Arlington’s NSF Center to give data on low cost composites
June 22, 2015 - United States Of America
A new National Science Foundation (NSF) center at The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) is conducting a research on how to best use composite materials to extend the life-cycle of civil infrastructure, resulting in less maintenance and lower costs to taxpayers.
According to Anand Puppala, associate dean for research in UTA’s College of Engineering and director at the new Center for Integration of Composites into Infrastructure (CICI), an NSF Industry/University Cooperative Research Center, will highlight the sustainable benefits of using composites in infrastructure construction because traditional methods of repairing roads, bridges and other structures are not working.
The center has university partnerships with other centers housed at West Virginia University, University of Miami, and North Carolina State University. UT Arlington researchers involved in the project include President Vistasp Karbhari, Shih-Ho Chao, civil engineering associate professor and CICI vice-director; civil engineering professor Laureano Hoyos, civil engineering assistant professor Xinbao Yu, and materials science and engineering professor Pranesh Aswath.
CICI researchers also have formed partnerships with several outside companies and agencies who will serve in the industrial advisory board. Researchers for the center will use the five-year, $325,000 National Science Foundation grant, along with annual membership funds from several agencies and industries, to examine ways to use polymers such as fibres, foam, and geosynthetics to create stronger, more sustainable infrastructure, such as foundations, retaining walls, slopes and related structures, UTA said on its website.
CICI site is a part of UTA’s Sustainable and Resilience Civil Infrastructure Center. CICI researchers will conduct life-cycle analysis by comparing a baseline of traditional methods to costs and durability when using composites and geopolymers and hoping to show that overall costs are lower. The center also will lessen carbon footprints related to infrastructure, using low-impact recycled plastics and materials that can be assembled quicker to reduce the number of days needed to build infrastructure. (GK)
According to Anand Puppala, associate dean for research in UTA’s College of Engineering and director at the new Center for Integration of Composites into Infrastructure (CICI), an NSF Industry/University Cooperative Research Center, will highlight the sustainable benefits of using composites in infrastructure construction because traditional methods of repairing roads, bridges and other structures are not working.
The center has university partnerships with other centers housed at West Virginia University, University of Miami, and North Carolina State University. UT Arlington researchers involved in the project include President Vistasp Karbhari, Shih-Ho Chao, civil engineering associate professor and CICI vice-director; civil engineering professor Laureano Hoyos, civil engineering assistant professor Xinbao Yu, and materials science and engineering professor Pranesh Aswath.
CICI researchers also have formed partnerships with several outside companies and agencies who will serve in the industrial advisory board. Researchers for the center will use the five-year, $325,000 National Science Foundation grant, along with annual membership funds from several agencies and industries, to examine ways to use polymers such as fibres, foam, and geosynthetics to create stronger, more sustainable infrastructure, such as foundations, retaining walls, slopes and related structures, UTA said on its website.
CICI site is a part of UTA’s Sustainable and Resilience Civil Infrastructure Center. CICI researchers will conduct life-cycle analysis by comparing a baseline of traditional methods to costs and durability when using composites and geopolymers and hoping to show that overall costs are lower. The center also will lessen carbon footprints related to infrastructure, using low-impact recycled plastics and materials that can be assembled quicker to reduce the number of days needed to build infrastructure. (GK)