Featured Initiatives

ATIC shares expertise and facilities for collaboration on specific focus areas.

Supported by UND's College of Engineering & Mines, research collaborations are expected to create unique engineering research and education capabilities in transportation infrastructure.

Transportation Technology Research Institute (TTRI)

The Transportation Technology Research Institute (TTRI) is a formal research partnership between the University of North Dakota and the North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT), officially dedicated on February 27, 2023. The institute brings together researchers, educators, professional engineers and students in a multi-pronged initiative to develop and maintain a modern transportation system while training a skilled workforce for North Dakota’s future.

The TTRI is organized into two areas: technology development/demonstration and workforce development.

TTRI Technologies

TTRI research has focused on two core technology areas. The first is unmanned aerial systems (UAS), which have been applied across several infrastructure use cases including stockpile inventory management, construction progress monitoring and bridge evaluation using both visual and thermal sensing. UAS-collected data is also used to generate 3D models and digital representations of infrastructure assets, supporting the broader goal of civil infrastructure digitalization.

The second technology area is additive construction of concrete (ACC), commonly known as concrete 3D printing. ATIC has successfully applied ACC to the construction of centerline pipe culverts and as permanent formwork for box culverts, demonstrating the technology’s potential to reduce construction timelines and labor demands for transportation infrastructure across North Dakota.

Student Design Center (SDC)

The SDC puts engineering students to work on real-world transportation designs and engineering issues. The SDC interns gain hands-on training and design experience as they work under the direction of NDDOT engineers to prepare studies, plans and estimates for NDDOT projects. SDC interns are in demand by the NDDOT as well as other agencies, consultants and other employers as they recognize SDC students have a head start in skills to join the workforce. The SDC is conveniently located on campus, allowing students to work between classes.

Center for Transformative Infrastructure Preservation and Sustainability (CTIPS)

The Center for Transformative Infrastructure Preservation and Sustainability (CTIPS) is a multi-university research consortium with a mission to modernize how existing transportation systems are preserved and maintained. The center integrates advanced sensing technologies and automation into data collection and analysis, with a particular focus on underserved communities.

A defining priority of CTIPS is addressing systemic equity in transportation infrastructure, specifically targeting the relatively poor road conditions affecting Tribal and rural communities in the region. UND is one of eleven consortium members spanning the Mountain West and Northern Plains.

Key highlights include:

• Focuses on preservation of existing transportation systems rather than new construction
• Combines advanced sensing and automated data tools to improve inspection and analysis
• Directly addresses infrastructure equity gaps for tribal nations and rural areas
• Brings together a broad 11-member university consortium with regional expertise

Consortium members include Colorado State University, Fort Lewis College, North Dakota State University, South Dakota State University, United Tribes Technical College, University of Colorado Denver, University of Denver, University of North Dakota, University of Utah, University of Wyoming and Utah State University.