Materials and Infrastructure

Materials and Infrastructure

Group Leader: Dr. Jennifer Bridge

Dr. Jennifer Bridge is an associate professor in the Department of Civil & Coastal Engineering. Dr. Bridge’s research interests are in the area of structural dynamics with an emphasis on structural health monitoring, wireless smart sensor networks, wind hazard mitigation, and full-scale bridge assessment. She strives to improve infrastructure monitoring strategies by utilizing a multidisciplinary approach to the development and application of novel sensors and sensing systems.

Mission

To conduct research, education and service activities in the field of infrastructures and related materials. As well as promote sustainable practices in infrastructure engineering, enhance understanding of distress mechanisms and failure modes, develop testing and conditioning procedures to improve material characterization, and develop design approaches for pavement systems and foundations that optimize performance.

Projects

Project TitlePIFunding SourceStatus
CAREER: Loading on Coastal Bridges in Windstorms Using Rapidly Deployable Sensor NetworkDr. Jennifer BridgeNational Science FoundationActive
Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (sUAV) for Structural InspectionDr. Jennifer BridgeFlorida Department of TransportationCompleted 2018
Wind Effects on Mast ArmsDr. Jennifer BridgeFlorida Department of TransportationCompleted 2018
Sunshine Skyway Bridge Monitoring Phase II: System DeploymentDr. Jennifer BridgeFlorida Department of TransportationActive
Monster Jam Load StudyDr. Jennifer BridgeFeld EntertainmentCompleted 2019
Elements: Cyberinfrastructure Service for IoT-Based Construction Research and ApplicationsDr. Aaron CostinNational Science FoundationActive
Building Information Modeling (BIM) for Bridges and StructuresDr. Aaron CostinTransportation Pooled Fund ProgramActive
Cognition-driven Display for Navigation Activities (Cog-DNA): Personalized Spatial Information System Based on Information Personality of FirefightersDr. Eric Jing DuNational Institute of Standards and TechnologyActive
Convergence Accelerator Phase I (RAISE): Learning Environments with Advanced Robotics for Next-Generation Emergency Responders (LEARNER)Dr. Eric Jing DuNational Science FoundationActive
HDBE: Collaborative Research: Personalized Systems for Wayfinding for First RespondersDr. Eric Jing DuNational Science FoundationActive
Rating Concrete Water Permeability Based on Resistivity MeasurementsDr. Chris FerraroTransportation Research Board/NCHRP 18-19Active
Boron Concrete For Active Formation of Lithium As Mitigation of Neutron-Induced Expansion and Passive Neutron AbsorptionDr. Chris FerraroAdvanced Research Projects Agency - Energy
U.S. Department of Energy
Active
Predictive, Model-Assisted Guided Wave Structural Health MonitoringDr. Joel B. HarleyAir Force Office of Scientific ResearchActive
Durability Evaluation of Ternary Mix Designs for Extremely Aggressive Exposures Phase IIDr. Kyle RidingFlorida Department of Transportation Research CenterActive
Phase II: Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) Use in Florida Structural ApplicationsDr. Kyle RidingFlorida Department of Transportation Research CenterActive
Track Structure Modification to Reduce Track Pressure and Settlement at Transition AreasDr. Kyle RidingUS Department of Transportation Federal Railroad AdministrationActive
Enhanced Characterization of RAP for Cracking PerformanceDr. Reynaldo RoqueFlorida Department of TransportationCompleted 2020
In-service Assessment of Road Sinkholes with 2D Ambient Noise TomographyDr. Khiem TranFlorida Department of TransportationActive
Investigation of the Impact of Milling and Construction on the Bond Strength of Remaining Thin (Scab) LayersDr. Reynaldo Roque & Dr. Jian ZouFlorida Department of TransportationActive
Collaborative Research: 3D Ambient Noise Tomography (3D ANT) for Natural Hazards EngineeringDr. Khiem TranNational Science FoundationActive
Geotechnical Site Characterization with 3-D Full Seismic Waveform TomographyDr. Khiem TranNational Science FoundationActive

Participants

Photo of Jim Baciak Jim Baciak Professor, Department of Materials Science and Engineering (352) 273-2131
Photo of Jennifer Bridge Jennifer Bridge Associate Professor, Department of Civil and Coastal Engineering (352) 294-7793
Photo of Aaron Costin Aaron Costin Assistant Professor, M. E. Rinker, Sr. School of Construction Management (352) 273-2121
Photo of Eric Jing Du Eric Jing Du Associate Professor, Department of Civil and Coastal Engineering (352) 294-6619
Photo of Christopher Ferraro Christopher Ferraro Assistant Professor, Department of Civil & Coastal Engineering (352) 392-0959
Photo of Joel Harley Joel Harley Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (352) 392-2692
Photo of Dennis Hiltunen Dennis Hiltunen Professor, Department of Civil & Coastal Engineering (352) 294-7767
Photo of Kyle Riding Kyle Riding Associate Professor, Department of Civil & Coastal Engineering (352) 294-1628
Photo of Khiem Tran Khiem Tran Associate Professor, Department of Civil & Coastal Engineering 352-294-3369
Photo of Jian Zou Jian Zou Research Assistant Scientist, Department of Civil & Coastal Engineering (352) 294-7799

Facilities

Weil Hall Structures and Materials Laboratory

The Weil Hall Structures and Materials Laboratory (affectionately known as “The Pit”) is a fully equipped civil engineering materials preparation and testing laboratory. The Laboratory specializes in concrete design and testing as well as small to large scale structural experiment testing.

Powell Family Structures & Materials Laboratory

The Powell Family Structures and Materials Laboratory is located on the East Campus of the University of Florida and is part of the Department of Civil and Coastal Engineering. The facility consists of a 6000 square foot lab space with a 30-foot high ceiling and 4-foot thick concrete strong floor, a 2000 square foot machine shop with a 12-foot ceiling, a 5000 square foot general lab space with a 16-foot high ceiling, a 120 linear foot wind tunnel, a 220 square foot instrumentation room, and several offices & storage rooms. Research in this facility is primarily directed at earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados, and blast/impact in the context of structural damage mitigation and human intervention.