Innovative Materials and Advanced Technologies for a Sustainable Pavement Infrastructure

About the Webinar

It is widely acknowledged that early detection of material damage and timely rehabilitation could lead to a significant reduction in the life-cycle cost of asphalt pavements. This webinar highlighted University of Minnesota research investigating the capabilities of graphite nanoplatelet (GNP)-taconite-modified asphalt materials in damage detection and healing.

The presentation featured two research components:

• The application of GNP-taconite-modified asphalt materials for damage detection using electrical conductivity. Findings show that, as compared to conventional asphalt materials, the modified materials exhibit an improved electrical conductivity due to the electron-hopping mechanism.
• The damage-healing capability of GNP-taconite-modified asphalt materials upon microwave heating. Research shows that the modified materials can effectively absorb the heat generated by the microwave, and the rising temperature can effectively heal the microcracks in the binder.

This webinar was held in conjunction with a meeting of the CTS Transportation Infrastructure Research Council.

Webinar Recording

• Watch the recording
• Presentation slides (PDF)

Speakers

Jia-Liang Le is a professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo- Engineering at the University of Minnesota. He earned PhD in structural engineering and mechanics from Northwestern University. His research interests include fracture mechanics, probabilistic mechanics, and structural reliability. He received the Young Investigator Award from the Army Research Office, the EMI da Vinci award from the American Society of Civil Engineers, and the Young Investigator Medal from the Society of Engineering Science.

Mihai Marasteanu is a professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo- Engineering at the University of Minnesota. His major research interests involve applications of fundamental theories (viscoelasticity, rheology, plasticity, fracture mechanics, continuum damage mechanics, micromechanics) to bituminous materials characterization, modeling, and experimental testing. He received his engineering diploma from the Civil Engineering Institute of Bucharest, Romania, and holds an MS and PhD in civil engineering from Pennsylvania State University.

Larry Zanko is a senior research fellow at the University of Minnesota Duluth's Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI). He is a geological mining engineer and has worked on a variety of research projects related to industrial, ferrous, and nonferrous minerals. His transportation-related research has focused on using taconite-based materials for pavement repair and patching. Zanko holds bachelor's degrees in microbiology and geological engineering and a master's degree in geological engineering from the University of Minnesota.

Credit

Attendees are eligible for 2.0 American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) maintenance credits.