricula, and K-12 outreach.

Concrete in coastal environments is prone to cracking caused by shrinkage, which can compromise structural integrity and shorten the service life of bridges, pavements, and other infrastructure. This project investigates combining internal curing materials with recycled steel fibers salvaged from scrap tires as a way to reduce shrinkage, resist crack formation, and improve the overall durability of coastal concrete structures. The research aims to produce practical material selection guidelines and mix design recommendations, while also exploring how recycled steel fibers could partially or fully replace conventional steel reinforcement in pavement applications, offering a more sustainable and cost-effective solution.

Coastal roads face constant stress from saltwater, extreme weather, tides, and wind-driven water, making condition monitoring both critical and difficult. Traditional image-based pavement assessment tools lose accuracy in these environments. This project developed AI and machine learning models trained specifically on coastal pavement conditions to detect and classify pavement distress more accurately. The research produced a library of coastal pavement surface images, validated models for real-world conditions, and a technology transfer plan to help highway agencies adopt and implement the tools.

More than half of flood-related drownings in the U.S. occur when drivers enter hazardous floodwater. This project uses immersive virtual reality simulations to study how drivers decide whether to cross or avoid flooded roads — and what kinds of warnings, signage, and alerts most effectively change that behavior. Community members in coastal municipalities like Isabela, Puerto Rico participate directly, helping translate technical flood data into practical safety improvements.

Hydroplaning occurs when water buildup between tires and pavement causes a driver to lose traction and control, and it is a leading contributor to wet-weather crashes. Coastal regions face heightened risk due to more frequent and intense rainfall. This research will develop data-driven models that combine crash records, pavement conditions, and vehicle dynamics data from multiple sources to assess hydroplaning risk on coastal highways. The findings will inform roadway and pavement design recommendations to help transportation agencies reduce wet-weather accidents more proactively.

Not all flood risk is visible on standard maps. This project combines AI-based flood modeling with high-resolution highway network data to identify where coastal flooding poses the greatest threat to road durability — including locations that haven't flooded before but are increasingly at risk. The result is an interactive web tool that helps transportation planners and emergency responders prioritize where to act, initially tested in Galveston, Texas.

After a major disaster, access to hospitals, fire stations, and emergency services can be cut off entirely — particularly for rural and elderly populations. This project quantifies how unprecedented combinations of coastal hazards affect community connectivity, then develops recovery strategies and simulation models to help decision-makers allocate road repair resources where they're needed most. The framework is tested in Oregon coastal communities and built to scale.

Concrete production consumes vast amounts of freshwater, a concern in water-scarce regions. This project explores whether seawater can be used in place of freshwater when paired with supplementary cementitious materials in concrete mixes without steel reinforcement. Researchers will test cement pastes, mortars, and concrete mixtures using both freshwater and seawater to compare hydration behavior, strength, and durability. The work aims to demonstrate proof-of-concept for a more resource-efficient concrete well suited to coastal construction environments.

Surge barriers protect coastal infrastructure such as ports, roads, and bridges from storm surges and high tides, but conventional fixed barriers are costly and come with significant operational drawbacks. This research evaluates three innovative temporary barrier concepts: flexible membrane barriers that self-deploy with rising water, sinkable floating barriers raised from the seabed by pumping in air, and shade curtain barriers attached to existing bridge structures. The project will assess which site conditions suit each concept, quantify hydraulic loads, and address the structural and geotechnical design requirements needed to make these barriers viable alternatives to traditional fixed structures.

This project is the third phase of a multi-year collaborative effort to develop the SEAHIVE® system — modular concrete perforated hexagonal prisms — as a practical tool for mitigating bridge scour. Phases I and II explored externally and internally prestressed element production methods. Phase III focuses on wet-cast production using short fiber reinforcement with and without glass fiber reinforced polymer bars, comparing results across all three manufacturing approaches. The research aims to advance SEAHIVE® toward real-world implementation that could reshape how bridge foundations are designed and protected against scour.

Planning for coastal infrastructure requires knowing not just where flooding has occurred, but where it's likely to occur under future storm conditions. This project builds a database of historical and synthetic hurricane scenarios, combined with advanced wave and surge modeling, to produce detailed flooding susceptibility maps for coastal communities. City engineers and planners in Galveston, Port Arthur, and Texas City are directly involved in shaping the outputs.

This project addresses workforce gaps in coastal transportation vulnerability assessment through two parallel capacity-building tracks: a college-level track providing engineering and architecture students with interdisciplinary, field-based learning, and a professional-level track upskilling practicing engineers in methods such as the FHWA Vulnerability Assessment Scoring Tool (VAST). Educational modules, workshops, and training materials will be delivered through the UPRM Interactive Learning Hub and in-person sessions via Puerto Rico LTAP. The project applies the VAST approach to the PR-466/4466 coastal highway corridor in Isabela, incorporating community characteristics into the scoring process.

