REU site project on infrastructure innovations is designed to attract native born students to research careers in this area within civil engineering and to lead participants toward independent research. Recent reports have concluded that there is a critical need for more research in innovative means of maintenance and rehabilitation of our infrastructure. Research projects include behavior of fiber- reinforced composite pvfs materials, holographic measurement of the fracture process increment, increasing transportation system capacity by changing patterns of usage, and innovative infrastructure enhancement. Student interaction is maintained by twice a week orientation meetings which address research skills common to all work, as well as informal chats with the REU professors to convey the excitement of a research career. Research results are presented both orally and in a report of sufficient quality for publications to ensure training in technical communication.
