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Center Leadership

Director


Profile picture of Anand Puppala

Anand J. Puppala, Ph.D., P.E., D.GE, D.M-ASCE, F-ICE
Professor & A.P. and Florence Wiley Chair
Director – Center for Infrastructure Renewal (CIR)
Email: anandp@tamu.edu

Managing Director


Jianxin Huang, Ph.D., A.M. ASCE
Assistant Research Scientist
Email: j.x.huang@tamu.edu

 

 

NSF IUCRC: CICI TAMU Site

The Industry-University Cooperative Research Centers (IUCRC) Program was initiated in 1973 to develop long-term partnerships among industry, academia, and government. The National Science Foundation (NSF) invests in these partnerships to promote research programs of mutual interest, contribute to the nation’s research infrastructure base, enhance the intellectual capacity of the engineering or science workforce through the integration of research and education, and facilitate technology transfer. As appropriate, NSF encourages international collaborations that advance these goals within the global context:

The IUCRC program seeks to achieve these goals by:

  • Contributing to the nation’s research enterprise by developing long-term partnerships among industry, academe, and government;
  • Leveraging NSF funds with industry to support graduate students performing industrially relevant pre-competitive research;
  • Expanding the innovation capacity of our nation’s competitive workforce through partnerships between industries and universities; and
  • Encouraging the nation’s research enterprise to remain competitive through active engagement with academic and industrial leaders throughout the world.

 

  • Campus Aerials
    Aerial images of the Texas A&M Campus taken on Aug. 3, 2016. (Texas A&M University Division of Marketing & Communications)
  • CIR_STREET
    Image of the Center for Infrastructure Renewal located at the RELLIS Campus
  • Zachry
    Images of the Zachry building on campus. (Texas A&M University Division of Marketing & Communications)
  • DrPuppala_Congress
    Dr. Anand Puppala and Dr. Surya Congress operating a drone.

 

Center Overview

The Center for the Integration of Composites Into Infrastructure (CICI) improves, in cost and quality, the process of building and fixing civil and military structures through the use of composites. CICI carries out its work by coordinating efforts between universities and the composites and construction industries. Education is a cornerstone of CICI, as students and practicing engineers in infrastructure require new skills to take advantage of composites.

The mission of CICI is to accelerate the adoption of polymer composites and innovated construction material into infrastructure and transportation applications through collaborative research.

Efficient infrastructure systems such as highways, bridges, buildings, pipelines, flood control systems, and utilities are necessary for a healthy economy and comfortable standard of living. Concrete, steel, and timber are the backbones of physical infrastructure. High-strength polymer composites have been used in aerospace technologies for about five decades and their use in civil infrastructure spans about 20 years. The widespread use of polymer composites in infrastructure allows for longer service lives and reduced maintenance costs.

CICI’s research focuses on ways to synergize different fibers and polymers, including natural materials and those with biological components, to create new application areas and rehabilitation techniques, thus expanding the market potential.

Encouraging the nation’s research enterprise to remain competitive through active engagement with academic and industrial leaders throughout the world.

NSF Program Director: Dr. Prakash G Balan                     NSF Site Evaluator: Mr. Stephen McGregor

Texas A&M University

  • Top 15 Engineering Schools in US & Top 10 Engineering Public Schools – US News 2020 Ranking
  • Only land, sea, and space grant institution in Texas
  • Total Enrollment – 69,465 in College Station Campus (Fall 2019)
  • CICI Site at TAMU is located in CIR Facility at Rellis Campus

Industry, Government Agency, and Academic Partnerships

  • An Industry University Co-operative Research Center (IUCRC) ~ Applied Research Focus by NSF Industry Innovation
  • One of 70 + NSF centers in the Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers (I/UCRC) program
  • Composites in Civil Infrastructure (CICI) was originally established at West Virginia University, NC State University, and University of Miami. Later UTA had joined this consortium and was moved to TAMU, College Station in Fall, 2019 (Due to PI move to TAMU).
  • CICI_TAMU focuses on the use of composite/material products in “Geo-infrastructure” – ONLY CENTER IN USA ON GEOTECH COMPOSITE MATERIALS RESEARCH
  • Geo-infrastructure comprises of:
    • Infrastructure – Highways, Airways and Waterways
    • Slopes, Retaining and Anchored Walls
    • Dams and Highway Embankment Structures
    • Residential and industrial Dwellings Foundations
    • Mines, Ports and Other Earth Structure
  • NSF Logo
  • TAMU Logo
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  • WVU Logo
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University Partners

Texas A&M University

University of Miami

West Virginia University

 

North Carolina State University

Industry Partners

IAB Chair: Vijaya (V.J.) Gopu, Ph.D., P.E.

ERDC Logo

Knife River logo

Saint-Gobain

Solmax

Terracon Consultants, Inc.

IFI – Houston

IFI – Baton Rouge

 

NSF IUCRC Operation Mechanism

  • IUCRC has annual memberships/projects with Govt. Agencies and Industry Partners
  • Annual membership funds and NSF support funds will be pooled and then used to support select research projects and train student workforce
  • Majority of funding supports research projects and students
  • Research projects will be selected by industry/agency partners serving on the Industry Advisory Board (IAB)
  • Projects are Practical and Implementable

CICI TAMU Site Research Focus

  • Center for Integration of Composites into Infrastructure – CICI – NSF Industry University Cooperative Research Center or IUCRC Program
  • TAMU site’s Research focus on the use of polymeric composite products in strengthening Geo and Civil Infrastructure
    • Geosynthetics and Fibers
    • Infrastructure Materials, Biopolymers
    • Chemical Additives for Ground Improvement
    • Resilient Foundations Support to Infrastructure with Minimal Distress o Monitoring using UAVs, Instrumentation, LIDARs, and Others
    • Sustainable and Resilient Analyses
  • TAMU site complements CICI’s current research efforts with focus on Geoinfrastructure Issues
  • Bring out the Sustainable components in the research

Center Status Update

Center Status Update

More Info

CICI Website

Recent Posts

  • ⭐ New Journal Publication Alert: Design and Performance of a Shallow Geothermal Energy-Supplemented Bridge Deicing System on an In-Service Bridge in North Texas⭐
  • Exciting news from Dr. Puppala’s research group at EMI conference, Los Angeles – 2025
  • Dr. Puppala’s research team presents at Infrastructure Advancement Institute Summit 2025, Houston, TX
  • Exciting news from Dr.Puppala’s Research Group at Texas Chapter GI Conferance, San Antonio-2025
  • Exciting updates from Dr.Puppala’s Research Group at Geotechnical Frontiers – 2025, Louisville,KY.

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