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    <title>Transport Research International Documentation (TRID)</title>
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    <atom:link href="https://trid.trb.org/Record/RSS?s=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" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
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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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      <link>https://trid.trb.org/</link>
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    <item>
      <title>South Dakota Blowing Snow Mitigation Strategies, Prioritization, and Implementation</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2680589</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Blowing and drifting snow on the roadway can cause major challenges for safety and mobility, as well as increased maintenance needs. This challenge can be particularly problematic in more rural locations where the distance for a snowplow to travel to treat an impacted roadway can be longer. In addition, if a road were to shut down due to weather impacts, there may be fewer alternative routes available for the traveling public, resulting in decreased access to potentially critical services. The 2021-2022 winter in South Dakota resulted in record-breaking snowfall, and with it, significant costs for winter maintenance operations. As a result, the South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT) is seeking to reduce the need for mechanical snow removal by controlling the blowing snow before it impacts roadways. To do so, literature on the topic of blowing snow mitigation was reviewed, interviews with surrounding states were conducted to gain insight on snow fence implementation and challenges, interviews with SDDOT maintenance staff were conducted where blowing snow problem areas were identified, blowing snow problem areas on South Dakota rural highways were mapped, the top 100 problem areas were prioritized utilizing a data-driven approach, and finally, a guidance document was developed to assist users with planning-level mitigation measures that could be applied to the identified areas.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 18 Mar 2026 10:11:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2680589</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Snow Barrier Effectiveness</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2582910</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Although snow fences have been successful in reducing snow drifts and consequently the risks to motorists, a New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) maintenance crew reported that the capacity of these structures has been exceeded at several locations. As a result, snow has accumulated on the roadway at these sites, requiring repeated clearing and significantly increasing plowing costs. Therefore, the objective of this research is to first survey the literature to determine best practices and current state-of-the-practice, to determine factors affecting snow fences performance and to present NMDOT personnel with a practical guide in the design and placement of snow fences. Effectiveness of recommended design methodology is examined by designing and constructing two structures at critical test sites. It is important to note that snow fences are designed for prevailing wind direction and anticipated snow accumulation and as such, they are expected to be effective most of the time, not all of the time. In the instances where wind direction and/or snow accumulation vary from the norm, they may not only be ineffective in trapping snow, but they may also cause the formation of drifts in unexpected directions. Because snow fences should reduce drift formation on the roadways the majority of the time and such occurrences are expected to be rare, their adoption is recommended.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 21 Oct 2025 11:36:25 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2582910</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Harnessing Solar Energy through Solar Snow Fence: Implementation</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2566018</link>
      <description><![CDATA[A 100-ft field implementation of the proposed solar snow fence was conducted in Glyndon, Minnesota. The implementation process started with the manufacturing of solar stripe frames, U connection with steel posts, helical piling, electrical power harvest and storage, electrical use in snow melting, and monitoring of the solar snow fence systems. A 12-ft lab prototype was first built, and verification of the monitoring sensors and the efficiency of the solar snow fence has been completed. All the sensors have reached more than 95% accuracy and an average of 829 W power was produced through the 12-ft prototype. The full 100-ft solar snow fence assembly and field construction were completed in August 2023. In the past 18 months, the solar snow fence has proven to work well with different ambient conditions, and the temperature, moisture, wind speed, solar intensity, electrical voltage, and current have been collected. The correlation between the solar intensity and the power harvested has been created, and an average of 11-25 kW*h energy has been produced daily. The energy produced has been used to melt snow effectively.