This award provides travel support for three US researchers to attend a two-day workshop held in Bologna, Italy. The workshop will be organized by the US researchers in collaboration with leading Italian research groups. The objectives of the workshop are: 1) to explore new research opportunities in composite strengthening technology to advance current knowledge in fundamental theory, 2) to study new generations of composite materials, and 3) to establish new international lines of collaboration, with particular emphasis on student exchange opportunities. Repairing and strengthening of aging structures is becoming the only sustainable and economical solution to preserve the quality of the nation's infrastructure. Composite strengthening technology has demonstrated to be an effective and viable solution to repair and retrofit reinforced concrete and masonry structures. Fundamental aspects of this technology are yet to be understood in order to employ it effectively, while new composite materials are under development. The workshop will explore and identify new directions for research related to three topics: 1) fiber reinforced cementitious matrix composites, 2) steel reinforced grout composites, and 3) fatigue response of composite-strengthened structures.
The workshop will be structured to foster interaction between the participants, with presentations and discussions led by key researchers in their respective fields. Participants will include a diverse group of researchers with different cultural backgrounds and expertise. Graduate students will also be encouraged to participate, giving these next-generation researchers the opportunity to share international insights and benefit from cutting-edge research in their fields.
The Workshop on Future Directions in Composite Strengthening Applications was held on September 17-18, 2012 at the University of Bologna in Bologna, Italy and the University of Padova in Padova, Italy. The workshop was organized by Dr. Lesley Sneed from the Missouri University of Science and Technology, Dr. Christian Carloni from the University of Hartford, and Mr. Adam Morgan from the Missouri University of Science and Technology. The workshop included 17 participants including faculty, researchers, and graduates students affiliated with 7 different institutions from the US, Italy, and Germany. The workshop provided the participants the opportunity to explore new generations of composite materials, establish new international collaborations to advance the current knowledge in fundamental theory, and explore opportunities for international student exchange. The 2-day workshop included 5 presentations made by researchers from the US, Italy, and Germany with complimenting discussion sessions. The topics focused on new directions for research related to fiber reinforced cementitious matrix composites, steel reinforced grout composites, and fatigue response of composite-strengthened structures. The workshop broadened the participation of the participants by including female participants and researchers with different cultural backgrounds and expertise. Four of the participants were female (24%), including 3 early-career faculty members and 1 graduate student. Five of the participants were graduate students (29%). New international collaborations were established during the workshop, and research is currently ongoing on the topics identified in the presentations. One of the graduate student participants from the University of Padova was invited to the Missouri University of Science and Technology as a visiting student scholar for a period of 9 months to collaborate on this effort. Several research papers have been presented at international conferences as a result of collaborations established between the organizing committee members and international researchers, and additional journal papers have been accepted or are in progress. Coauthors on these papers included both faculty and graduate students.
