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The Center for Repair of Buildings and Bridges with Composites (RB²C) is a National Science Foundation Industry/University Cooperative Research Center (I/UCRC) based at the University of Miami. RB²C focuses on conducting high-quality and industrially relevant engineering research in the areas of sustainable construction and of structural rehabilitation of buildings and bridges using the novel, untapped potential of advanced composite and high-performance materials and technologies.
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RB²C started in 1998 at the University of Missouri-Rolla (now Missouri S&T), and was transferred in 2006 to UM. In 2002, RB²C became a multi-university center when North Carolina State University joined. RB²C has worked with several industry members, often in partnership with public agencies, on a wide range of research, development and technology transfer projects.
The results of research conducted under the aegis of RB²C have led to the development and validation of successful advanced composite materials and systems for the construction industry. A significant body of knowledge has been gained, disseminated, and accepted. The role of cooperative research continues to be crucial in identifying and shedding light on existing gaps, in developing new solutions, and in guiding promising technologies towards full exploitation on the basis of scientific and technical rigor.
If you are interested in our activities and want to know more, or simply want to share some comments, do not hesitate to contact us!
The results of research conducted under the aegis of RB²C have led to the development and validation of successful advanced composite materials and systems for the construction industry. A significant body of knowledge has been gained, disseminated, and accepted. The role of cooperative research continues to be crucial in identifying and shedding light on existing gaps, in developing new solutions, and in guiding promising technologies towards full exploitation on the basis of scientific and technical rigor.
If you are interested in our activities and want to know more, or simply want to share some comments, do not hesitate to contact us!
In the Spotlight
PhD Candidates win NSF travel support for CMMICG Conference in Honolulu, Hawaii. Rossella Ferraro, Alexander Suma and Francisco Decaso received support from the National Science Foundation to attend the ”2009 NSF CMMI Engineering Research and Innovation Conference” in Honolulu, Hawaii on June 19th 2009. The NSF support included hotel accommodation and conference fees. The ad hoc committee received over 700 support submissions worldwide, and only 200 were granted. Rossella Ferraro presented her findings of her research ”Off-
White Concrete”, Alexander Suma presented his invention of a Wind Energy System ”Towards Innovative, Integrated Designs for Wind Energy”, and Francisco Decaso presented his progress on his investigation on basal fibers for concrete confinement application. The picture shows our grantees together with Dr. Dennis Wenger (Director NSF CIS and IMEE).
PhD Candidates receive awards at 2009 ACMA conference. On January 15, 2009, three CAE PhD candidates received recognition as they presented their RB²C research projects at the ”Infrastructure and Construction” track at the Composites & Polycon 2009 conference in Tampa, FL. The venue was organized by the American Composites Manufacturers Association, the world’s largest trade organization serving the composites industry. Antonio De Luca presented the paper ”Behavior of Full-Scale Concrete Columns Internally Reinforced with Glass FRP Bars
Under Pure Axial Load”, for which he received the Best Technical Paper Award for the track ”Infrastructure and Construction”. Both Rossella Ferraro (”Peel-and-Stick FRP System for Concrete Confinement”) and Francisco De Caso y Basalo (”Fiber Reinforced Cementitious Matrix Composites for Infrastructure Rehabilitation”) received the Author Travel Award. Congratulations!
RB²C researchers study bridge prognostics technology on Grove Isle Bridge in Miami Through a grant funded by the National Science Foundation, CAE PhD students Rossella Ferraro and Alexander Suma with Professors Matta, Metrovich and Nanni, are working with the University of Cincinnati NSF I/UCRC for Intelligent Maintenance Systemsto study innovative structural health prognostic and monitoring technologies for bridges. Pre- and post-rehabilitation load tests will be conducted on the Grove Isle Bridge, which connects Grove Isle (Miami, FL) to the mainland,
and has a history of structural degradation due to corrosion of the steel reinforcement because of exposure to the marine environment. Acoustic emission is the primary technique implemented to obtain quantitative information on damage, to be used as the input for a novel prognostics software that utilizes advanced statistical and probabilistic-based algorithms.
RB²C Miami :.: MEB-325 McArthur Engineering Building :.: 1251 Memorial Drive :.: Coral Gables :.: FL 33146
Phone 305-284-3391 :.: Fax 305-284-3492 :.: Email ckavooras@miami.edu
Phone 305-284-3391 :.: Fax 305-284-3492 :.: Email ckavooras@miami.edu