Collaborative Research thru NSF I/UCRC Planning Grant: Center for Integration of Composites into Infrastructure (CICI)

0832243西弗吉尼亚大学；Hota GangaRao 0832240，新不伦瑞克罗格斯大学；Perumalsa Balaguru西弗吉尼亚大学(西弗吉尼亚大学)和罗格斯大学(RU)建议为基础设施系统，如公路、桥梁、建筑、管道、防洪系统和公用事业提供规划赠款，这是健康经济和舒适生活水平所必需的。拟建的中心旨在专注于先进聚合物复合材料构件和子系统的创新和批量生产，并通过快速模块化部署等先进建设方法将其整合到基础设施系统中。发展更轻的材料以及模块化建筑和重建将加强国内外的救灾和恢复工作。CiCi将通过学术界和工业界的智慧相结合，解决使这些材料能够用于商业应用的挑战。CiCi将整合科学努力，补充西弗吉尼亚大学和RU的优势，以推进复合知识库和应用程序，并开发教育模块，以培养现在和未来的工程师。该中心拟议的活动将增强美国工业在复合材料领域的国际竞争力，包括模块化建造。国家作为一个整体将受益，因为综合使用总体上将导致更高的安全性、更短的施工时间和更长的使用寿命，同时降低总体成本、创造新的就业机会和创造新的工业部门。CICI拟议的项目将提供重塑基础设施的智力工具，并培训熟练的从业人员，以设计所需的材料和结构。通过每所大学现有的各种机制，CICI计划从代表性不足的群体中招收研究生，包括少数民族和妇女，以扩大他们对工程学的参与。

Planning Grant for an I/UCRC for Integration of Composites into Infrastructure (CICI) 0832243 West Virginia University; Hota GangaRao 0832240 Rutgers University, New Brunswick; Perumalsa Balaguru Western Virginia University (WVU) and Rutgers University (RU) propose a planning grant for a collaborative center "Center for Integration of Composites into Infrastructures" (CICI) for infrastructure systems such as highways, bridges, buildings, pipelines, flood control systems and utilities are all necessary for a healthy economy and comfortable standard of living. The proposed center intends to focus on innovation and mass-production of advanced polymer composite members and subsystems and integrate them into infrastructural systems through advanced construction methods such as rapid-modular deployment. Development of lighter materials and modular construction and re-construction will enhance disaster response and recovery both domestically and abroad. CICI will address the challenge of making these materials viable for commercial application through the combined intellects of academia and industry. CICI will integrate scientific endeavors complementing WVU and RU strengths to advance the composite knowledge base and applications, with education modules development to train both present and future engineers. The proposed activities of the center will enhance the international competitiveness of the American industry in the area of composites including modular construction. The nation as a whole would benefit as composite use would, in general, lead to structures of higher safety, shorter construction times and longer life spans at a reduced overall cost, new job opportunities and creation of new industrial sectors. The proposed projects of CICI will provide the intellectual tools to reshaping the infrastructure as well as train the skilled practitioners for designing the materials and structures required. Through the various mechanisms available at each university, CICI plans to recruit graduate students from under-represented groups, including minorities and women to broaden their participation in engineering.