Center for Smart Infrastructure and Sensing Technology (CSIST)

One goal is to be an internationally recognized center in smart and resilient infrastructure including development and application of sensing technologies, multifunctional materials, modeling and simulation methods, energy efficient designs, and green energy technologies.

Current CSIST Projects

Thin Mixes

(The Virginia Center for Transportation Innovation and Research)
Researchers will conduct a thorough performance evaluation of thin asphalt concrete wearing courses by employing a model mobile load simulator (MMLS3). The load simulator will apply realistic rolling wheel contact stresses to thin pavement preservation treatments selected for use in Virginia. Testing will focus on preservation treatments of one&ndashinch thickness or less and will initially be limited to the experimental SM–4.75mm dense–graded surface mixes.

Skid Resistance II

(The Virginia Center for Transportation Innovation and Research)
Phase I assessed the characteristics of select carbonate aggregates available in Virginia classed as "polishing" and not generally used in pavement surfaces. Phase II will focus on the development of an accelerated wearing protocol for assessing the weakness of asphalt surface mixes to polishing, and the assessment of surface mixes containing various amounts of carbonate aggregate as coarse and fine aggregate to establish guidelines regarding the use of carbonate aggregate while maintaining satisfactory wearing characteristics of pavements.

Energy Proposal Letter/Research

(Federal Highway Administration)
This research focuses on the development and field evaluation of a piezoelectric–based technology to produce wasted kinetic energy from the deformation and vibration due to traffic loading. It will develop installation techniques and perform a costbenefit analysis.

Workshop on Smart and Resilient Transportation Infrastructure

(National Science Foundation)
This workshop will gather well–known researchers to identify promising technologies, tools and research needs for developing smart and resilient transportation infrastructure.

Modeling, Simulation, Visualization and Damage Characterization for Penetration into Concrete Target

(DoD, L.B.Wang ).
The project is to develop modeling techniques for high speed penetration of projectiles into concrete target using FEM, DEM and backcalculation. Penetration tests are conducted using the VTIL gasgun and high speed imaging systems. Development and Implementation of Digital Specimen and Digital Tester Technique for Infrastructure Materials (NSF, L.B. Wang, R. Benson, M. Tumay and L. Mohammad). This project made use of XCT to characterize and represent 3D microstructure of infrastructure materials as digital specimens and performed computational simulation (digital tests) to evaluate the performance of infrastructure materials.

Aggregate Characterization by LADAR

(NCHRP, L.B. Wang, A. Wang and E. Tutumluer).
This NCHRP 4-34 project is investigating means for precise and accurate three dimensional measurements of aggregate particles. Based on Fourier Transform (FT) interferometry, the proposed high-resolution Laser Detection and Ranging (LADAR) system is designed to generate three-dimensional surface maps of aggregates ranging from 50 mm to 75 μm across. It has also the potential to achieve resolution of up to 5- 10μm in three dimensions.

Unified Approach for Multiscale Characterization, Modeling, and Simulation for Stone-based Infrastructure Materials

(NSF, L.B. Wang, M. Gutierrez and E. Sotelino).
The goal of this research is to develop a robust framework for characterizing the 3-D microstructure of stone-based infrastructure materials at multiscales from nano meter to centimeter. This can be achieved by integrating discrete and continuum modeling techniques, high performance computation to simulate material behavior for designing better stone-based infrastructure materials.

Development of the Next-generation Nano-CT System for ROI-focused Scanning and Exact Interior Reconstruction

(NSF, G. Wang, S. Wang, C. Wyatt, L.B. Wang and D. Carroll).
This project will develop a Nano-CT system with ability to perform exact interior reconstruction based on the data from the Region of Interest only. The development will sinficicantly improve the current CT techniques.

Integrated Infrastructure Asset Monitoring, Assessment and Management

(MAUTEC, L.B. Wang, G. Flintsch, S. Chase and B. Smith; Leading Institution, University of Virginia).
This project will deploy advanced sensing systems for monitoring the performance and responses of pavements and bridges and integrate the monitored data for asset management.

Mechanical and Structural Nanoscale Modeling

(EAR, FHWA, L.B. Wang and B. Goddard).
This project will develop con-current mutliscale modeling techniques for civil infrastructure materials and their applications to sensor-material interaction and fracture of materials under high strain loading.

New Technologies for Development of Renewable Energy in the Public Right-of-Way

(EAR, FHWA, L.B. Wang and T.Pan).
This project will develop piezoelectric generators to harvest electric energy from the deformation and vibration due to traffic loading. It will also develop installation techniques and perform cost-benefit analysis.

Characterization of Drainage Layer Properties for MEPDG

(Pooled Fund Study, L.B. Wang and B. Diefenderfer).
The objectives of the pooled fund study are to develop methods to characterize the elastic modulus and strength of drainage layers for MEPDG, to perform analysis of the stability and failure of the drainage layer in the pavement structure, and to develop specifications for required minimum porosity for effective drainage.

Digital Mix Design for Performance Optimization of Asphalt Concrete

(CMMI, NSF, L.B. Wang).
The objective of this project is to use modeling and simulation methods to understand the fundamental deformation and failure mechanisms of asphalt concrete, which will lead to designing better performing mixes of balanced capability against rutting, fatigue and thermal cracking; and integration of mix design into pavement structure design.

An International Workshop on Smart and Resilient Transportation Infrastructure

(CMMI, NSF, L.B. Wang and Dan Inman).
The objectives of this workshop are to gather eminent researchers to brain storm on and present vision and perspectives for smart and resilient transportation infrastructure.