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    <title>Transport Research International Documentation (TRID)</title>
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    <copyright>Copyright © 2026. National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.</copyright>
    <docs>http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss</docs>
    <managingEditor>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</managingEditor>
    <webMaster>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</webMaster>
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      <title>Transport Research International Documentation (TRID)</title>
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    <item>
      <title>The 1995 Performance Results for Slope Protection Products, Hydraulic Mulches, and Flexible Channel Liners</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2536974</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Storm water management issues facing the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) in the late 1980s led to the development of a coordinated research program. The researchers developed methodologies for evaluating the field performance of the department's most pressing needs; the Hydraulics and Erosion Control Laboratory was designed and constructed. The objectives of the erosion control research are to determine the effectiveness of erosion control products on various application areas typically located in the highway environment, such as slopes and channels. The researchers collected data about the effectiveness or field performance characteristics during one growing season (March-November) and statistically analyzed the data. Product effectiveness data include vegetative density coverage and sediment loss measurements based upon soil type and slope condition. Results for the current year support the TxDOT's Standard Specifications for Soil Retention Blankets (Erosion-Control Blankets and Channel Liners) and Hydraulic Mulches with an Annual List of Approved Materials.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 22 Apr 2025 11:29:31 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2536974</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Water quality performance of vegetated compost blankets for highway stormwater management: Particulate matter and trace metals</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2498496</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Urban stormwater pollution poses serious risks to human and environmental health, including trace metals toxicity. To improve the performance of existing highway Vegetated Filter Strips (VFS), which have limited performance for volume reduction and pollutant removal, amendment with a Vegetated Compost Blanket (VCB), a layer of seeded compost, has been proposed. A novel VCB/VFS system was assessed as a Stormwater Control Measure (SCM) via particulate matter and trace metals removal performance. Field and greenhouse studies of the VCB/VFS system were conducted and concentrations of total suspended solids (TSS), filtered and total copper, and total zinc were analyzed. Thirty-three representative field storm events were sampled over a period of 2.25 years. Significant TSS removal was observed in both the field and greenhouse studies, with effluent particles likely flushing from the media itself and the majority of effluent concentrations below the water quality target of 25 mg/L. Particulate copper, and likely particulate zinc, were also largely concurrently removed. Dissolved trace metals performance was mixed, and differences in initial compost copper content was likely influential in observations of dissolved copper leaching in the field which was not observed in the greenhouse. Despite positive performance for particulate matter and associated trace metals removal from stormwater, potential detriment to downstream water bodies due to dissolved copper leaching is a concern. Before widespread implementation, compost composition and potential for dissolved trace metals release should be thoroughly considered, as well as the age and ability of the VFS to immobilize dissolved metals.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 25 Mar 2025 16:57:56 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2498496</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Hydrologic Performance of Vegetated Compost Blankets for Highway Stormwater Management</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2359044</link>
      <description><![CDATA[In an attempt to reduce the impacts of stormwater, stakeholders are exploring ways to improve the performance of existing stormwater control measures adjacent to highways, including vegetated filter strips (VFSs). This study assesses the hydrologic performance of a VFS amended with a vegetated compost blanket (VCB) through evaluation of dynamic flow modification, event volume storage, and cumulative performance. Over 2.25 years, 278 rainfall events were observed at a highway median in Maryland for two VCBs of 7.6-cm depth and 30-m width along the highway, one at 3-m length and one at 6-m length. Supplemental greenhouse mesocosm experiments provided supporting information on stormwater storage and slope impacts. VCBs were found to significantly reduce both stormwater flow and volume. Peak flows were significantly reduced by 39% for the 3-m and 72% for the 6-m VCB in comparison to highway runoff. At the highest flowrates, both VCBs were unable to significantly reduce flow, and instead acted as conveyance. Total influent stormwater volume capture over the entire study period was found to be 44% and 55% for the 3-m and 6-m VCBs, respectively. A useful design estimate for representative storage capacity, using saturated moisture content and wilting point of the media, was determined through use of a hockey-stick fit for inflow-outflow curves. Improvements in VFS soil hydraulic properties and vegetative cover over the course of the experiment were observed, indicating additional mechanisms for hydrologic improvement.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 15 May 2024 10:11:33 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2359044</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Evaluation of Net-free Erosion Control Blankets</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2293560</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Erosion control blankets (ECBs) protect soil from being detached and transported by raindrops and subsequential overland runoff while assisting in vegetation growth. ECBs have several characteristics, for example, thickness, mass per unit area, tensile strength, elongation, water absorption, etc. However, the impact of these characteristics on the performance in mitigating erosion has yet to be well understood. To better understand the interactions of ECB properties with the detachment and transport of sediment, field tests were conducted at the Erosion Control Research and Training Center at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Various ECBs, including net-free ECBs and bionet ECBs, were tested on a 3H:1V hillslope under a 30-minute simulated rainfall event (2 in./hr). The soil used on the testing plot was silty clay loam. To investigate ECB effectiveness, total runoff volume, runoff start/end time, peak runoff rate, and sediment yield were monitored during each test. The results showed that water absorption played a big role in enhancing the performance of ECBs. The materials absorbed a large amount of water at the beginning and then acted as a wet film to cover the hillslope, reducing soil erosion by the overland flow when the soil was saturated. This wet film continued to reduce soil detachment, although it probably did not help with runoff reduction after saturation. Among the blankets tested, Profile F4 Netless was the most degradable and lightest one. North American Green DS75 had the most cost efficiency with $0.4 /sq. yd. There was no big difference in the installation method.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 05 Dec 2023 10:31:48 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2293560</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Achieving Highway Runoff Volume and Pollutant Reduction Using Vegetated Compost Blankets: A Guide</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2169544</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This report presents a state-of-the-art investigation into vegetated compost blankets (VCBs) used for stormwater control and their resulting impacts on vegetative establishment, stormwater volume reduction, and water quality improvement. The research was based on a comprehensive analytical, field, and laboratory assessment. This report will be of immediate interest to design and maintenance engineers.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 09 May 2023 16:44:51 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2169544</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Effectiveness of Compost Blankets 
</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2104517</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Soils disturbed by roadway construction often exhibit reduced soil porosity, lower precipitation storage capacity, and lower infiltration rates, thereby yielding increased surface runoff. Poor performance of vegetation in these locations also leads to long-term aesthetic and erosion issues. Research has demonstrated that vegetated compost blankets can be used to effectively promote stormwater filtration, retention of runoff, infiltration of stormwater into the underlaying soils, and potentially remove pollutants and reducing flow volumes of surface runoffs.   Soil improvement via compost blankets has potential advantages to transportation agencies, as it can lower the cost of regulatory compliance while also contributing to goals such as the management of the roadsides via healthy landscape plantings and the permanent stabilization of eroding areas caused by poor soil conditions. Given the broad applicably of soil improvement as a best management practice throughout the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) network, it is important to optimize soil improvement specifications to ensure the lowest-cost effective solution is achieved. 

