Projects
1) Road Commission of Kalamazoo County and Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
Using New Rubber Technology to Construct High Volume Traffic Road in Kalamazoo
Principal Investigators: Zhanping You
2) Dickinson County Road Commission and Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
Using Rubberized Overlay to Maintain High Volume Traffic Road in Dickinson
Principal Investigators: Zhanping You
3) Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) / Minnesota Local Road Research Board (LRRB)
Is seal coating counterproductive or not?
Principal Investigators: Zhanping You
4) U.S. Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ)
Rubber Asphalt
Tire Rubber Modified Asphalt Emulsion for Effective Pavement Preservation
Principal Investigators: Zhanping You
5) U.S. Dept. of Transportation -Michigan Dept. of Transportation
Identify Best Practices in Pavement Design, Materials, Construction and Maintenance in Wet Freeze Climates Similar to Michigan
Principal Investigators: Zhanping You
6) U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF)
Michigan Technological University
Principal Investigators: Zhanping You, Patricia Heiden
The objective of this award is to understand the foaming process using several foaming agents to guide us in the design of a new warm mix asphalt (WMA) technology.
7) Federal Highway Administration through Michigan Department of Transportation: Improvement of Michigan Climatic Files in Pavement ME Design
Principal Investigator: Zhanping You
The objectives of this study are the following: (1) check the quantity and quality of existing data for weather stations in Pavement Mechanistic-Empirical (ME) Design; (2) investigate the sensitivity of required pavement designs to climatic inputs; (3) determine sources of additional weather data that can be utilized in Pavement ME Design; (4) determine where additional weather stations would be beneficial; (5) run quality checks on additional weather data and weather stations and place into the correct format for Pavement ME Design; and (6) develop a procedure to choose weather data for virtual stations for gap areas where there is no actual weather station.
8) Federal Highway Administration through Michigan Department of Transportation: Alternative Materials for Sustainable Transportation
Principal Investigator: Zhanping You, QingliDai
The objectives of the research are: 1) Develop short- and long-term sustainable asphalt paving solutions, 2) Develop procedures for applying the alternative pavement solutions in the field, 3) Document the performance of alternative materials in the field, and 4) Identify the environmental impact of the new materials. From the preliminary literature research and review that has been conducted, the PIs are confident that both bio oil and waste tire oils can be used as either a modifier or a complete substitute for asphalt binder itself. In using it as a modifier, it is capable of performing satisfactorily as an anti-aging agent, high temperature PG grade extender and an anti stripping agent. Furthermore, the bio oil and waste tire oil can be used to entirely replace asphalt binders due to the anticipated laboratory performance as an adhesive, viscoelastic, workable and easily compactable material when used in combination with aggregates and additives in asphalt mixtures.
9) U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF)-CMMI - 0900015 Collaborative Research: Understanding Mechanism of Internal Frost-Induced Damage of Concrete from Microstructure Aspects;
Principal Investigators: Qingli Dai, and Zhanping You. Collaborated with Dr. Xiong Yu,
Department of Civil Engineering, Case Western Reserve University.
This project integrates research and education to advance the state of knowledge of the mechanism of frost-induced damage in Portland cement concrete under freeze-thaw cycles. The primary objective of this research project is to combine expertise in microstructure-based computational modeling and innovative sensor technologies to study the fundamental mechanisms of frost damage in concrete. Research will include the experimental characterization of concrete microstructure across different length scales, the development of an innovative Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR) sensor to accurately determine the freeze-thaw status, and the formulation and validation of a frost-induced damage model. This research is expected to result in a model that can clearly and concisely describe the damage that frost can inflict in concrete. This model will provide a valuable tool to assess the potential success of various frost damage prevention strategies and products.
10) U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF)- CMMI 0900582 Microfluidic Fabrication of Autonomic Healing Microfiber;
Principal Investigators: Desheng Meng, Qingli Dai, and Zhanping You
The primary objective of this research is to explore microfluidic encapsulation methods to fabricate self-healing microfibers with unprecedented morphology control and material flexibility. Currently, spherical microcapsules, prepared by emulsification processes, account for the limited availability of healing agent and lack of multi-cycle healing capability. Self-healing microfibers are proposed to provide better healing performance with lower concentration and multiple healing capabilities. Microfluidic encapsulation will be investigated to generate elongated compound droplets as self-healing microfibers and gain better understanding on the control of the fabrication process. The proposed micro-encapsulator is expected to become a fabrication platform to systematically investigate the impact of microcapsule size and morphology on the bulk property of self-healing composite, which has not been adequately supported by the existing fabrication methods. The micromechanical modeling and testing methods are expected to further our understanding on this fundamental issue and provide a guideline for the design of future self-healing systems.