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 16 Jul 2025 09:51:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2566018</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Comparison of the applicability of Eulerian methods for snow protection engineering and evaluation of the protective performance of typical collector fences</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2512696</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This study conducts the numerical implementation and solver development of four sub-models based on the Eulerian method with OpenFOAM software, which have been used in prior numerical simulations of wind-induced snow drifting. Verification studies are conducted on the sub-models to assess their applicability and limitations in the field of snow protection engineering. Wind tunnel experiments conducted on a snow fence in Hokkaido serve as a benchmark for these evaluations. A comparative analysis indicates that the mixture multiphase flow model, incorporating two-way coupling between phases, adeptly reproduces snow distribution around snow fences. In contrast, scalar transport models, which consider one-way coupling, are suitable only for studying snowdrifts in the early stage of protection engineering with relatively low snow concentrations. Efforts to integrate phase coupling effects by introducing source terms into the turbulence model are found to be unsatisfactory. By employing a mixture multiphase flow model, this study explores the effects of six typical collector fences on wind-induced snow drifting in road cuttings. Comparative analyses are performed on several aspects, including the morphology of the cutting flow field, snow distribution, snow concentration, and the protective efficacy of the fences, with the aim to evaluate the effectiveness and applicability of snow fences. The results show that collector fences exhibit effective snow protection capabilities for road cuttings. The snow fence in Hokkaido, wind fence, and the snow fence in Wyoming demonstrate the highest protection efficiency among the analyzed collector fences, indicating superior snowdrift control effectiveness within the cuttings. The protective mechanism of collector fences is to decrease the snow transport rate within the saltation layer at the entrance of the protected area, leading to a notable decrease in snow concentration within the saltation layer in the cuttings. This study offers valuable insights and suggestions for snow protection engineering in road cuttings.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 01 Apr 2025 09:50:58 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2512696</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Field Measurements and Predictions of Snow Distribution around Horizontal-Slat Snow Fences</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2483205</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The present study investigates snow growth and equilibrium drift for horizontal slatted snow fences with varying porosities in the field measurements in Xinjiang, China. A mathematical model is proposed to describe the profile of the equilibrium drift. Equations are derived to model the drift length and snow storage capacity for snow fences with different porosities. The results reveal that the snow accumulation around horizontal-slat snow fences can be categorized into five stages. The final snow shapes strongly depended on X/H (distance versus the height of the fence). The snow drift length and amount of snow accumulation on the leeward side can be described by functions of porosity, P. It is noteworthy that the snow storage capacity of the high-porosity fence significantly surpasses that of the low-porosity snow fences. For regions with moderate snowfall, the horizontal-slat snow fence with a porosity of 50% is recommended, whereas regions with heavy snowfall would benefit from a 60%-porosity fence.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 28 Dec 2024 16:15:59 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2483205</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>South Dakota Blowing Snow Mitigation Strategies, Prioritization, and Implementation</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2377865</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Blowing and drifting of snow is a major concern for safety, transportation efficiency, and road maintenance in regions subject to intense snowfall and winds during the winter season.  Snow blowing (or drifting) across and accumulating on the roadway leads to reduced driver visibility and induces ice formation on roads posing serious safety concerns and leading to an increased number of incidents.  The impacts of snowfall and snowdrifts on highway traffic are mitigated with a variety of methods and activities implemented before, during, and after snowstorms.  One mitigation strategy is the deployment of snow fences.  Snow fences can be temporarily or permanently installed along the roadway.  They are deployed in areas prone to snow drifting as either structural barriers (constructed using lightweight construction materials) or as living fences (composed of a combination of planted shrubs, trees, and tall grasses) that act as a windbreak to effectively trap the snow before it blows onto the road which reduces winter maintenance costs and crashes. Another mitigation strategy is grading improvements. Grading improvements can provide additional snow storage in a cut section and allow snow to blow clear of the roadway in a fill section.
