Research Section

Mission

We deliver knowledge solutions and innovations so that MoDOT can make informed decisions. Research staff administer contract research to outside organizations to solve organizational challenges.

Research projects are focused on how MoDOT can change processes, products or materials in order to do our jobs in the most efficient and economical manner.

The Research Section falls under the Construction and Materials Division within MoDOT and is located in the Central Laboratory building.

What We Do

We develop an annual research program, focusing on strategic areas such as Safety, Bridges, Pavements, Materials, Geotechnical Issues, Erosion Control, Maintenance, Multimodal Transportation, Best Practices and Customer Satisfaction.

The Research Section is also responsible for other activities:

Accurate Collection and Reporting of Worker Presence in Work Zones

Highway work zones remain high-risk environments due to the close interaction between workers, live traffic, and heavy equipment. While platforms like the Work Zone Data Exchange (WZDx) and DOT traveler information maps provide location and traffic impact data, real-time, verified information regarding actual worker presence is often unavailable. T...

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Optimizing Missouri's Statewide Transportation Improvement Program Letting and Construction Schedule

This study evaluated how Missouri’s annual letting calendar could be structured to improve competition and lower award costs while remaining feasible under existing policies and delivery practices. Historical bid outcomes were used to estimate monthly “performance curves” that related workload share to observed price behavior. A genetic algorithm t...

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Use of Small UAVs for Field Measurement of Hydraulic Parameters in Small Drainage Basins

This project evaluated the feasibility, accuracy, and practical use of small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for measuring hydraulic parameters, water-surface elevation (WSE), surface velocity, bathymetry, and discharge, in small to medium Missouri drainage basins. UAV-based measurements offer non-contact alternative to traditional field methods in...

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Consultant Support for Intelligent Compaction and Paver-Mounted Thermal Profiling Projects in 2024-2025

This report summarizes MoDOT’s 2025 efforts to improve pavement quality assurance through updates to Intelligent Compaction (IC) and Paver-Mounted Thermal Profiling (PMTP). Macro-enabled Excel tools were revised to meet Microsoft security requirements, and PMTP validation thresholds were refined based on field data to ensure practical, CFR-complian...

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Creation of an All-weather Road Impact Prediction System (ARIPS)

This project is designed to examine the utility of using the database of flood-induced road closures collected by MoDOT to develop an Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) model. This was accomplished by assembling a database of predictors. These predictors include quantitative precipitation estimates, hydrologic model output, and a seri...

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MoDOT Work Zone Speed Study

Management of work zone speeds and ensuring driver compliance with work zone speed limits play an important role in reducing the number and severity of work zone crashes. The objective of this research study is to assess speeds driven by motorists in Missouri freeway work zones, including average speeds, 85th percentile speeds, maximum speeds, and ...

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