Phase III IUCRC at TAMU College Station: Center for Integration of Composites into Infrastructure (CICI)

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The Center for Integration of Composites into Infrastructure (CICI) is a NSF I/UCRC that utilizes the expertise of West Virginia University, North Carolina State University, the University of Miami, and Texas A & M University/University of Texas at Arlington with an objective of accelerating the adoption of Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composites and geosynthetics into infrastructure applications by utilizing industry wide cooperation. The American Society of Civil Engineers gives U.S. infrastructure a grade of D+, with a 10 year funding gap of $1.44 trillion, leading to losses of $3.9 trillion to the U.S. GDP and 2.5 million fewer jobs. FRP composites and geosythentics are gaining acceptance for infrastructure due to their corrosion resistance, ease of installation, and proof-of-concept from field demonstrations in service for up to four decades. The biggest advantage to composite materials is durability, as they do not corrode or rot allowing for an extended service life thus extending taxpayer dollars. With the support of NSF, CICI currently consists of a consortium of four universities and 31 industry members, bringing together faculty, students, practitioners, manufacturers, trade organizations and government agencies to overcome the obstacles to widespread deployment of composites, forging lasting partnerships, and educating students, engineers and contractors. CICI focuses on four research thrusts. First, research on material development, manufacturing, and characterization allows for the development of new composite materials and recycling of discarded polymer composites with a clear understanding of the physico-chemical and mechanical properties. Second, the durability and aging of composites is evaluated under accelerated aging and by examining existing structures to ensure that composites can have long service lives under harsh environmental conditions. Third, design, implementation and evaluation of composites in new construction and rehabilitation of existing structures.. Fourth, CICI contributes to the development of standards, specifications, and guide documents required for the deployment of new technologies into commercial practice. The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) will continue to examine the utilization of composites, including geosynthetics, polymeric materials including geopolymers, and other geocomposites in subsurface infrastructure including pavements, runways, embankments, retaining structures, earth dams and levees. Both life cycle cost analysis and sustainable utilization of composites will be addressed in these studies. The UTA CICI site has a strong research background in soil-structure interactions, and will work with the partner universities on materials, structural retrofits and offshore soil treatment including geosynthetics.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.