Due to the wide variety of options and conditions, a guidance document would be beneficial to determine appropriate locations, strategies, and benefits.  The South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT) currently has locations identified and plans in place for locations on the interstate system.  Existing snow fence locations on the state system are inventoried in Geographic Information System (GIS).  This proposed research is intended for non-interstate rural highways on the state system.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 06 May 2024 16:23:06 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2377865</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Field Test and Evaluation of a Solar Snow Fence</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2204578</link>
      <description><![CDATA[State highway agencies (“Agencies”) use structural snow fences to prevent blowing and drifting snow from encroaching onto roadways and causing public safety concerns. Agencies must budget for capital expenditures (CAPEX) and operating expenses to purchase, install, and maintain these seasonal-use structures. By fully integrating photovoltaics (“PV”) into the design, structural snow fences can continue to perform their originally intended purpose while simultaneously providing the benefit of harnessing power from the sun. This added functionality can provide benefits to Agency energy management programs, achieve organizational sustainability goals, and help monetize right-of-way use. The purpose of this Innovations Deserving Exploratory Analysis (IDEA) project was to construct, test and evaluate the functionality, effectiveness, and reliability of a prototype solar snow fence in real-world conditions. The solar snow fence is a purposefully-designed, dual-use photovoltaic structure capable of generating electricity year-round in addition to protecting roadways from blowing and drifting snow. Designed to operate autonomously, the solar snow fence tracks the sun in the day sky. When blowing and drifting snow conditions are detected by on-site sensors, the solar snow fence will cease solar tracking operations and move into to a 15° from vertical position to act as a snow fence. Solar tracking operations resume once blowing and drifting snow conditions have ceased.  A 25 linear-foot (7.6 m) section of solar snow fence was installed next to a 12 foot high (3.6 m) wooden structural snow fence at a test site along Interstate-80 in Wyoming. During the 15 month field test and evaluation, real-world data validated the system’s dual-use functionality and design.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 05 Jul 2023 19:01:21 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2204578</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Effects of Snow Fences on Crashes and Road Closures: A 34-Year Study on Wyoming Interstate-80</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2159310</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This study evaluates the effectiveness of snow fences in reducing crashes and road closures on an 80.4 km remote rural section of Interstate-Highway 80 in southeastern Wyoming. No snow fences were in place when this highway was first opened to traffic in 1970, but serious snow drifting problems necessitated a large-scale snow fencing program from 1971 to 1990. The proportion of road protected by snow fences has increased to a present level of 73%, consisting of 69.7 lineal kilometers of snow fence, ranging in height from 1.8- to 4.3 m and constructed at a cost of $1,910,000. Total crash rates per million vehicles, for October through April, have declined in proportion to the percent of road protected by snow fence at a statistically significant rate of approximately 20 crashes for every 10% increase in snow fence protection. This decline in crashes is equivalent to a 75% reduction in crash rates in areas protected by snow fences, and is attributable to the elimination of snowdrifts, improved visibility in blowing snow, and reduced road ice. At the 2003–04 seasonal traffic volume of 1.9 million vehicles, the existing snow fences prevented 275 crashes, 124 injuries, and 3.1 fatalities per year. This implies an annual return of $25,000,000 on the original capital investment of $1,910,000. If the fences were replaced at current costs, and traffic volume remained constant at the 2003–04 level, these benefits yield a benefit-to-cost ratio of 47: 1, with construction cost amortized within the first year. Reduced traffic delay is another important benefit of the snow fence protection—the present snow fence system reduces road closure time by an average of 8.3 days each year, representing an additional annual benefit in the millions of dollars.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 18 May 2023 17:08:49 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2159310</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Arrangements of secondary snow fences as countermeasures against the end effect based on 3D numerical simulation</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2117722</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The authors investigated various arrangements of snow fences as countermeasures at apertures in the fence at the most likely locations for multiple collisions due to high winds and sudden changes in visibility, the so-called “end effect.” The simulation results, packaged software that describes the finite volume method to express values solved by the Navier-Stokes equations using the k-ε turbulence model for fluid flowing in a 3D space created by CAD, showed that a secondary fence placed orthogonal to the prevailing wind direction provides the smallest area of high winds in the apertural area. As a result of the simulation, it was found that the arrangement of multi-secondary snow fences should be placed orthogonal to every oblique wind direction to mitigate the end effect. For countermeasures at apertures in the fence, the authors propose two types of countermeasures including the “skew-arranged fence” and the “V-shaped fence.” These arrangements of fences were effective to decrease the high wind area in the wind direction orthogonal to the fence and to let the oblique wind direction disappear.