11 New Concrete Research Projects Funded

The ACI Foundation’s Concrete Research Council (CRC) selected 11 research projects to receive grants this year. The CRC seeks concrete research projects that further the knowledge and sustainability of concrete materials, construction, and structures in coordination with ACI Technical Committees.

The following research projects will receive funding from the ACI Foundation and were awarded based on relevancy and potential impact of the research, supplemental support for the project such as collaboration with other funders and organizations, overall proposal quality, researcher capability and ACI Technical Committee engagement.

• Alternative End-Specimen Conditions to Characterize Compressive Strength of Ultra-High-Performance Concretes
  PI: Kinsey Skillen, Texas A&M University
• Behavior of Slab-Column Connections under Wind Demand
  PI: Christopher Motter, Washington State University
• Direct Tension Test Results and In-Situ Response in Reinforced UHPC Beams:  Relationship and Design Implications
  PI: Sherif El-Tawil, University of Michigan
• Evaluating Residual Strength of Corrosion-Damaged Reinforced Concrete Members
  PI: Anca-Cristina Ferche, The University of Texas at Austin
  Co-PI: Serhan Guner, The University of Toledo
• Nano-Modified Calcined Clay-Based Cement Concrete: A High Modulus Concrete with Low Carbon Footprint
  PI: Panagiotis Danoglidis, The University of Texas at Arlington 
• Novel Concrete Containments for Nuclear Reactors: Delamination Testing of Curved Wall Sections
  PI: Christopher Jones, Kansas State University
  Co-PI: Thomas Kang, Seoul National University
• Proposal to Investigate ICF Wall Construction Meeting the Requirements of NFPA 285 – Phase II
  PI: Shamim Rashid-Sumar, National Ready Mixed Concrete Association
  Co-PI: Douglas Bennion, Quadlock
•  Rheological Behavior of Fresh Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) Enhanced by Nano-Additives and Data-Driven Approaches
  PI: Chengcheng Tao, Purdue University
  Co-PI: Kamal Khayat, Missouri University of Science and Technology
• Strut-and-Tie Design of Disturbed Regions Utilizing Internal Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Reinforcement
  PI: Rudolf Seracino, North Carolina State University
  Co-PI: Giorgio T. Proestos, North Carolina State University
• Sustainable and Safe Reinforced Concrete Retaining Walls
  PI: Luis Fargier-Gabaldon, University of Notre Dame 
• The Role of Testing Conditions and Concrete Durability Issues in Chloride Binding and Desorption of Cementitious Systems
  PI: Mahmoud Shakouri, Colorado State University

The ACI Foundation is committed to progress in the industry by contributing financially to necessary and worthy research. Additional information about each of this year’s awarded projects – including additional funding partners, research team, ACI committee involvement, project details, and more – is available at ACIFoundation.org/research.

The ACI Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports a wide range of research and educational initiatives that contribute to keeping the concrete industry at the forefront of technological advances in material composition, design, and construction. We engage with industry partners, invest in students and research, share knowledge, and provide programs to encourage innovation and new technology. The American Concrete Institute established the ACI Foundation in 1989 to promote progress, innovation, and collaboration in the industry.