Mainebiz

V O L . X X V N O. X X V O C T O B E R 2 8 , 2 0 1 9 16 L O G I S T I C S & T R A N S P O R TAT I O N D rivers over the Penobscot Narrows Bridge are likely unaware there's a small lab- oratory within the bridge where University of Maine faculty and students, in cooperation with the Maine Department of Transportation, have set up shop. Using measurement tools like fiber- optic strain sensors and temperature sensors, the group is monitoring six high-strength, non-corrosive carbon fiber composite strands used in select spots on the structure, which otherwise employs conventional steel strands to hold up the bridge. e goal is to see how well the carbon fiber strands perform. e idea is that composites, inherently non-cor- rosive, could provide better longevity than steel, ultimately saving cost. e study is one of a number of projects being carried out by the Transportation Infrastructure Durability Center, a collaboration of New England universities led by the University of Maine. It seeks to identify new materials and technologies that maximize trans- portation infrastructure investment. "ere are hundreds of thousands of bridges and roads in need of repair," says the leader of the program, Habib Dagher, a professor of civil and struc- tural engineering at the University of Maine. "e DOTs are scraping for money just to keep things rolling." Funded by a $14.2 million, five-year U.S. Department of Transportation grant, the Transportation Infrastructure Durability Center is based at UMaine's Advanced Structures and Composites Center, where Dagher is the found- ing director. e coalition includes six New England universities. Partners include state transportation agencies in five New England states, including Maine, and the American Society of Civil Engineers Transportation and Development Institute. Long history e Transportation Infrastructure Durability Center's Maine-based projects build on work underway at UMaine's composites center for two decades. "We have a long history of working on these issues, and we have a well- known reputation of having made a big difference nationally in transportation- related research," Dagher says. An example that's received national exposure is "Bridge in a Backpack." e composite technology uses easily transportable flexible tubing that can be quickly assembled onsite and rein- forced with composites and concrete to build an arch bridge. e system lowers construction costs and extends struc- tural lifespan up to 100 years. A spin-off company, Advanced Infrastructure Technologies LLC, commercialized Bridge in a Backpack and today there F O C U S P H O T O / B R U C E C . C O O P E R , W I K I M E D I A C O M M O N S UMaine graduate student Braedon Kohler works on acquiring sensor data on carbon fiber composite strands at the Penobscot-Narrows Bridge. The Penobscot-Narrows Bridge uses epoxy-coated steel strands to suspend the deck. In 2007 six steel strands were replaced with carbon fiber, becoming the first use of the material in this way in the U.S. P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y U N I V E R S I T Y O F M A I N E Transport nation T he UMaine-led Transportation Infrastructure Durability Center is one of the U.S. Department of Transportation's University Transportation Centers established across the nation since 1987. Each UTC is a consortium of two- and four-year colleges and universities. TIDC comprises 28 faculty researchers and 280 student researchers across New England. New England's transportation infrastructure faces unique challenges due to harsh winter weather and short construction seasons. According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, nearly 30% of New England roads are in poor condi- tion, costing each motorist on average $584 annually in extra vehicle repairs and operations. Nationally, driving on roads in need of repair costs U.S. motor- ists $120.5 billion. UMaine-led research coalition tackles the future of transportation B y L a u r i e S c h r e i B e r

• Cover