The ACI Foundation, a wholly-owned and non-profit subsidiary of the American Concrete Institute (ACI), announces its funding of three concrete research projects through its Concrete Research Council (CRC).
This fall, the CRC granted $10,000 for a concrete research project on “Structural Performance Evaluation of Pervious Concretes: Linking Pore Structure to Material Response.” The lead researcher on the project is Dr. Narayanan Neithalath, professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Clarkson University, located in Potsdam, N.Y. Dr. Neithalath has authored numerous papers on concrete and serves on four ACI technical committees, including the committee related to his research, 522, Pervious Concrete.
Dr. Sergio Brena, professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, was granted $20,000 in the spring of 2009 by the CRC. The topic of Dr. Brena’s research project is “Development of Anchorage System for FRP Strengthening Applications using Integrated FRP Composite Anchors.” Dr. Brena is a Fellow of ACI and serves on five committees, including the committee related to his research, 440, Fiber Reinforced Polymer Reinforcement.
The CRC also granted $20,000 this fall for a research project on “Assessment of Punching Shear Vulnerability and Seismic Retrofit of Slab-Column Connections with Headed Reinforcement.” Dr. Gustavo Parra-Montesinos, lead researcher on the project, is a professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich. Dr. Parra-Montesinos serves on several ACI committees, including ACI’s code committee, 318, Structural Concrete Building Code.
The CRC has the purpose of advancing the knowledge of concrete materials, construction, and structures through research. In coordination with ACI technical committees, the council solicits and selects research proposals, assists in financing and guiding research, and helps publish results. The CRC provides direct co-funding for research projects and recommends projects to other industry foundations for supplemental funding. In the past, CRC funding has been used to study crack and leakage control in liquid-containing structures, the static and dynamic modulii of concrete, and formwork pressure and rheology of self-consolidating concrete.
“Concrete is the most versatile and widely used building material, and our goal is to continue to expand the use and benefits of concrete,” said Joseph Sanders, chair of the Concrete Research Council. “To that end, there is a tremendous need for research in concrete materials and construction techniques. Recent feedback from ACI committee members has identified research needs that far exceed our funding ability, providing the Concrete Research Council with the ongoing challenge of securing additional funding.”
The ACI Foundation has instated several ways for ACI members and those interested in concrete to donate to the ACI Foundation. Funds can be allocated to the Concrete Research Council, or to its two other councils, the Strategic Development Council and the Scholarship Council. Those interested in donating to the Foundation can visit www.ACIFoundation.org for more information.
Those seeking funding through the ACI Foundation’s Concrete Research Council for a concrete-related research project can visit www.ACIFoundation.org and click on “Apply for research funding” for all guidelines and information.
