Infrastructure Provision

The NCST develops and assesses strategies that reduce GHG emissions as well as criteria pollutants, water and soil pollution, and other environmental impacts associated with infrastructure provision and systems operation, with attention to the implications for disadvantaged communities. NCST studies have explored better lifecycle use of materials and improved practices in roadway construction, maintenance, and operation. Other studies examine innovative Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) as well as connected and automated vehicle (CAV) strategies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions while producing safety and mobility benefits. 

"Closing-the-loop" for More Sustainable Transportation Infrastructure Materials: A framework for maximizing mineral resource usage to advance more sustainable cement-based materials

  • Principal Investigator Patrick R. Cunningham
  • University of California, Davis
This dissertation will present an evaluation framework, using material from California as a case study, to prioritize the adoption of SCM by concurrently considering (1) material performance, (2) resource availability, and (3) environmental impact reduction.
Project Status
Complete

A Deep Dive Into Corridor DC Fast Chargers in California

  • Principal Investigator Tisura Gamage
  • University of California, Davis
This research will study the challenges of installation and operation of a reliable network of public DC fast charging stations. While existing studies show costs ranging from $20,000 - $150,000, the researchers find costs range anywhere between $122,000 and $440,000.
Project Status
In Progress

A National Assessment of the Air Quality and Health Impacts of Vehicle Travel and Electrification: Phase 1 Near Roadway Impacts and Equity Analysis

  • Principal Investigator Gregory Rowangould, Ph.D.
  • University of Vermont
This project will address limitations in the current literature surrounding air quality impacts of vehicle traffic, especially in underserved communities. The team will employ a refined near-roadway emission exposure surrogate that balances spatial precision and computational burden to estimate changes in exposure levels and health risks and the distribution of these burdens over time as EV adoption increases.
Project Status
In Progress

Advancing Equitable Electric Vehicle Adoption: Addressing home charging barriers and costs

  • Principal Investigator Dana Rowangould, Ph.D.
  • University of Vermont
This project evaluates the relationships between EV adoption, home charger installation, and housing characteristics as well as the costs of home charging installation for homes of different types in the City of Burlington, Vermont. The project also investigates the sociodemographic makeup of residents living in homes with greater barriers to home charging using national data.
Project Status
In Progress

Applying Vulnerability Assessments and Triple Bottom Line Considerations to Rail Infrastructure Management: Toward an Integrated Framework for Rail Resilience and Sustainability

  • Principal Investigator Adair Garrett
  • Georgia Institute of Technology
This research will apply climate vulnerability assessments and the TBL approach to sustainability to rail infrastructure planning and resource allocation decision making. The results will be validated by rail operators and administrators to support improved investments in rail that are resilient to extreme events, protect the natural environment, enhance economic competitiveness, and improve societal quality of life, equitably.
Project Status
In Progress

Assessing Electric Vehicle Benefits in a Rural, Cold, and Mountainous Region

  • Principal Investigator Dana Rowangould, Ph.D.
  • University of Vermont
This study will collect real-world driving data in the mountainous and largely rural northern state of Vermont to determine how plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) use and performance differ across these contexts and for different vehicle types.
Project Status
In Progress

Comparing REAP and AHSC: State-defined versus regionally-defined funding strategies for affordable housing linked to multi-modal transport

  • Principal Investigator Elisa Barbour, Ph.D.
  • University of California, Davis
This research project will compare key elements of program design, administration, and projected benefits from the Regional Early Action Planning (REAP) and Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) programs, with the aim of considering how and whether a state-led strategy (AHSC) differs from regionally-designed strategies (through REAP), in furthering SB 375 goals through funding that allocated for similar specific purposes.
Project Status
In Progress

Deep Learning-Based Optimization of Eco-Driving Strategies with Connected and Autonomous Electric Vehicles on Transportation Networks

  • Principal Investigator Fengxiang Qiao, Ph.D.
  • Texas Southern University
This project will help both transportation and environmental agencies at all levels, and car manufacturers, to understand the design, operation, and impacts of optimal eco-driving strategies. The project will provide urgent science and test-based input to inform policy and practice development.
Project Status
In Progress

Electric Truck Fleet Management Under Limited and Uncertain Charging Infrastructure Availability

  • Principal Investigator Petros Ioannou, Ph.D.
  • University of Southern California
This project will address the issues of freight decarbonization and supply chain resiliency by designing electric truck fleet management strategies that consider limited charging availability for electric vehicles, respond to electricity grid uncertainties, and analyze the constraints of long-haul and short-haul operations with electric trucks.
Project Status
In Progress
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