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    <title>Transport Research International Documentation (TRID)</title>
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    <language>en-us</language>
    <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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      <title>Vibrational energy harvesting for sensors in vehicles</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2666525</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The miniaturization of semiconductor technology and reduction in power requirements have enabled wireless self-sufficient devices, powered by ambient energy. To date the primary application lies in generating and transmitting sensory data. The number of sensors and their applications in automotive vehicles have grown drastically in the last decade. Wireless self-powered sensors can facilitate current sensor systems by removing the need for cabling and may enable additional applications. These systems have the potential to provide new avenues of optimization in safety and performance. This thesis delves into the topic of vibrations as ambient energy source, primarily for sensors in automotive vehicles. The transduction of small amounts of vibrational, i.e. kinetic, energy to electrical power, also known as vibrational energy harvesting, is an extensive field of research with a plethora of inventions. A short review is given for energy harvesters, in an automotive context, utilizing transduction through either the piezoelectric effect or magnetic induction.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 05 Feb 2026 08:33:16 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2666525</guid>
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      <title>Batteries at crossroads : past, present and future environmental impacts of lithium-ion batteries</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2666490</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The global transition toward electric mobility is driving rapid growth in LIB production, with global capacity expected to more than triple between 2025 and 2030. This expansion raises critical questions about the environmental implications of large-scale manufacturing and the supply chains that sustain it. The central aim of this thesis is to apply life cycle assessment (LCA) to systematically evaluate these implications, with particular focus on production scale, the role of primary and recycled materials, and the influence of modeling choices on assessment outcomes. The analysis begins by comparing LIB production across stages of technological maturity. Results show that scaling up can substantially reduce impacts per unit of capacity, largely through improved process efficiencies and economies of scale. These benefits, however, are accompanied by new burdens at the production site, including higher emissions, chemical use, and wastewater treatment requirements. When industrial-scale production is powered by low-carbon electricity, environmental hotspots shift upstream to raw material extraction and processing. An assessment of battery relevant raw materials reveals wide variability in environmental impacts, shaped by ore grade, extraction methods, and geographic supply configurations. This heterogeneity underscores the need for source-specific data in LCA studies, or, when unavailable, a broader spectrum of data to represent uncertainty. The thesis also investigates end-of-life strategies, with emphasis on hydrometallurgical recycling as a closed-loop pathway. Recycling can avoid up to 90% of the climate impacts associated with recyclable materials. Additional strategies - such as reducing scrap rates, increasing recovery of active materials, and optimizing chemical use - are shown to further enhance these benefits. Beyond the technological findings, the thesis highlights the methodological importance of modeling choices. Top-down approaches capture system-wide interactions, whereas bottom up models offer process-level detail but may overlook broader dynamics. Likewise, differences between background databases, and their periodic updates, can alter results significantly, making reassessment essential.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 05 Feb 2026 08:32:40 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2666490</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Conflicting objectives in the green transition : an impact analysis of a scenario excluding the import of electric buses and batteries to the European market</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2598562</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This report analyzes Europe's capacity to satisfy its need for electric buses through domestic production. The goal is to examine the dependence on production in high-risk countries, and to stimulate, in a simplified scenario limited to the European market, the consequences that restricted imports would have on Europe in terms of supply and price levels for vehicles and batteries. The analysis specifically focuses on China, given its dominant role in the global market.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 12 Sep 2025 10:18:16 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2598562</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Balancing value trade-offs in automotive platform evolution : a proactive flexibility modelling approach for efficient technology introduction</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2534200</link>
      <description><![CDATA[In a rapidly evolving automotive landscape, with quick technological advancements and shifting customer demands, the ability to design flexible product platforms has become a critical competitive advantage. This thesis aims to develop design supports for the iterative design and analysis of the incorporation of new technology into automotive product platforms, by investigating how these platforms can adapt to rapid technological changes and diverse customer demands, i.e., expand their external variety. The intense competitive landscape and minimal profit margins in the automotive industry have necessitated its platform development to focus on cost efficiency and standardization, i.e., limiting the internal variety. However, with the increasing pressures of sustainability and the need for quicker market responses, traditional approaches have shown that the rigidity of the constraints they impose limits their ability to adapt swiftly. This thesis proposes a model-based framework that emphasizes the early integration of flexibility, value-based decision-making, resilient design strategies, and proactive risk management to address these challenges. A new method using the concept of platform margins was introduced to assess platform flexibility over time. Further, the concept of resilient objects was developed, which are platform components that can easily adapt to or absorb changes. The research also addressed change propagation, especially considering Field Effects (FE). These methods were validated through real-world tests involving experienced practitioners from Swedish automotive OEMs.