MICHIGAN TECH CONCRETE INITIATIVE

The faculty and staff of the Michigan Tech Concrete Initiative (MTCI) are pleased to introduce our experience, technical capabilities, and facilities in the areas of concrete technology. We have had a strong research program in construction materials at Michigan Tech for many years, and with the recent expansion in both personnel and facilities, our capabilities continue to grow in both size and reputation.

Externally funded research has been conducted for a diverse group of sponsors including various state departments of transportation (Michigan, Wisconsin, and South Dakota), the Federal Highway Administration, the National Highway Cooperative Research Program, the National Science Foundation, the Innovative Pavement Research Foundation, and private industry.  With the recent naming of a University Transportation Center under the United States Department of Transportation in the area of transportation materials future growth is ensured. 

The MTCI possesses impressive capabilities for the investigation of Portland Cement concrete materials.  Petrographic capabilities are housed in four laboratories managed under the Non-Conductive/Volatile Materials Characterization Facility, which is co-directed by Drs. Thomas Van Dam and Lawrence Sutter.  The newly renovated Benedict laboratories provides 15,000 ft2 of additional concrete research space that includes a high-bay area for structural testing and an unrivaled aggregate crushing and sieving facility, mortar and ultra-high performance concrete preparation area, concrete mixing facility, and multiple curing chambers. The Facilities have undergone CCRL inspection to complement the AMRL accreditation currently enjoyed by our asphalt and aggregate facilities. It is the unique combination of faculty, professional staff, and highly qualified students working with state-of-the-art facilities that make Michigan Tech's Portland Cement concrete characterization team an attractive research partner.