Infrastructure Transformation & Transportation Resilience: TEES & TTI partnering with UTCs at CIR

Last year, the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced the recipients of grant awards for National, Regional and Tier 1 University Transportation Centers (UTCs). Among the awardees, Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES), and Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) of Texas A&M University were selected to either lead or partner with eight UTCs. Researchers from CIR are working on infrastructure related topics at four of these centers.

The National Center for Infrastructure Transformation (NCIT) and the Southern Plains Transportation Center (SPTC) are two of the infrastructure focused UTCs that TEES and TTI are partnered with, and both research & education centers are making significant strides in infrastructure and transportation related topics.

The National Center for Infrastructure Transformation (NCIT)

The NCIT, based at Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU), is a national tier research and education center that aims to improve the resilience and sustainability of civil infrastructure systems.

Group photo from the PVAMU NCIT TRB Reception held in Washington, D.C. in January 2024. Image courtesy of PVAMU NCIT.

Led by Professor Judy Perkins (PVAMU), the NCIT is part of a consortium that includes several members of The Texas A&M University System, along with partnering institutions such as Arizona State University, Michigan State University, Rutgers University, and Blinn College District. The center focuses on improving durability and extending the life of transportation infrastructure through its research, education, and technology transfer programs. NCIT focuses on three major areas: infrastructure durability & resilience, policy, and technology.

Ayazhan Bazarbekova of Dr. Yong-Rak Kim’s group and Ayush Kumar and Amit Gujurel of Dr. Anand Puppala’s group were student presenters from TAMU & CIR along side others from Michigan State University and Arizona State University at the PVAMU NCIT TRB Reception held in Washington, D.C. in January. Image courtesy of PVAMU NCIT.

Dr. Melissa Tooley (TTI) and Dr. Anand Puppala (TEES) are the affiliated PI and Co-PIs from the Texas A&M University System, respectively. Another Co-PI, Dr Charles Gurganus (TTI and TEES) has been involved in workforce training and development.

Dr. Tooley expressed her anticipation for the future, saying, “I look forward to enhanced relationships with involved faculty and staff within TTI, TAMU and PVAMU, as well as our partner institutions. We have a wonderful opportunity to enhance the diversity of the transportation profession in terms of the disciplines involved in transportation research, and the students that we produce for the workforce.”

Southern Plains Transportation Center (SPTC)

The Southern Plains Transportation Center (SPTC) is a regional tier UTC with a focus lead by University of Oklahoma (OU) on enhancing economic prosperity and safety through durable and climate-resilient transportation and freight infrastructure.

Image courtesy of SPTC

The center’s work program assesses and mitigates the vulnerability of transportation infrastructure to climate change, extreme weather, and sea-level rise through innovative research, effective implementation, trained workforce, strong leadership, and well-organized programs. The SPTC consortium, led by Professor Musharraf Zaman (OU), includes universities from Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, and Texas, along with international collaborators.

Slope failure along US75 near Denison, TX.

Same slope along US75 near Denison, TX, after rehabilitation.

The SPTC is led by Dr. Musharraf Zaman of the University of Oklahoma. Dr. Anand Puppala (TEES) is the affiliated PI from the Texas A&M University System with Dr. Maria Koliou (TEES), Dr. Kevin Womack (TTI) and Dr. Melissa Tooley (TTI) as affiliated co-PIs.

SPTC is leading research on multiple areas, novel materials, and technologies for enhancing infrastructure durability in coastal, tribal, and rural settings, performance-based infrastructure life cycle and asset management, and vulnerability assessments of interdependent and multi-modal transportation infrastructure systems.

Building resilience into the future of infrastructure

Both NCIT and SPTC are playing pivotal roles in transforming the infrastructure and transportation landscape. Their research and initiatives enhance the durability and resilience of infrastructure and prepare the workforce for future challenges. As we face increasing climate change threats, the work of these centers becomes even more critical in ensuring a sustainable and resilient future. In addition to impactful research, both centers are training graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in a variety of infrastructure durability and management topics with technology, innovative materials and construction research, and novel models.