Volpe Center Highlights
Safety
Focus |
Safety |
Mobility |
Human and Natural Environment |
Economic Growth and Trade |
National Security |
Published and Presented
Promote public health and safety by working toward the elimination of transportation-related deaths, injuries, and property damage. |
Order Updated on Radiation Health Hazards and Protection (FAA)
A team from the Center's Office of Strategic Planning and Analysis, led by Dr. Aviva Brecher, recently completed a draft update of the FAA Radiation Safety Order (3910.3A) for the FAA Office of Environment and Energy sponsor. The previous Order, last issued in 1983, required a major update and a greatly expanded scope. The update focused on ensuring adequate protection of FAA employees, on-site contractors, and visitors from potential workplace safety and health hazards. Existing safety standards and guidelines applicable to the FAA were evaluated and adapted or adopted. The Order establishes safety criteria, as well as responsibility, measurement, and reporting procedures for the recognition, evaluation, prevention, and mitigation of potential hazards from exposures to traditional ionizing radiation, non-ionizing radiation, radio, and microwave sources in the Airway Facilities, as well as static and extremely low frequency electric and magnetic fields, and lasers. The draft will be widely distributed to FAA stakeholders for review, and will be revised for final issue this fall.
Safety Evaluation of Intelligent Cruise Control Systems (NHTSA)
The Center's Accident Prevention Division is supporting NHTSA in the evaluation of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) technologies deployed in field operational tests (FOTs). One of these projects involves the evaluation of the safety impact of Intelligent Cruise Control (ICC) systems. ICC extends conventional cruise control by incorporating forward-looking sensors and maintaining safe distances from preceding vehicles. ICC thus offers the convenience of less stressful driving since drivers are not forced to continually disengage and reingage the system or readjust their speed settings as they approach other vehicles. The Center recently completed the ICC FOT Evaluation Plan, which included the evaluation of six specific goals: system benefits to users, system performance, institutional issues, user acceptance, system costs, and ICC impacts on the transportation system such as traffic flow, fuel consumption, and pollution. The ICC FOT is taking place in southeastern Michigan and involves 10 vehicles and over 160 subjects, who will each drive ICC-equipped vehicles for two to five weeks in a "normal" setting. The overall test, which will last approximately one year, is being conducted by the University of Michigan Transportation Reseach Institute.
Structural Integrity of Aging Aircraft (FAA)
The Volpe Center provides technical support to the FAA's National Aging Aircraft Research Program (NAARP). As part of this support, Mr. George Neat and Dr. John Brewer, both of the Vehicle Crashworthiness Division, recently participated in the annual FAA/NASA Symposium on the Continued Airworthiness of Aircraft Structures. Mr. Neat co-chaired a session on "Corrosion in Aging Aircraft.," and Dr. Brewer presented a paper entitled "Improving the Damage Tolerance of Bonded Structures Via Adhesive Layer Barriers." One of the tasks in support of the FAA's NAARP involves widespread fatigue damage. Mr. Neat accompanied Dr. Paul Tan, of FAA Technical Center, to meet with Douglas Aircraft personnel in Los Angeles on September 4-5 to discuss RAPID, a computer program developed to evaluate fuselage repairs. Test requirements to validate the RAPID program were also discussed.