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The research activities of the Materials program are internationally recognized for excellence in the development of advanced methods for the characterization and modeling of the macroscopic and microscopic behavior of transportation materials. These research activities are multidisciplinary in nature as they address the physical, chemical, and mechanical properties of materials in order to improve the performance of the pavement systems within economical and environmental constraints. This is an exciting and challenging research field as it requires in depth understanding of the basic science that governs the material behavior under the wide range of field variation in traffic and environmental conditions. It also requires the ability to develop laboratory and/or large scale experimental methods that are able to determine the material properties relevant to these field conditions.
The faculty and researchers have diverse backgrounds that encompass asphalt rheology, particle mechanics, continuum mechanics, fracture mechanics, soil mechanics, soil-structure interaction, non-destructive evaluation, microstructure characterization, geochemical reaction, pavement analysis, and pavement design. In addition to this wealth of expertise, the faculty of the Materials division program collaborate with researchers from other departments such as Chemical Engineering, Engineering Mechanics, Aerospace Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering in order to address the interrelated aspects involved in material characterization and modeling.
The materials faculty are also part of the Pavement and Materials Division of the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI). TTI is the largest university-based transportation research agency in the United States and is one of the most highly regarded university transportation research groups in the nation. TTI is involved in interdisciplinary research related to all modes of transportation. TTI provides the faculty, researchers, and graduate students of the Materials program of the department access to its expertise and resources, and state-of-the-art research tools. The research facilities include the state-of-the art equipment for mechanical testing, nondestructive evaluation, and microstructure characterization techniques such as optical imaging systems, X-ray computed tomography, and scanning electron microscopes.
The Materials research program is sponsored mainly by the National Science Foundation; Federal Highway Administration; National Academy of Sciences; Air Force Office of Scientific Research; Texas Department of Transportation; Aggregates Foundation for Technology, Research and Education; and many other highway leading private companies and state agencies. The faculty involvement in sponsored cutting-edge research projects offers opportunities for graduate students to be involved in research projects with international and national interest leading to advanced degrees in the areas materials and pavement engineering. Also, it leads to the development of graduate courses that integrate the state-of-the-art knowledge gained from these research activities. Currently, more than 50 graduate students are involved in sponsored research projects. Graduates from the Materials program are leaders in the highway industry, government service, teaching and research.