This project is designed to investigate the effectiveness of compost blankets for roadside vegetation establishment and stormwater management in Ohio.  The goal of this research dovetails with ODOT's mission by developing and conducting tests to determine the performance of various compost blanket treatments on the improvement of erosion control, reduction of stormwater runoff, improvement of infiltration rates, and support of long-term sustainable vegetation. The outcome of this project will result in specifications, standard details, and a decision matrix that provides guidance on the use, limitations, design, and implementation of vegetated compost blankets on existing roadway embankments for the conditions prevalent in Ohio. This outcome can assist with ODOT's mission to increase capacity by minimizing the risk of having roadways taken out of service by stormwater flooding or erosion. 

The objectives of this project are to complete a series of complementary activities are envisioned: (1) A literature review on the performance of compost blankets; (2) survey questionnaires and follow-up interviews on the current state-of-the art at ODOT, (3) laboratory assessment of the effects of compost amendment rate on the hydraulic properties and erosion of soil; (4) field evaluation of the existing compost blankets to examine the effects of the compost amendment rate on runoff water quantity and quality, water infiltration, and nearby vegetation; and (5) field testing of optimized compost blankets. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 24 Jan 2023 16:16:34 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2104517</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Improved Performance of Ballasted Tracks under Impact Loading by Recycled Rubber Mats</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1605077</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Ballasted tracks at transition locations such as approaches to bridges and road crossings experience increasing degradation and deformation due to dynamic and high impact forces, a key factor that decreases the stability and longevity of railroads. One solution to minimize ballast degradation at the transition zones is using rubber energy absorbing drainage sheets (READS) manufactured from recycled tires. When placed beneath the ballast layer, READS distributes the load over wider area and attenuate of the load over a longer duration thus decreasing maximum stress, apart from reducing the energy transferred to the ballast and other substructure components. Subsequently, the track substructure experiences less plastic deformation and degradation. These mats also provide an environmentally friendly and cost-effective alternative. In this study, a series of large-scale drop hammer impact tests was carried out to investigate how effectively the READS could attenuate impact loads and help mitigate ballast deformation and degradation. Soft and stiff subgrade were used to investigate the load-deformation response of ballast (with and without READS), subjected to impact loads from a hammer dropped from various heights (hd =100 - 250 mm). Laboratory test results show that the inclusion of READS helps to reduce the dynamic impact load transferred to the ballast layer resulting in significantly less permanent deformation and degradation of ballast, apart from significant attenuation of load magnitude and vibration to the underlying subgrade layers.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 28 May 2019 16:52:59 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1605077</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Design Matrices for Erosion Control Blankets for Missouri Hydrology and Geology</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1437512</link>
      <description><![CDATA[To meet federal compliances with the Clean Water Act, erosion control blankets (ECB) are commonly installed on construction sites to control stormwater erosion and assist with reestablishing vegetation following land disturbances along highways. A research project was conducted for the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) to develop ECB guidelines for slope applications. An ECB design process for conditions representative of Missouri was developed using insight gained through an extensive literature review and the study of common ECB product acceptance and design guidelines. The Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) was used as the foundation for the ECB design process and minimum performance requirements were established from existing literature. Extensive geologic information was used with ArcGIS to develop a digital map of erodibility for the state of Missouri. Erosivity maps were also developed for Missouri using ArcGIS and a map of the product of erodibility and erosivity was developed. Average values of this product for the different physiographic regions of Missouri were used to develop ECB design matrices. The development of the design matrices accounted for the complexity of ECBs typically being part of a larger stormwater erosion prevention plan.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 07 Mar 2017 10:25:02 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1437512</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Using Vegetated Compost Blankets to Achieve Highway Runoff Volume and Pollutant Reduction</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1439860</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Selecting cost-effective low-impact development (LID) treatments is essential for state departments of transportation (DOTs) to address the increasing demands for water quality and hydrologic management requirements. Vegetated filter strips along highways, an accepted LID Best Management Practice (BMP), are a cost-effective alternative to hydraulically engineered BMPs. However, this treatment may be limited by site constraints (i.e., limited right of way (ROW) and steep side slopes) and their effectiveness may vary depending on climate, soils, and other factors.