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 24 Feb 2023 09:05:16 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2117722</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>New countermeasures to mitigate blowing snow at apertural areas in snow fences</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2117721</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Winter roads in snowy regions are exposed to blowing snow, which causes snowdrifts and inhibits drivers' visibility, resulting in traffic problems that affect the socio-economic situation and human lives. To prevent these accidents due to poor visibility, snow fences are installed along the roadsides. However, it is impossible to install snow fences in some areas, for instance, at intersections. These areas are so-called apertural areas and are exposed to sudden increases in wind speed and poor visibility, which is called the “end effect”. Auxiliary snow fences are installed to moderate the end effect, but these fences cannot mitigate the end effect when the wind blows orthogonally to the main fences. Thus, through observations at the study site, the authors investigated the skew-arranged fence (SAF) and the V-shaped fence (VSF) as new types of countermeasures at the aperture that may have a mitigating effect on the wind speed and improve visibility. The authors' observations clearly demonstrated that both countermeasures effectively mitigated wind speed and improved visibility. VSF in particular had a higher effect from the point of view of improving visibility. Therefore, these new countermeasures can contribute to the safety of winter roads.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 24 Feb 2023 09:05:16 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2117721</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Transportation Agency and Landowner Perspectives on Snow Fence Programs</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2047707</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Two surveys helped gather information on the state transportation agency’s snow fence programs and private landowner’s perspectives on snow fences. The first survey collected responses from state transportation agencies in the Midwest of the United States and the landowner survey was distributed to Illinois landowners via the online publication Farm Week. The agency survey showed that the vast majority of respondents planned to expand or maintain their snow fence programs and relied on the feedback and experience of road maintenance personnel to identify snow drifting problem segments. Key concerns identified by the landowner survey include the implementation and maintenance of snow fences by state agencies, proper and timely compensation, making long-term commitments with the state, and soil moisture in the snow storage area. It also showed that the number of acres and unit price of crops were the most important factors to include in a payment structure. Landowners’ participation in snow fence programs could be encouraged by providing more flexible contracts, offering adjustable payment structures, adding incentives to engage landowners in installation and maintenance, and providing an awareness program.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 16 Nov 2022 11:36:29 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2047707</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Cost–Benefit Analysis of Implementing Solar Photovoltaic Structural Snow Fences in Minnesota</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2004827</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Structural snow fences have been increasingly used in northern regions of the United States. They are known as a cost-effective and efficient technology to prevent snow accumulation on highways and, therefore, improve road safety. Structural snow fences, however, are used only during winter, and to add more value to the structure, an idea to install solar photovoltaics (PV) panels on structure snow fences was first proposed by the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), who was interested in looking at the feasibility of integrating structural snow fences with PV panels, called PV snow fences (PVSF). The PVSF would be constructed by replacing the rails between the poles of the structural fences with customized PV panels that have the same dimension as the rail. This arrangement is to ensure that the original function of the snow fences, that is, eliminating blowing and drifting snow on highways, would not be affected. Considering different factors or parameters, such as project size, panel size, installation angle or orientation of the panels, discount rate, energy selling price to a utility company, availability of incentives, ownership of the PV system, etc., a comprehensive cost–benefit model has been established to analyze the pros and cons of different implementation plans. The analysis results show that the longer the length of the PVSF is, the more cost-effective the project is, due to a lower capital cost and increased power generation. A Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) would significantly shorten the payback period in consideration of the key benefits brought through a PPA, including minimal up-front capital costs, lower energy costs, no risk, no upkeep, leveraging available tax credits, and enhancing the value of the property, which is, therefore, more realistic and would be a higher priority for an agency like MnDOT or other state DOTs.