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CIR
Center for Infrastructure Renewal

Texas A&M University

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    • Advanced Characterization of Infrastructure Materials Lab
    • Advanced Infrastructure Materials and Manufacturing Lab
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    • Concrete Innovation Lab
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    • National Corrosion & Materials Reliability Lab
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News

Dr. Stephanie Paal received the Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award

May 12, 2020 by Kathrine Bradshaw

Filed Under: News Tagged With: award, Stephanie Paal, Structural and Materials Testing

Dr. Anand Puppala was recently recognized with the 2020 Ralph B. Peck Award

May 12, 2020 by Kathrine Bradshaw

Filed Under: News Tagged With: Anand Puppala, award, Soils and Unbound Materials

Corrosion and Materials Reliability Lab developed a seminar detailing the lifespan of continuous galvanized rebar

May 12, 2020 by Kathrine Bradshaw

Filed Under: News Tagged With: Corrosion, Homero Castaneda-Lopez, rebar

CIR Preparing for Huge Lab Move

November 3, 2017 by cirtamu

Image of Zachary GrasleyAnyone who’s ever moved knows there are a thousand little things to worry about. Should we keep this item? How are we going to move that thing!? Can we fit everything into this new space?

Usually, though, most moves involve only one house. Now, think about moving a dozen houses.

That’s the situation facing the Center for Infrastructure Renewal (CIR), which will be the home for 13 labs. As construction on the CIR enters the home stretch, the center is busy making all the preparations ahead of its big lab move to ensure the CIR is ready to operate when the move is complete.

To prepare for the big lab move, Dr. Peter Keating, Associate Professor, Texas A&M Zachry Department of Civil Engineering, and Director of The Structural and Materials Testing Lab, and Duane Wagner, facilities manager with Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI), are working with all 13 CIR lab users in order to schedule the move-in process.

“Lab moves are never easy so we’re working with all parties involved to gather as much data and information beforehand to plan for a smoother lab move process,” said Keating, who also will serve as CIR Operations Manager.

The lab moves should take about 6-8 weeks, beginning in early December. After the labs are moved, the lab equipment also will need to be recalibrated. Then the furniture will be brought into the center. All of this activity will continue into February.

“We’re working as hard as we can and doing everything we can to be prepared for Day 1 of the move,” said Wagner. “

In that regard, to prepare for the move, Keating, Wagner and CIR are coordinating with each lab user. As part of the coordination process, they are collecting information and capabilities on the equipment to be used in each of the 13 labs. Keating and Wagner anticipate that more than 300 pieces of equipment could be housed in the new CIR, so collecting a good equipment list is crucial for the lab move. But, the equipment lists also will be used for other purposes too.

“The equipment lists will be utilized with a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) that will enable the CIR to operate more efficiently and effectively and to ensure we get the maximum value out of our research operations,” said John Barton, Assistant Vice Chancellor Texas A&M University System, RELLIS Director and CIR Executive Director.

CIR will use the same LIMS system that is being implemented into 30+ labs across the Texas A&M campus over the next few years. The LIMS system has the capabilities to schedule lab equipment; manage projects, customers, invoices and billing; monitor equipment usage; etc.

“In addition to the usefulness of the LIMS system, we’ll also use the lists of equipment to generate materials that detail each lab’s capability,” Barton said. “This information and these materials will be used to supplement research grant applications and market the CIR to external audiences as we pursue opportunities to develop transformative infrastructure solutions.”

Filed Under: News Tagged With: CIR, Infrastructure

New Textbook, Workshop Focus on Improving Pavements by Combining Science and Computational Analysis

October 24, 2017 by cirtamu

Researchers with the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) and the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) have combined their expertise to co-author Modeling and Design of Flexible Pavements and Materials, a first-of-its-kind book with the potential to transform the way pavements are installed. The approach emphasizes the use of computational modeling to create longer-lasting, less-costly pavements. The authors will share their methodologies and findings in a continuing education short course titled Computational Analysis and Design of Flexible Pavement April 18-19, 2018.

“We’ve combined the science associated with the chemical makeup and physical properties of all the components of asphalt with computational modeling to create a tool that can be used to build finite element algorithms,” TTI Senior Research Engineer Dr. David Allen, director of TTI’s Center for Railway Research, explains. “These algorithms can then be used to predict the performance of the roadway over time.”

When the CIR opens in 2018, Allen will operate the Center for  Railway Research as one of the 13 CIR labs.

Allen co-authored the book with Dr. Amit Bhasin and Dr. Dallas Little. Bhasin is an associate professor at The University of Texas’ Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering. Little is a Regent’s Professor and E.B. Snead Endowed Chair Professor in the Zachry Department of Civil Engineering at Texas A&M, as well as a TTI senior research fellow.

“In the first part of the book, Bhasin and I set the stage by examining the chemistry and physical properties of the various materials that make up asphalt, including additives, so that we can model them in Dr. Allen’s sophisticated computational models,” Little says. “This book is unique because materials science is combined with computational analysis, advancing the way we design our roadways of the future.” He notes that the textbook could be used in a new graduate course currently in development.

Meanwhile, registration is under way for the short course offered by the Center for Infrastructure Renewal (CIR)—a joint center between TEES and TTI— and will be held at the Texas A&M Mays Business School at CityCentre in Houston, Texas. Early bird registration rates are available until Feb. 28, 2018.  View the course details page to register for the short course and get more information.

“This short course is a perfect example of the collaborative, multi-disciplinary approach CIR will employ toward developing transformative infrastructure solutions,” said John Barton, Assistant Vice Chancellor Texas A&M University System, RELLIS Director and CIR Executive Director.

Filed Under: News Tagged With: CIR, Infrastructure

CIR Newsletter, Website Debut!

October 18, 2017 by cirtamu

The Center for Infrastructure Renewal (CIR) recently launched two new avenues for information and news about the CIR. The CIR Now is the quarterly newsletter devoted to the news, information and activities of the Center for Infrastructure Renewal (CIR). Each edition of The CIR Now will include stories and photos about the CIR and its labs, research, personnel, successes, impact, awards, etc.

“We are very excited about The CIR Now newsletter that will chronicle the activities of the CIR, a leading source for the development of transformative infrastructure solutions,” said John Barton, Assistant Vice Chancellor Texas A&M University System, RELLIS Director and CIR Executive Director.

The CIR will feature 13 labs focusing on research, innovation and workforce development to create these solutions in nine critical areas of infrastructure: chemical; communications; critical manufacturing; smart energy; information technology; nuclear reactors, materials and waste; transportation systems; water and wastewater systems; and healthcare and public health.

In addition, the CIR also has a new website! Located at https://cir.tamu.edu, the website features a complete overview of the CIR; its vision, mission and priorities; research; labs; people; etc.

The website also features the opportunity to subscribe to this newsletter, The CIR Now, and to register for any short courses and workshops being led by CIR. Currently, a CIR short course entitled Computational Analysis and Design of Flexible Pavement is being offered April 18-19 at the Mays Business School at CityCentre in Houston. View the course details page to register for the short course and get more information.

Filed Under: News Tagged With: CIR, Infrastructure

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