Researchers with the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) have combined their expertise to 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 on April 18-19, 2018, at the Mays Business School in Houston. | View Conference Information
“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 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.”
Little
Allen co-authored the book with Dallas Little and Amit Bhasin. Bhasin is an associate professor at The University of Texas Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering. Little is a TTI Senior Research Fellow and Regent’s professor and E. B. Snead Endowed Chair Professor in the Zachry Department of Civil Engineering at Texas A&M University.
“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.
Allen
Meanwhile, registration is under way for the short course offered by the Center for Infrastructure Renewal (CIR)—a joint center between TTI and the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station— and will be held at the Texas A&M Mays Business School at CityCentre in Houston, Texas. Early bird registration rates are available until September 30.
“We consider this short course a perfect offering from our center, which will be a leading source of transformative infrastructure solutions,” says CIR Manager of Outreach and Impact John Curry.