Research Interests

Alternative cements

I am interested in alternative cement technology, specifically calcium sulfoaluminate (CSA) based binders. My work in this area has investigated structural uses of CSA cements. Since portland cement is a major source of carbon dioxide emissions worldwide, I see alternative cements as an important area of future research.

Prestressed concrete

Prestressed concrete has many benefits compared to traditional reinforced concrete. Prestressed concrete is commonly used in bridges, parking structures, and in the tilt-up concrete building industry. My previous research into prestressed concrete has investigated prestressing strand bond, flexural and shear behavior, prestress losses, and making prestressed concrete with novel concrete materials.

Concrete durability and serviceability

I have previously done work on mitigation and prevention of alkali-silica reaction in concrete using surface sealers. Currently, I am working on projects with the Arkansas Department of Transportation investigating concrete serviceability issues and improving the quality of bridge deck concrete.

Bridges 

I am interested in the evaluation and performance of bridges, specifically prestressed concrete bridges. In the past I have tested full scale prestressed concrete bridge girders removed from an in-service bridge to investigate their residual strength. I have also tested a half-scale prestressed concrete bridge to investigate shear load distribution and understand how a concrete bridge deck distributes forces at the end of a bridge.