Coastal communities face compounding vulnerabilities during extreme weather — not just damaged roads, but limited transportation options, low incomes, and inadequate evacuation knowledge. This project expands an existing vulnerability assessment tool (VAST) with a new Coastal Category that captures these social and infrastructure dimensions together. Workshops with local officials translate the findings into practical planning guidance for Puerto Rico's transportation corridors.

Coastal roads face elevated crash risks from hurricanes, flooding, and infrastructure degradation, but conventional safety measures often aren't designed for these compounded hazards. This project examines how emerging technologies — including connected vehicle systems, advanced driver assistance, and smart corridor management — can be matched to specific crash scenarios common in coastal environments. Using literature review, geospatial screening, and expert input, the team will develop a prototype decision-support tool that helps agencies identify and prioritize the most effective safety interventions for their coastal corridors.

Coastal roads face constant stress from saltwater, extreme weather, tides, and wind-driven water, making condition monitoring both critical and difficult. Traditional image-based pavement assessment tools lose accuracy in these environments. This project developed AI and machine learning models trained specifically on coastal pavement conditions to detect and classify pavement distress more accurately. The research produced a library of coastal pavement surface images, validated models for real-world conditions, and a technology transfer plan to help highway agencies adopt and implement the tools.

Bridge scour — the erosion of sediment around bridge foundations — is the leading cause of bridge failure in the United States. This project investigates SEAHIVE®, a modular system of concrete perforated hexagonal prisms designed to reduce scour while supporting aquatic habitat. Phase II focused on producing internally prestressed units using glass fiber reinforced polymer tendons, eliminating steel to prevent corrosion. Units of up to 24 feet in length were manufactured and tested in compression and bending. The system has potential applications beyond bridge protection, including shoreline and port facility protection.

This project is the third phase of a multi-year collaborative effort to develop the SEAHIVE® system — modular concrete perforated hexagonal prisms — as a practical tool for mitigating bridge scour. Phases I and II explored externally and internally prestressed element production methods. Phase III focuses on wet-cast production using short fiber reinforcement with and without glass fiber reinforced polymer bars, comparing results across all three manufacturing approaches. The research aims to advance SEAHIVE® toward real-world implementation that could reshape how bridge foundations are designed and protected against scour.

Steel reinforcement in coastal concrete corrodes when saltwater penetrates the structure, compromising integrity and driving up maintenance costs. This research develops a self-sealing concrete using superabsorbent polymers, which absorb water, swell into a gel, and physically block the pores through which corrosive agents travel. The study focuses on using recycled rather than virgin superabsorbent polymers to maximize sustainability, with applications across a range of coastal infrastructure including seawalls, piers, and bridge decks. Results are expected to inform new design and maintenance practices better suited to the demands of corrosive coastal environments.

Problematic soils found along U.S. coastlines — including expansive clays, weak silts, and shrink-swell soils — make building durable infrastructure like roads, ports, and railways a significant challenge, one compounded by saltwater intrusion and increasingly intense storms. This research works to improve chemical soil stabilization techniques specifically for coastal conditions by optimizing stabilizer composition to produce stronger, more durable bonding compounds, and by increasing compacted soil density to reduce moisture and salt infiltration. The goal is to develop cost-effective, locally sourced stabilizers that can extend the service life of coastal transportation infrastructure.

The Texas State University NSTI program introduces the broad field of transportation to motivated high school students, with a focus on applying high technology to transportation engineering and infrastructure. The two-week residential program includes daytime and evening activities simulating college life, with curriculum covering highway, air, rail, water, and transit modes. Content spans planning, design, construction, operations, and management of transportation systems. The program collaborates with FHWA, TxDOT, and Austin Capital Metro to provide guest lectures, field trips, and laboratory tours.

Coastal regions are home to more than half the U.S. population and generate more than 55% of the nation's GDP, yet face growing threats from erosion, flooding, sea level rise, and hurricanes. The University of Miami hosted this summer program to engage the next generation in STEM fields and coastal transportation infrastructure. Participants took part in lectures, hands-on lab activities, and competitions, developing critical thinking, teamwork, and career skills along the way. Recruitment targeted at least 70% participation from students who are underrepresented in engineering.

Coastal communities often experience a gap between how accessible their transportation infrastructure feels, how it actually performs, and how it was designed to function. This project uses mixed reality visualizations to bridge that gap — giving residents and planners a shared tool for understanding road accessibility and making better decisions together. The approach centers community input and is designed to support blue economy goals in Puerto Rico.

Puerto Rico's freight network — its ports, highways, bridges, and distribution hubs — is highly exposed to flooding, storm surge, and coastal erosion, as Hurricanes María and Fiona made clear. This project maps the vulnerabilities of that network through four lenses: infrastructure condition, traffic flows, safety, and durability. The result is an interactive dashboard and a replicable method for evaluating freight system resilience in island and coastal regions.