Reinforced concrete structures experience a variety of aging mechanisms, resulting in a loss of structural capacity or function. Current guidelines governing assessment, repairs, and estimation of the remaining service life of structures do not adequately capture the complex physicochemical mechanisms responsible for a structure’s aging, making decisions regarding repair or replacement difficult. This project aims to study the fundamental mechanisms driving the time-dependent changes of material properties and to understand the structure-properties-performance interplay of materials that comprise reinforced concrete structures to develop metrologies necessary to assess existing structures and evaluate the durability of new structures. Specific research areas include, 1) the effect of aging mechanisms on the viscoelastic and transport properties of cementitious concretes; 2) the mechanism of corrosion of embedded steel in a cementitious matrix; 3) understanding the effect of new cementitious binders and alternatives to portland cement-based binders on steel corrosion; 4) developing numerical simulations of aging phenomena that couple transport, chemical, structural, and fracture mechanisms, and 5) developing standardized test methods to be used by stakeholders to evaluate the suitability of materials for a given exposure environment. Candidates with a background in understanding corrosion processes, material science, engineering, physics, numerical modeling, assessing existing reinforced concrete infrastructure, or related fields are strongly encouraged to contact the advisor to discuss research opportunities.

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