 VCBs can overcome some of these limitations by promoting stormwater filtration, retention of runoff, and infiltration of stormwater into the underlying soils while potentially removing pollutants and reducing flow volumes. As a simple retrofit on roadside embankments, VCB’s low maintenance requirements have the potential to prove a good return on investment. 

 In order to provide state DOTs with an effective and economical BMP to assist state DOTs with effective uses of VCBs in highway projects, research was needed to evaluate hydrologic and water quality benefits of VCBs that can be used in a wide variety of roadway settings. This involved determining pollutant removal capability and capacity; the ability to detain and retain runoff; and the effect of climate, soils, compost composition, compost blanket thickness, and other parameters on performance. 

 Under NCHRP Project 14-39, “Using Vegetated Compost Blankets to Achieve Highway Runoff Volume and Pollutant Reduction,” the University of Maryland was asked to: (1) develop performance curves for surface-applied, VCBs on slopes of 3:1 or flatter that (a) remove pollutants of concern, (b) control erosion, (c) reduce volume, and (d) support vegetation when placed on an existing roadway embankment; and 2) provide construction specifications, standard details, and a decision matrix that provides guidance on the use, limitations, design, and implementation of vegetated compost blankets on existing roadway embankments.


The guidelines are intended to be a practical manual for state DOTs who select, design, and implement stormwater management facilities, which should be broadly applicable to a wide range of conditions and geography.

 