11) U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) -CMMI 0936726 EAGER: Using Nonmetals Separated from E-Waste and Waste Plastic Bags in Improving the Mechanical Properties of Asphalt Materials.
Principal Investigator: Zhanping You
The objective of this EAGER project is to investigate the possibility of improving the mechanical properties of asphalt materials with the use of nonmetals separated from E-waste (e.g., computers, monitors, keyboard, cameras, TVs, etc.) and waste plastic bags (e.g., grocery bags). E-waste and waste plastic bags are recycled materials that have potential to be used in asphalt materials. The research work will include shredding of the non-metallic separations and waste plastic bags into powders and particles, mixing the powder-like polymers and particles to modify selected asphalt materials in the laboratory, and evaluation of the mechanical properties of the modified asphalt.
12) U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) -OISE 0929619 U.S.-Malaysia Planning Visit: Collaborative Research on the Micromechanics of Cubic Stone Materials for Pavements.
Principal Investigator: Zhanping You
This award supports the participation of an American researcher, graduate student and undergraduate students in the planning visit which will take place in Malaysia. The visit will enable Professor Zhanping You in the Civil Engineering Department at Michigan Technology University to meet with Professor Meor Othman Hamzah in the School of Civil Engineering at the University Sains Malaysia (USM) in Penang. This collaboration will advance discovery and understanding of cubic-stone materials micromechanics, while promoting teaching, training, and learning through the specific activities planned for the students.
13) Federal Highway Administration through Michigan Department of Transportation: Laboratory Evaluation of Warm Mix Asphalt. Principal Investigator: Zhanping You
This project is sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration Passes through Michigan Department of Transportation. This project will aim the evaluation of WMA in Michigan weather conditions. The objectives are (1) evaluate the engineering properties of WMA binders and mixes and the field performance of pavements constructed with WMA technologies and (2) determine relative measures of performance between WMA and conventional HMA pavements in Michigan.
14) Federal Highway Administration through Michigan Department of Transportation: Development of New Test Procedures for Measuring Fine and Coarse Aggregate Specific Gravities.
Principal Investigator: Zhanping You
This research project will use SSDetect technology to evaluate the specific gravity for various gradations of fine aggregates in Michigan. The project will also determine if vacuum saturation coarse aggregate in lieu of a 24-hour soak period for AASHTO T85 can provide similar specific gravity values. The project will provide fast and reliable testing methods for fine and coarse aggregates. This project is sponsored by Michigan Department of Transportation (Federal Highway Administration pass through).
15) Federal Highway Administration through Michigan Department of Transportation: Development of Specifications for the Superpave Simple Performance Tests.
Principal Investigator: Zhanping You
This project will develop the simple performance standard for asphalt mixture in terms of dynamic modulus and phase angles under dynamic loading. This research project will conduct a laboratory testing to evaluate the five parameters for typical Michigan HMA mixtures. Correlate the results of the laboratory study to field performance as they relate to flexible pavement performance. This project is sponsored by Michigan Department of Transportation (Federal Highway Administration pass through).
16) U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) CMMI #0701264: A Microstructure-Based Modeling Approach to Characterize Asphalt Materials.
Principal Investigator: Zhanping You
This project will develop a microstructure-based discrete element modeling approach to simulate asphalt mixture materials. The discrete element method is used in this study to model the microstructure of the aggregate-aggregate contact/interlock. It is anticipated that the implementation of the models can be used to evaluate asphalt mixture material response and performance to improve pavement materials and structural design. This project is sponsored by the National Science Foundation. Principal Investigator: Zhanping You. Supplemental projects: NSF CMMI #0910538, research opportunities for undergraduate students. Supplemental projects: NSF CMMI #0828934, research opportunities for undergraduate students.
17) State of Michigan - Research Excellence Fund (REF-RS): Experimental Investigation of Mechanical Properties of Carbon Nanotube-Reinforced Asphalt Binder.
Principal Investigator: Zhanping You
This State of Michigan - Research Excellence Fund will conduct experimental investigation of the mechanical properties of carbon nanotube-reinforced asphalt binder. It is anticipated that the nanotube-reinforced asphalt binder will have superior performance and will justify the cost of the materials.
18) Michigan Department of Transportation: Transportation Materials Research Center of Excellence (FY2008-2010).
Principal Investigator: Zhanping You
The mission of the TMRC is to provide expertise and facilities to support MDOT’s materials research and investigations by maintaining highly qualified technical staff and certified laboratories. The specific areas of focus include the behavior and performance of portland cement-based materials, asphalt-based materials, unbound granular materials, and soils. The center activities presented herein describe a three year plan for the continuation of the TMRC. The main center activities will continue to be applied research, education, and outreach, all in direct support of MDOT’s mission. This project is sponsored by Michigan Department of Transportation.
