Lawrence Tech makes better bridges

The Michigan Department of Transportation recently recognized the Civil Engineering Department at Lawrence Tech as a Center of Excellence for Sustainable Infrastructure & Structural Testing. Simply said, the state told Lawrence Tech that it develops some of the best bridges in the country --lasting twice as long as standard-issue bridges-- and wants them to create more.

"Research is happening right here in Michigan at Lawrence Technological University that isn't happening anywhere else in the country," says MDOT Director Kirk T. Steudle. "Lawrence Tech's Center for Innovative Materials Research is doing research on carbon reinforcement and testing that ultimately will result in bridge structures that will last longer than ever before."

The university's Center for Innovative Materials Research will continue its work to improve the structural integrity and longevity of concrete bridges commonly used in highways and other roads. The hope now is to make that longevity cost competitive.

To do this Lawrence Tech's new bridges use non-corrosive carbon, glass and aramid fiber reinforced polymer to replace steel-reinforcement bars in traditional bridge construction. This helps eliminate the rust and corrosion that typically undermines the concrete's strength.

On a national scale, building a longer-lasting bridges could save hundreds of millions if not billions in maintenance and replacement costs.

A bridge in Southfield, built in 2001, uses this technology and the city plans to use it again on a Beech Road bridge construction next year and on three more bridges over the Southfield Freeway in 2010.

Source: Eric Pope, spokesman for Lawrence Technological University
Writer: Jon Zemke