Managing Technology Transfer A Strategy for the Federal Highway Administration -- Special Report 256 (1999) / Chapter Skim
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4 Highway Industry Technology Transfer Activities
4 Highway Industry Technology Transfer Activities
Pages 41-70
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From page 41... ...
CONTEXT The context for technology transfer within the highway industry is defined by FHWA's major role in identifying and developing research products for use by others. Essentially, FHWA does not implement technologies; it transfers them to state and local highway agencies, materials and equipment manufacturers and suppliers, contractors and consultants, and other users of highway research results.
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Furthermore, cultural, geographical, and procedural boundaries can exist between FHWA and the users of highway technology. Factors such as the historical relationship between FHWA and state and local highway agencies and between FHWA technology transfer staff and potential users also make a difference.
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FHWA TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER ACTIVITIES Technology transfer at FHWA is aimed at informing potential users about the benefits of innovative technology and helping state and local highway agencies overcome the various barriers to implementing innovations (see Chapter 3)
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FHWA's technology transfer mission is to ensure timely identification and assessment of innovative research results, technologies, and products, and the application of those products and processes determined to be of potential benefit to the highway community.1 Much of FHWA's technology transfer program was consolidated in OTA and encompassed almost all areas of highway technology, including asphalt and concrete pavements, structures, hydraulics, geotechnology, environment, safety, motor carriers, and traffic operations and management. OTA's program targeted the following: · Preparing user manuals and implementation packages for technologies developed in the FHWA R&D program; · Sponsoring field tests in selected states to verify laboratory developments; · Displaying new technologies in the field for workshop and open house demonstrations; · Installing/applying technologies on local highway segments for further demonstration and evaluation; and · Incorporating and evaluating innovative products in federal-aid highway construction projects.
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From page 45... ...
Pavement, including materials: asphalt and portland cement concrete pavements; pavement design and management; system preservation; waste materials; long-term pavement performance. Structures: a "find it and fix" program aimed at development and deployment of nondestructive evaluation technologies in support of bridge management systems, and high-performance materials that are stronger and more durable than current materials; issues related to operational needs; laboratory support at TurnerFairbank Highway Research Center for the structures technology program.
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From page 46... ...
transportation agencies; local highway agencies, materials and equipment manufacturers and suppliers, and contractors and consultants are also major users of highway research results (Griffith 1990)
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From page 47... ...
describes the paths followed in 12 technology areas from research through technology transfer to implementation.Those 12 technology areas were selected on the basis of suggestions from FHWA staff, a panel of highway professionals, and a literature search to demonstrate the role played by FHWA in technology transfer and to estimate the value of that role. Each area incorporated a variety of products and processes with significant roots in the FHWA R&D program; each was also the subject of prominent FHWA technology transfer efforts during the period 1984 to 1993.
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From page 48... ...
Given the many individual and undocumented actions taken to transfer technology and the general lack of record keeping associated with technology transfer activities, Harder was unable to identify every technology transfer activity associated with each technology area. However, other methods were also identified, including brochures, fact sheets, newsletters, news releases, and journal and magazine articles; electronic bulletin boards; technical reports, papers, and presentations; workshops, seminars, conferences, and peer exchanges; and contacts with information dissemination centers.
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for the Travel Model Improvement Program (TMIP) , a joint effort of the U.S.
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The access management manual currently under development addresses an important unmet need. It is the culmination of considerable research, analysis, develop ment, and implementation involving FHWA researchers and engineers, National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP)
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Navy, FHWA found that metallized coating systems provide long-term, maintenance-free performance, especially in severe coastal and salt-rich environments. Recent NCHRP synthesis reports address lead-based paint removal for steel highway bridges, and maintenance and corrosion protection methods for exposed bridge steel.
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From page 52... ...
The private sector moved forward with development of a mobile unit for pavement markings, while FHWA remains instrumental in R&D of a mobile unit for signs. NCHRP research sponsored by the state highway agencies yielded a breadboard system that was capable of measuring the average retroreflectivity of sign legends and background irrespective of color and size, and could be operated during daylight.
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From page 53... ...
