Surface Transportation Weather Research at The University of North Dakota

The Goals of the University of North Dakota Surface Transportation Weather Research Center To demonstrate & evaluate the effectiveness of advanced meteorological analysis and forecasting in a surface transportation environment To promote improved highway safety and efficiencies through improved technologies for spatial and temporal weather information To expand the knowledge of surface boundary layer processes through surface transportation weather research To successfully transfer university technologies through operational deployment in the private sector

North Dakota Department of Transportation South Dakota Department of Transportation US Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, ND & SD University of North Dakota Surface Transportation Weather Research Center Research Steering Committee

Beginnings... Development of the Advanced Transportation Weather Information System, 1995 to 2003Development of the Advanced Transportation Weather Information System, 1995 to 2003 Public / Private PartnershipPublic / Private Partnership –ND/DOT, SD/DOT, Mn/DOT, FHWA, UND –Cellular Communications Companies across ND, SD, MN –Private sector weather service providers Initial Activities Addressed En-Route TravelersInitial Activities Addressed En-Route Travelers –Became national prototype for statewide 511 in 2000 Later Activities Expanded to include Winter Maintenance EffortsLater Activities Expanded to include Winter Maintenance Efforts

Present Research Topics Areas Data assimilation and mesoscale modelingData assimilation and mesoscale modeling Statistical and heuristic modelingStatistical and heuristic modeling Pavement FrostPavement Frost Pavement precipitation accumulation estimationPavement precipitation accumulation estimation Blowing/drifting snow analysis and predictionBlowing/drifting snow analysis and prediction Roadway visibilityRoadway visibility Improved spring load restriction condition predictionImproved spring load restriction condition prediction Environmental sensor station (ESS) quality control methodsEnvironmental sensor station (ESS) quality control methods Improved prediction of solar loading of pavement surfacesImproved prediction of solar loading of pavement surfaces Advanced pavement condition prediction modelsAdvanced pavement condition prediction models ITS Integration and EvaluationITS Integration and Evaluation

Blowing/Drifting Snow: Problem Statement  Blowing snow in the roadway presents a serious challenge to winter maintenance activities and driver safety  Current project: Develop a road environment blowing snow modeling system Develop a road environment blowing snow modeling system  Incorporation of mesoscale weather models  Integration with blowing snow model tailored to the roadway environment  Incorporation of a roadway Blowing Snow Susceptibility Index  Validation across broad terrain settings Operational testing & deployment Operational testing & deployment

Snow Mass Flux Prediction Two critical layers monitoredTwo critical layers monitored  Saltation Layer (where snow creeps/rolls in short trajectories)  Suspension Layer (where lofted snow attains a height that impairs driver visibility) Q susp Q salt saltation layer suspension layer precipitation vertical transport Fetch wind direction ROAD

Blowing/Drifting Snow Prediction

UND Winter Operational Testing Validation of blowing snow research is part of the Pooled Fund Study Maintenance Decision Support System (PFS MDSS) Field TestsValidation of blowing snow research is part of the Pooled Fund Study Maintenance Decision Support System (PFS MDSS) Field Tests –1 November 2005 to 15 April 2006 Resulting technology to be incorporated as part of the PFS MDSS packageResulting technology to be incorporated as part of the PFS MDSS package = PFS MDSS States For information on the PFS MDSS

Grid 1 Grid 9 Grid 8Grid 7 Grid 6 Grid 5 Grid 4 Grid 3Grid 2 Grid 10 Focus Research Areas One 10-kilometer Primary MDSS Domain Ten 1-kilometer Blowing Snow Domains Each 1-kilometer Domain Focuses on Specific Winter Maintenance Routes

Operational MDSS Display Blowing Snow Alert

Validation and Verification

Blowing / Drifting Snow Field Measurements Video disdrometer measurements*Video disdrometer measurements* m; lowest level possible m; typical driver height m; close to commercial vehicle height Roadway vegetation factorsRoadway vegetation factors –Define characteristics of roadway snow holding capacity –Geo-referenced features –Monitoring of features during winter season Measurements to identify the nature and constraints within a roadway environment and provide REBS validation and verification * video disdrometer provided by Dr. Larry Blevin, NASA Mature vegetative obstructions: Yellow = no, red = yes

RWIS-ESS Validation Efforts Environmental Sensor Stations (ESS)Environmental Sensor Stations (ESS) –Serve as a foundation data set for road weather –Concept of ESS developed over 30 years ago To provide information on road (and runway) conditionsTo provide information on road (and runway) conditions To represent a ‘reality’ of the state of the pavement and roadway weatherTo represent a ‘reality’ of the state of the pavement and roadway weather –Effectiveness of the observations questioned Do they provide valid pavement conditions?Do they provide valid pavement conditions? Do the adequately represent the broader roadway weather conditions for which they are used to project?Do the adequately represent the broader roadway weather conditions for which they are used to project?

UND Surface Transportation Weather Research Center Road Weather Field Research Facility

University of North Dakota Road Weather Field Research Facility Geo-referenced Obstructions Mapped Centerline Known Land-use Characteristics Main Tower Pavement Condition Monitoring Data Collection & Communications Future Instrumented Plots Precipitation Monitors Interstate 29 N Joint effort between academia, government and private sectorJoint effort between academia, government and private sector Located adjacent to Interstate 29 south of Grand Forks, NDLocated adjacent to Interstate 29 south of Grand Forks, ND

Motivation of Current Effort Need for validation of current UND researchNeed for validation of current UND research –ESS quality control testing –Pavement frost –Pavement precipitation accumulation –Blowing/drifting snow –Roadway visibility –Seasonal load restriction prediction Support for Multi-State MDSS validation effortsSupport for Multi-State MDSS validation efforts Need for better understanding ofNeed for better understanding of –Spatial representativeness of roadway weather –Physical relationship between pavement and atmosphere

6-m Towers Road Surface 15-m Tower Surface Boundary Layer Turbulence Spectra Probes* Net Radiometers Freeze Point & Chemical Concentration Pavement Temperature & Precipitation Sub-surface Temperatures Visible & Infrared Pavement Cameras Air temperature, Humidity, and Winds at 2, 5, 10, & 15 meters Video Cameras Video Disdrometers Ultra-sonic Snow Depth Array Precision Precipitation Gauge Barometric Pressure Total Precipitation Sensor University of North Dakota Road Weather Field Research Facility *available July 2006

Acknowledgements Research support is provided by the North Dakota Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration under Contract #ITS-9999 (174)Research support is provided by the North Dakota Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration under Contract #ITS-9999 (174) Special recognition of the support provided by the North Dakota Department of Transportation Office of Maintenance & EngineeringSpecial recognition of the support provided by the North Dakota Department of Transportation Office of Maintenance & Engineering

3980 Campus Road University of North Dakota Grand Forks, North Dakota