Dr Anand Sreeram

Strategic Themes

Smart Materials

Design of smart and sustainable pavement materials of the future; use of data science and sensor technology for pavement design and health monitoring

Sustainability

Maximize the use of the most pertinent recycled materials into the pavement infrastructure.

Research Project

Project Title: Maximizing Recycled Materials for Sustainable Pavement Construction

Abstract: The construction of pavements utilizes a significant amount of non-renewable natural resources that generate substantial amount of greenhouse gases. One way to mitigate this issue would be using waste materials for new construction which will lower its overall carbon footprint, and in turn provide secondary benefits by diverting material from overburdened landfills and other processing facilities. However, the maximum utilization of the most relevant and compatible national waste streams into the pavement infrastructure with appropriate design methods is still missing. The goal of this research is to maximize the use of the most pertinent recyclable materials for new pavement construction through evaluating its potential to be incorporated into the roadway infrastructure from multi-scale perspectives. Based on an extensive review of literature, assessment of local construction practices and discussions with stakeholders, the maximum usage scenario and most compatible waste streams will be firstly identified. Following this, the structural performance of pavements incorporated with these materials will be comprehensively evaluated, and its design optimized using machine learning (ML) approaches. To prepare for field evaluation, the use of low-cost radio frequency identification (RFID) sensors will be explored in order to integrate it into the modified pavement for its structural health monitoring. The outcomes of the study are expected to advance the understanding of this highly relevant and critical infrastructural issue and provide a field ready technology for potential large-scale adoption.