NCHRP Research Report 1040 presents a state-of-the-art investigation into vegetated compost blankets (VCBs) for stormwater control and the resulting impacts on the vegetative establishment, stormwater volume reduction, and water quality improvement. The research was based on a comprehensive analytical, field, and laboratory assessment. This report will be of immediate interest to design and maintenance engineers.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sun, 11 Dec 2016 10:06:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1439860</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Evaluation of Erosion Control Blanket Properties and Test Criteria for Specification and Design</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1415401</link>
      <description><![CDATA[A research project to investigate the product approval, design process, and ongoing product evaluation of erosion control blankets (ECBs) for the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) was conducted. An overview of federal and state environmental construction laws was performed noting the significance of ECBs on construction sites. Standardized erosion control testing, product approval, and design processes utilized by other state departments of transportation and those recommended by the National Transportation Product Evaluation Program were researched for further insight to typical ECB applications. A field investigation was established to study the effectiveness of two ECBs on a MoDOT construction site. MoDOT completed construction sites, which utilized ECBs, were also included in the investigation to evaluated how well vegetation was sustained and ongoing blanket degradation following site acceptance in accordance with the MoDOT Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP). In addition to field site evaluations, surveys were developed and administered to record contractor and MoDOT employee ECB experiences and identify common problems and successful practices using ECBs. Recommendations for ECB approval procedures and a design process for conditions representative of Missouri were developed using insight gained through the study of common ECB product acceptance and design, the field site investigation, evaluation of completed construction sites, and the surveys of ECB experiences. The National Transportation Product Evaluation program’s (NTPEP) ASTM standardized testing was recommended as the basis for product approval. For ECB design, the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) was recommended and used to establish minimum performance requirements for both product acceptance and design. Digital maps were developed using ArcGIS for Missouri’s representative hydrologic and geologic conditions for use in the RUSLE. The ECB approval procedures and design process, which were developed specifically for the state of Missouri, are recommended for implementation into the MoDOT Engineering Policy Guide (EPG). An ongoing product evaluation system was also developed for ECBs to document field performance and assist in identifying ECBs that should be removed from the approved products list.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 27 Jul 2016 09:52:46 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1415401</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>The Importance of Hydrogeologic Characterization and Analysis to Avoid Off-Site Impacts in Highway Construction</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1272462</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Shortly after construction of a major freeway expansion, groundwater rose to the surface at an adjacent industrial park in coastal Southern California. Construction included a mechanically stabilized earth wall for support of the freeway expansion. Soil cement mixing was used to stabilize soils at the toe of the wall where the wall transected small alluvium-filled canyons. Upgradient of the soil cement zones, stone columns were installed through alluvial soils to bedrock in order to mitigate liquefaction. Stone columns were covered with a gravel drainage blanket. No formal analysis of the hydrogeologic conditions was apparently conducted as part of the engineering design. However, three-dimensional groundwater flow modeling clearly illustrated why one might expect rising groundwater downgradient of the mechanically stabilized wall. This case study illustrates the importance of hydrogeologic characterization and analysis in engineering design to avoid off-site property damage caused by rising groundwater.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 14 Jul 2014 16:50:08 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1272462</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Failure of a Pile Retaining Wall</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/934226</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This paper addresses the failure of a pile retaining wall constructed as a remedial measure to arrest instability of a highway embankment resulting from movement of its sideslope which was contiguous with the valley slope of a nearby creek. A drainage blanket was incorporated within the distressed section of the highway in 1983 to mitigate the pavement distress that was occurring. This remedial measure proved to be effective over a two-year period after which pavement distress re-occurred in the summer of 1990 following a period of increased rainfall. Further geotechnical investigation in 1990 resulted in the construction of a cantilever pile wall to isolate the highway from the perceived slide activity of the highway sideslope. Failure of this pile wall occurred in the summer of 1993 about 3 years after its construction, eventually requiring realignment of the highway. Failure to fully understand the site conditions from the inception of the geotechnical investigation played a major role in the short-lived performance of the remedial measures.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 20 Sep 2010 09:12:50 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/934226</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Remediation of the SR 15 Welcome Center Landslide</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/902610</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This paper will discuss a 2004 landslide that resulted in the closure of the southbound lanes of SR 15 in northern Tioga County approximately one half mile north of the Pennsylvania Welcome Center and 6 miles south of the New York State border. The landslide measured approximately 800 feet along the head scarp and 400 feet from the head scarp to the toe. Total vertical displacement at the head scarp was approximately 20 feet. Forty‐four borings were drilled to investigate the subsurface conditions in the area of the landslide. Soil samples collected from the borings were tested in the laboratory to estimate the engineering properties of the site soils. The tests included direct and triaxial shear. Inclinometer casing was installed in 13 of the borings, and piezometers were constructed in 12 of the borings. The computer program PASTABL was used to perform the slope stability analyses. Numerous alternatives were considered to remediate the landslide. The selected alternative included: realignment of SR 15 and Park Hill Road, load reduction (excavation) at the landslide head, construction of a soil berm at the toe, and placement of a chimney (blanket) drain behind the toe berm. Construction was completed in 2007 for a cost of approximately 3 million dollars. Inclinometer readings continue to be obtained to monitor the area.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 21 Oct 2009 08:29:55 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/902610</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Evaluation of Drainage Blanket</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/864692</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The aim of this research was to develop a permeable, yet stable, hot mix asphaltic drainage system for a typical pavement section. Development of such systems should provide the Department with effective means of draining water from highway bases and subbases and thus prolong the lives of those highways. Previous research indicates that a multi-layered system of asphalt-treated drainage course is many times more effective than single-layered aggregate drains, In this study, the investigators evaluated the permeability and stability of a two-layered asphalt-treated drainage system incorporated into the shoulder of a major roadway.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 23 Jul 2008 14:10:14 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/864692</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Performance Results for Erosion-Control Blankets, Mulches, and Channel Liners, 1994</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/863248</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The objectives of the erosion control research are to determine the effectiveness of erosion control products on various application areas typically located in the highway environment such as slopes and channels. The researchers collect data on the effectiveness or field performance characteristics during one growing season (March - November) and statistically analyze the data. Product effectiveness data include vegetative density coverage and sediment loss measurements based upon soil type and slope condition. Results for the current year support the Texas Department of Transportation's Standard Specifications for Soil Retention Blankets (Erosion-control Blankets and Channel Liners) and Hydraulic Mulches with an Annual List of Approved Materials. As an additional level of anlaysis, the researchers compare previous years' findings with the current year's results and include these results in the interim report(s).]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 25 Jun 2008 09:26:16 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/863248</guid>
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