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 04 Apr 2025 15:14:49 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2534200</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Port as an energy hub : a pre-study on estimating electricity demand</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2534183</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Ports are key hubs in the maritime transport system and are pivotal to the sector's transition to fossil-freedom. As port operations and vessels shift from fossil fuels to electricity and alternative fuels, ports can evolve into energy hubs, supplying power to their internal operations (e.g., cranes, forklifts) and external users like road vehicles and ships. Ports also have potential for renewable energy production, such as offshore wind and solar power, as well as storage. However, insufficient data on future energy consumption and production limits ports' ability to plan infrastructure upgrades or investments in electricity production and grid connections. This pre-study aims to create a structure to assess ports' current and future energy demands and production. By identifying the necessary data for a quantitative energy model, it seeks to help ports transition into fossil-free energy hubs by addressing information gaps. The study focused on the Port of Landskrona, including input from its energy supplier. The developed framework evaluates five areas: port operations, surrounding transport systems, the port's role as an energy node, additional energy activities, and the port's future energy plans. A combined top-down and bottom up approach tracks energy consumption from both electricity and fuel, aiding decision-making around energy production, storage, and decarbonization.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 04 Apr 2025 15:14:37 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2534183</guid>
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      <title>Sustainable vehicles with recycled plastics</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2534171</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The production of vehicles is one of the most resource-intensive industries. 10 % of the overall consumption of plastics, 6 million tonnes/year is used by the European vehicle industry1. Increase the use of recycled plastics in vehicles is one of the key challenges for sustainable transformation of the vehicle industry as it plays an important role in saving resources and reducing greenhouse emissions. The main goal of this project was to contribute to increased use of recycled plastic in the Swedish vehicle industry. Volvo Cars goal is that 25 % of the plastic used in cars should be recycled or biobased by 2025. The goal will most probably be reached according to Volvo Cars. Volvo group has the goal to be fossil neutral, which requires recycled material in the truck components.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 04 Apr 2025 15:14:28 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2534171</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>MotoCAP program enhances motorcycle clothing safety in Australasia</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2509282</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Since the commencement of the MotoCAP program, numerous products, including jackets, pants, and gloves, have undergone testing. This research analysed jackets and pants tested by MotoCAP, revealing trends in impact protection over a seven-year database. This included assessing presentation and the protection level of the impact protectors in the garments. The findings indicate that an increased number of garments attach the armours and the protection levels have been improved compared to the earlier stages. Notably, the MotoCAP program has exerted positive influences on the motorcycle clothing markets. Specifically, the MotoCAP program has played an important role in quality supervision for promoting market development, by encouraging manufacturers to meet higher standards, and incentivizing them to enhance the quality of their products. This collective effort contributes to enhancing overall safety within the motorcycle community.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 13 Feb 2025 09:06:53 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2509282</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Infrastructural requirements for indirect and direct electrification of road transportation</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2491244</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This thesis analyzes the integration of electricity and transportation systems for a future in which transportation is increasingly electrified. The focus is on exploring the infrastructures required for the indirect electrification of heavy transportation and the direct electrification of passenger vehicles. The work is motivated by both the increased number of electrified vehicles and a lack of knowledge as to the impacts on the electricity system. The papers included in this thesis develop and apply two different energy systems models. The first model, which is a cost-minimizing, linear, optimization model for hydrogen refueling stations, was developed to compare the cost-efficiencies of three electrolysis-based systems for providing hydrogen to refueling stations for heavy road transportation: a decentralized, off-grid system for hydrogen production from wind and solar power; a decentralized system connected to the electricity grid; and a centralized grid-connected system with hydrogen transported to refueling stations. The results show that for most of the studied geographic regions, the decentralized grid-connected system gives the lowest costs for hydrogen delivery, while the standalone system entails higher hydrogen production costs. In addition, the centralized system entails lower costs for production and storage than the grid-connected decentralized system, although the additional costs for hydrogen transport increase the total cost. The second model, the REGAL model, is an open data-based model designed to create a synthetic representation of a low-voltage (LV) grid for a country-size geographic area. This thesis presents the results of calibration and validation against real-world data for the synthetic grid generated by the model.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 17 Jan 2025 15:17:07 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2491244</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Electric vehicle supply chain under dual-credit and subsidy policies: Technology innovation, infrastructure construction and coordination</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2437986</link>
      <description><![CDATA[]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 09 Oct 2024 14:19:56 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2437986</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Analysis of hydrogen value chain events: implications for hydrogen refueling stations’ safety</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2389428</link>