Contractors and highway agencies currently rely heavily on the nuclear density gauge for measuring soil density.There are regulatory and licensing requirements for the use, transport, and disposal of this device, which also represents a safety risk for highway agency inspectors and contractor crews. Despite the SSG's advantages, it must overcome several hurdles before being widely accepted because it measures soil stiffness, a property not yet well understood by agencies and contractors.
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The addition of a Global Positioning System (GPS) unit to the SSG could provide highway agencies and other owners a means of linking SSG-generated soil stiffness data and location information to terminals at both contractor and highway agency sites.
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The highway industry is interested in the acoustic strain gauge because it is quick, accurate, and cheap and provides highway agencies with useful asset information. However, strain gauge development is fairly competitive and continues to evolve.
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They serve the more than 36,000 local highway agencies in the United States that range in size from single-person township departments to large city and county departments. The centers represent a large network for exchanging information and seeking advice.
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The 14 centers became focal points for addressing transportation issues and for attracting talent, resources, and facilities to promote individual initiatives and scientific innovation in a variety of transportation modes and disciplines. These centers have become important sources for research products and professional expertise, both of which are essential to successful innovation in the highway industry.
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State Highway Agency Activities Each state highway agency is organized differently for research, development, and technology transfer. A survey of the states in 1989 indicated that 9 of 36 responding state highway agencies had designated technology transfer offices (NCHRP 1989)
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Purdue University Group C $750,000 per year for fiscal years 1998 through 2001 to each of the following: University of Arkansas New Jersey Institute of Technology University of Idaho University of Alabama Morgan State University North Carolina State University San Jose State University University of South Florida North Carolina A&T State University continued
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already been developed.4 NTPEP activities in each AASHTO region are coordinated by participating states. Existing facilities, equipment, and personnel in state highway agencies are used for the evaluations.
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Under SHRP, a number of key products were delivered, including specifications, manuals, test methods, equipment, materials, and processes. As SHRP products became available for implementation, program staff identified common gaps or barriers that needed to be addressed before the products could be implemented by state highway agencies (SHRP 1990)
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Successful implementation was defined in terms of timeliness in putting research results to use, effectiveness in achieving desired results, and the proportion of potential users that have become actual users of the innovation. A workshop attended by representatives from state and local highway agencies and the private sector, together with a national survey of officials in state, county, and city transportation agencies, yielded information about what factors influence the successful application of research results in the highway industry.
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From page 63... ...
The program provides a mechanism for state highway agencies that have gained early and extensive experience with the technologies developed or evaluated under SHRP to share their experiences with other agencies. The goal is to encourage the implementation of these innovative technologies, to shorten the learning period for others, and to avoid unnecessary and costly duplication of effort.
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Pilot projects conducted in real user settings 4.6 Innovation matches users' needs 4.4 Strong commitment from senior management 4.3 Adequate funding 4.3 Collaboration among users, researchers, vendors 4.3 User participation in vital stages of the R&D 4.3 Champion for the project on site 4.3 High level of relevant technical skills 4.2 Implementation package and continued support 4.2 Demonstrable advantages for the innovation 4.2 Clear goals for the implementation effort 4.1 Targeted funding for the implementation 4.1 * Mean importance rating is based on survey responses from highway agencies using a scale of 1 (low importance)
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Finally, the researchers concluded that highway agencies do not capitalize adequately on the organizational learning that takes place during implementation because they tend to treat implementation efforts as one-time events. As a result, the experience they gain does not benefit future efforts.
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In particular, state and local highway agencies depend on FHWA for technical information and assistance in identifying and implementing innovative tech
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Although each of the studies reviewed by the committee examined different information and used different methods, they all generated conclusions -- many very similar -- about what is needed to accelerate innovation and technology implementation. The committee reviewed these conclusions and developed the following summary of keys to past success as guidance for future FHWA technology transfer activities.
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NOTES 1. State highway agencies report that by implementing products and processes pro moted by FHWA, they have achieved an 8:1 savings-to-cost ratio.
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, risk aversion, leisure preference, and time preference influence the willingness of people to make the effort to innovate. REFERENCES ABBREVIATIONS EPA Environmental Protection Agency NCHRP National Cooperative Highway Research Program SHRP Strategic Highway Research Program TRB Transportation Research Board Bikson,T.
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1998. Transportation Research Circular 488: Transportation Technology Transfer -- A Primer on the State of the Practice.
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