Research Awards

Special Testing of US 93 Pavement Rehabilitation Asphalt Mixtures - Wheeler Wash
PI: Prof. Kamil Kaloush
Duration: Aug 2006 - July 2007

This project is a continuation of the on-going efforts between the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) and Arizona State University to build a database of typical engineering properties of asphalt mixtures used in Arizona. One goal of this effort is to advance the engineering technology and implementation of Asphalt Rubber (AR) projects through well-defined research and special laboratory testing activities. These activities support paving processes that combine laboratory research and field performance to ascertain the quality of AR pavement construction.

Evaluation of FORTA Reinforced Asphalt Mixtures Using Advanced Material Characterization Tests
PIs: Profs. Kamil Kaloush, Mike Mamlouk and Matthew Witczak
Duration: Aug 2006 - July 2007

FORTA fibers have been used to improve the performance of asphalt mixtures against permanent deformation and fatigue cracking. Previous outdated laboratory tests have been conducted to demonstrate performance benefits and to optimize the fiber content in the mixture. Recent development in materials characterization tests in the pavement community necessitates the re-evaluation of the FORTA reinforced asphalt mixtures using state-of-the art testing procedures to demonstrate these performance benefits. The objective of this study is to conduct an advanced laboratory experimental program to obtain fundamental material properties for FORTA fibers reinforced asphalt mixtures using the most current laboratory tests adopted by the pavement community. The results will be compared / ranked among other asphalt mixtures available in ASU’s database to demonstrate the value-added uses for asphalt pavement containing FORTA fibers. In addition, the results will be utilized as input in the newly developed pavement design guide to predict the performance of the mixtures.

Center for Sustainable Engineering
PI: Prof. Brad Allenby
Duration: Aug 2006 - July 2009

The project is a consortium of Carnegie-Mellon University, the University of Texas at Austin, and ASU. It is supported both by an NSF grant through CMU, and an EPA grant through UT, both providing three years of funding. The three co-PIs are Brad Allenby (ASU), David Allen at UT, and Cliff Davidson at CMU. The projects are intended to provide an overview of sustainable engineering programs and activities in US engineering schools, and to create a website and curricular material supporting the offering of sustainable engineering courses and modules in engineering education throughout the United States. As part of these goals, the team has planned three workshops on sustainable engineering for engineering faculty, one at each of the schools; the first was held July 2006 in Pittsburgh, the second will be held in Austin July 2007, and the third will be held in Tempe in 2008.

Project Title: LS-DYNA Implemented Fabric Material Model Development for Engine Fragment Mitigation
Sponsor: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
PI’s: Prof. S. D. Rajan and Prof. B. Mobasher
Duration: June 2006 – June 2007

Abstract: In this research details for improving the development and validation of a constitutive material model for Kevlar and Zylon fabrics to be used with the LS-DYNA explicit finite element analysis (FEA) program are presented. Fabrics are used as a part of aircraft engine containment system. A two-pronged approach is taken. First, fabric material properties are found by carrying out high-strain rate experiments as well as experiments to characterize fabric failure modes. Second, this information is used to build the appropriate constitutive material model incorporated in user-supplied subroutine that is linked to the LS-DYNA program. The material model is validated through a comparison between the FE results and ballistic test results obtained at NASA-GRC.

Project Title: "Organic Chloramine Formation in Water Distribution Systems and Influence on Disinfection Efficacy and Nitrification"
Sponsor: AWWA Research Foundation
PI’s: Prof. Paul Westerhoff and Prof. Morteza Abbaszadegan
Duration: 2006 – 2009

Abstract: Use of chloramines as residual disinfectants in water distribution system is increasing.  Organic chloramines form as mono- or di-choramine (inorganic forms) react with nitrogen-containing organic matter present in all waters or in biofilms. Organic chloramines interfere with DPD analysis of combined chlorine residuals, and their ability to inactivate microorganisms or biofilms is questionable.  Thus organic chloramines may provide a “false” indicator of active disinfectant residuals.  A need exists to more accurately quantify inorganic and organic chloramines, and to understand the relative biocidal efficacy of these species. The project goal is to understand the reactions between free chlorine and monochloramine with biofilms, focusing on the formation of organic chloramines and their associated biocidal efficacy.

Project Title: Pathway Generation and Byproduct Estimation for Chemical Oxidation Processes in Water Treatment:
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
PI’s: Prof. John Crittenden, Dr. Ke Li and Prof. Paul Westerhoff
Duration: 2006-2009

Abstract: Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have shown promise to destroy many of the emerging organic contaminants in water, and are being considered in potable water treatment, wastewater treatment, site remediation, and industrial applications. AOPs provide significantly improved capabilities in oxidizing organics to inoccuous by-products as compared other oxidants. AOPs are mechanistically complex in nature and the complexity and diversity of the structure of contaminants makes it difficult and expensive to study the degradation pathways of each contaminant and the fate of the intermediates and byproducts. Therefore, the formation of oxidation byproducts has become an active field of study and there is a lack of information regarding the behavior of contaminants. With more than 87,000 organic chemicals produced annually, the increasing concerns about emerging contaminants make this requirement more urgent. In this project, the reaction pathways that are involved in the advanced oxidation process will be investigated and reaction pathways for “potentially high-risk” byproducts (i.e., carcinogens, aquatic toxicants) will be examined in detail.  A comprehensive software tool will be developed that: (1) identifies the by-products and reaction pathways and (2) simulates the formation and disappearance of all species, including parent compounds, intermediates and radicals, and estimates human acute and chronic toxicity and aquatic toxicity of the byproducts.