      <description><![CDATA[]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 12 Jun 2024 09:00:19 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2389428</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Utilization of local bioresources for transport fuels : system analysis for decision support</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2389013</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This thesis presents a comprehensive system analysis of the utilization of biowaste and forest industry residues to produce transportation fuels. It explores various aspects such as the constraints to the production system's value chain development, the utilization of the geographical proximity of biofuel technology innovation system components, environmental impacts, and economic costs. The primary goal is to establish a knowledge base that can aid regional policymakers and decision-makers in formulating informed policies for the efficient management of local bioresources for transport fuel production. By addressing these aspects, the study seeks to contribute to the wider discourse on efficient local bioresource management and transition to a low-carbon economy. The focused bioresources in this thesis are municipal biowaste and forest industry residues (i.e., sawdust, black liquor, crude tall oil, and fiber waste of the pulp and paper industry). The study focuses on three systems: i) biowaste to biogas for transport, ii) biowaste and sawdust to hydrogen, and iii) forest industry residues to liquid biofuels for transport. The biofuel policy instruments in Sweden have proven to be effective in introducing alternative transport fuels, particularly in big cities or urban areas. The results of the biowaste to biogas value chain analysis show that development in the Gävleborg region is stagnated throughout the value chain compared to the national average. This stagnation is mainly attributed to local geodemographic factors. The identified obstacles to development include a lack of regional political agreement regarding the use of biogas as a viable transport fuel, insufficient connectivity and communication among the various regional actors and stakeholders, and a limited understanding among stakeholders of the potential and socio-economic impacts of biogas.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 10 Jun 2024 14:05:23 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2389013</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Validation of Superpave™ method of asphalt compaction for Australasia</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2378044</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This report details the testing of 21 Austroads jurisdictions mixes and one airport mix to develop a relationship between the Austroads Gyropac Gyratory compactor, which is now redundant, and the Servopac (setup to AS/NZS) and Superpave Gyratory Compactors. The review of the testing data found that while the relationship between the different gyratory compactors was somewhat affected by mix properties, especially at refusal void levels, mix properties have little impact on the critical mix design parameters of density and air voids. The testing found that equivalent densities can be achieved at constant cycles for each gyratory compactor, allowing for relatively easy adoption of different compaction methods in specifications. While the testing found a constant offset, a review of available test data found that most Austroads jurisdictions design to compaction levels above the current Austroads levels, with New Zealand designing to the much higher Superpave compaction levels. As a result, a direct offset to the current Austroads compaction levels was not recommended. Based on testing the range of mixes, initial compaction levels for the three Austroads traffic levels using the Superpave Gyratory Compactor have been recommended. Before full adoption, there is a need for each Austroads jurisdiction to validate these limits for their locally manufactured asphalt mixes.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 09 May 2024 08:47:59 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2378044</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>The transition to electrified vehicles: evaluating the labor demand of manufacturing conventional versus battery electric vehicle powertrains</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2378015</link>
      <description><![CDATA[]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 09 May 2024 08:43:23 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2378015</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Building a train, one layer at a time: additive manufacturing in the railway industry</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2350529</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Additive Manufacturing (AM) has grown in popularity over recent years, driven largely by a boom in hobbyist applications. Until recently, the application of AM technology to produce high end components or assemblies in industry sectors such as rolling stock has been limited to niche and experimental fields, such as rapid prototyping. While prototyping remains as a key use of AM, there is a growing desire within the industry to expand the usage to AM production of final use components. This paper will outline some of the recent novel applications of AM in the railway industry. The paper outlines how recent developments could clear a path forward past key roadblocks to wider adoption within the railway industry. Finally, the paper uses an example from the Author’s experience to examine the production level of application potential for Additive Manufacturing in an Australian railway context.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 08 Mar 2024 09:52:19 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2350529</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Improving productivity in design and construction of bridges</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2344779</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Building new infrastructure is an essential part of developing society. The construction industry is also an important part of economic growth, accounting for 13% of the world's GDP. At the same time, the construction industry lacks behind in increasing its productivity. With more and larger infrastructure projects to be built, it is important that design and production could be performed in a more productive way. Increasing productivity is important both in terms of being more responsible with the economical and natural resources, and to be able to execute the project with the available personnel resources. To increase productivity, this thesis focusses on standardisation of bridges. Standardisation in this thesis could be of the whole bridge, as well as standardisation of different parts of a bridge. By standardisation, the idea is that repetitive work tasks should give higher productivity as the number of similar bridges/parts increases. This thesis examines which parameters are important to address to be able to increase productivity. It also examines how the different incentives of the three major actors' (contractor, client and design engineer) in the industry could be obstacles for increased productivity through standardisation.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 27 Feb 2024 14:25:39 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2344779</guid>
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