SPTC’s research efforts will address the USDOT statutory research priority “D: Improving the Durability and Extending the Life of Transportation Infrastructure.” SPTC will assess and mitigate vulnerability of transportation infrastructure to natural hazards and environmental stressors, including flooding, freeze-thaw cycles, fires, hurricanes, and variations in temperature, wind, and rainfall through innovative research, effective implementation, trained workforce, strong leadership, and well-organized programs. Improving the resilience of at-risk infrastructure will enhance economic competitiveness and safety.
Consequently, SPTC’s research program will focus on the following five integrated topics that are strategically aligned with the selected USDOT priorities: (1) Novel technologies and tools for hazard prediction and assessment of impact on infrastructure durability; (2) Leveraging Novel Materials and Emerging Technologies to Enhance Durability, Sustainability, and Extend Infrastructure Life; (3) Innovative and Cost-Effective Solutions to Improve Durability of Coastal, Rural, and Tribal Infrastructure; (4) Performance-Based Infrastructure Life-Cycle and Asset Management; and (5) Vulnerability Assessment and Safety Enhancement of Interdependent and Multimodal Transportation Systems. SPTC will produce solutions, materials, and tools to change the way natural hazards and environmental conditions are considered in infrastructure design, efficiently assess infrastructure condition, economically rehabilitate existing infrastructure, enhance the resilience of new and existing infrastructure, effectively manage assets, and mitigate system vulnerability that can be scaled to the national level. SPTC is about more than just research; SPTC’s education, workforce development, outreach, and technology transfer activities will facilitate widespread access to new knowledge, technologies, tools, and, more importantly, jobs and economic prosperity. This goal will be expedited through the synergy SPTC enjoys with its consortium members and outside partners participating as part of the SPTC Advisory Board and Research Advisory Committee, and stakeholders, in general
