Mechanistic characterization and modeling of road materials and structures

公路运输在我国经济中发挥着直接作用。 在资源型司法管辖区-如萨斯喀彻温省-尤其如此。 最近的经济压力导致了对更大，更具成本效益的专用卡车的驱动，这导致了增加负荷谱高达800%的一些萨斯喀彻温省的道路。 然而，使用传统材料和结构加强大量道路系统在经济上是不可持续的，也不切实际。 此外，直到最近，基于现象学-经验的方法已被用于路面系统的结构设计和管理。 这些传统的方法是有限的，因为他们不能明确量化性能的影响，增加交通负荷谱，材料的进步，创新的道路结构，等等。 因此，我正在开发基于机械的道路材料和结构分析方法，使道路工程师能够开发创新的道路加固系统，从而显着提高加固道路的成本效益。 保护道路结构，促进高效的交通运输，是我研究的主要目标。 我的研究致力于开发一个合理的基于机械的道路工程框架，以可靠地表征和建模替代路面材料和结构，并将先进的实验室和现场工程与智能交通系统等最新技术相结合。 一个合理的科学框架，以更好地设计和管理道路系统的结构，并优化材料资源的潜在好处是显着的。 有能力可靠地设计现有道路系统的更新，也将减少对不可再生的优质骨料来源的需求，并提高整个寿命路面性能。 此外，与创新性地加强道路结构有关的经济效益也将减少能源需求，帮助加拿大履行其京都承诺。

Road transport plays a direct role in our economy.  This is particularly the case in resource based jurisdictions - like Saskatchewan.  Recent economic pressures have resulted in the drive towards larger, more cost-effective commerical trucks, which have resulted in increased load spectra by up to 800 percent on some Saskatchewan roads.  However, strengthening significant amounts of the road system using conventional materials and structures is not economically sustainable, nor practical.  In addition, until very recently, phenomological-empirical based methods have been used for the structural design and management of the pavement system.  These traditional methods are limited because they cannot explicitly quantify performance impacts of increasing traffic load spectra, materials advancements, innovative road structures, etc.   Therefore, I am developing mechanistic based road materials and structural analysis methods that will enable road engineers to develop innovative road strengthening systems that significantly improve the cost effectiveness of strengthening roads.  Preserving roads structurally and facilitating efficient commerical transportation, is a primary objective of my research.  My research is dedicated to developing a rational mechanistic based road engineering framework to reliably characterize and model alternative pavement materials and structures, and to integrate advanced lab and field engineering with the latest technologies such as intelligent transportation systems.  The potential benefits of a rational scientific framework to better engineer and manage road systems structurally, and optimize materials resources are significant.  Having the ability to reliably engineer the renewal of existing road systems will also reduce the need for non-renewable quality aggregate sources and improve whole life pavement performance.  Moreover, the economics associated with innovative strengthening of road structures will also reduce energy requirements helping Canada meet its Kyoto committments.