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 22 Sep 2022 14:06:47 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2004827</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Promoting the Adoption of Snow Fences through Landowner Engagement</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2003593</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Snow and ice problems on Minnesota roadways represent a cost of close to $100 million annually to MnDOT in addition to the associated public safety and environmental costs. MnDOT and the University of Minnesota have collaborated to estimate the costs and benefits of snow control measures as well as the constraints that landowners face to adopt snow fences to control snow and ice problems. Benefits outweigh costs, often by a wide margin, but landowners are constrained by the lack of knowledge and the real and perceived inconvenience of installing, maintaining, and farming around a snow fence. Landowners think that the payments provided by MnDOT to install and maintain a snow fence are an important incentive but want more information about the issues involved with installing and maintaining a snow fence from a trusted source, a peer, or a testimonial. The project goal is to promote greater adoption of measures to address blowing and drifting snow problems through greater landowner and public engagement. To move toward that goal, the authors 1) carried out and prepared a minimum of 30 case studies of landowners who have implemented snow control measures; 2) entered the case studies into a computer and smartphone-based program that can be accessed by MnDOT and landowners; 3) revised and improved a MnDOT snow fence inventory to assist MnDOT in identifying and reporting on snow fences; and 4) developed curriculum and training materials for MnDOT personnel to prepare them for promoting snow control measures.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 24 Aug 2022 15:05:35 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2003593</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Analysis of the influence of snow fences on snow redistribution under snow-drifting in railway cuttings</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1919166</link>
      <description><![CDATA[In order to reduce the amount of snow deposited in railway cuttings under the action of snow-drifting, this paper arranged three forms of snow fence and related wind and snow flow field monitoring equipment in the field test area, and the effect of different structural parameters of snow fences on snow redistribution was studied by wind tunnel test and numerical simulation. The results showed that there was an approximately 20-meter-long erosion area on the top of the slope, and the snow fences could deposit snow particles on both sides of the fences which reduced erosion on the top of the cutting slope. Compared with Single-3 and Single-5 fences, the amounts of deposited snow were increased by about 50% and 20%, respectively, under the action of Double-3 fences. When the snow was deposited in the cutting, it tended to accumulate on the leeward side of the snow deposition platform; and the snow amount on the subgrade surface rapidly increased when the snow platform reaches its carrying limit. The bottom gap of the snow fence accelerates the flow field near the ground and the snow particles extend to the leeward side, the height of the snow fence will affect the snow deposition range on the leeward side of the fence, and the porosity will affect the snow accumulation pattern of both sides of the fence.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 23 Mar 2022 10:51:58 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1919166</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Field Test &amp; Evaluation of A Solar Snow Fence</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1895687</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Blowing and drifting snow onto roadways poses a safety concern to motorists, with state highway agencies bearing the responsibility to keep roadways clear and passable.  When compared to the more costly option of plowing and mechanically removing snow, state highway agencies use snow fences as a cost-effective alternative to control blowing and drifting snow.  With an estimated installed price of $25 - $60 per linear foot, and annual operating expenses of $0.20 - $1.20 per linear foot, snow fencing provides only seasonal-use.  By fully integrating photovoltaics into the design, snow fences can continue to perform their originally intended purpose while simultaneously providing the benefit of harnessing power from the sun.  Transforming snow fences into dual-use structures creates year-round value and revenue-generating potential for state highway agencies. The goal of this project was to construct, test, and evaluate the functionality, effectiveness, and reliability of a prototype solar snow fence in real-world conditions.  This included validating the solar snow fence's dual-use functionality to generate electricity year-round in addition to protecting roadways from blowing and drifting snow.  During a 12-month test and evaluation period, real-world data confirmed the dual-use functionality of the solar snow fence to generate power and store blowing snow.  The solar snow fence can provide state highway agencies with another tool to manage winter road maintenance efforts, expand energy management strategies, and achieve sustainability goals.
 
The Final Report is available.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 08 Dec 2021 09:35:23 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1895687</guid>
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