TRANS-IPIC director Prof. Bassem Andrawes served as a panelist at the ACI 123 Forum during the American Concrete Institute 2026 Fall Convention in Atlanta, Georgia, October 11-14. The forum focused on "Alternative Forms of Reinforcement - Steel vs. Everything Else". Prof. Andrawes presented on "Shape Memory Alloys: Transforming the Next Generation of Concrete Reinforcement". His presentation and the discussion that followed highlighted TRANS-IPIC-funded research on the emerging smart materials of Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs) and their application in transportation infrastructure.
“This was a fantastic opportunity to discuss our new SMA technologies and emerging ideas with a large group of practitioners and researchers,” Prof. Andrawes said. He added, “The forum highlighted the importance of research and innovation and the readiness of the concrete community to accept novel proven ideas”.
TRANS-IPIC is a Tier 1 University Transportation Center (UTC) funded by the USDOT and is working to develop solutions for transportation infrastructure challenges by innovating precast concrete-related technologies that are durable, safe, and economic.