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

将复合材料集成到基础设施中的I/UCRC规划补助金（CICI）0832243西弗吉尼亚大学;霍塔甘加罗0832240罗格斯大学，新玩法; Perumalsa Balaguru 西弗吉尼亚大学（WVU）和罗格斯大学（RU）提议为一个合作中心“复合材料集成到建筑结构中的中心”（CICI）提供规划拨款，用于高速公路，桥梁，建筑物，管道，防洪系统和公用事业等基础设施系统，这些都是健康经济和舒适生活标准所必需的。该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大规模生产，并通过快速模块化部署等先进施工方法将其集成到基础设施系统中。 开发更轻的材料和模块化建造和重建将加强国内外的灾害应对和恢复。 CICI将通过学术界和工业界的共同努力，解决使这些材料在商业应用中可行的挑战。 CICI将整合科学努力，补充WVU和RU的优势，以推进复合知识库和应用，并开发教育模块，以培训现在和未来的工程师。 该中心的拟议活动将提高美国工业在复合材料领域的国际竞争力，包括模块化建筑。 整个国家都将受益，因为复合材料的使用通常会导致结构的安全性更高，建筑时间更短，寿命更长，总成本更低，创造新的就业机会和新的工业部门。 CICI的拟议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设计所需的材料和结构。CICI计划通过每所大学现有的各种机制，从少数民族和妇女等代表性不足的群体中招收研究生，以扩大他们对工程的参与。

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.