Michigan State University researchers are one step closer to creating a concrete formula that will make Michigan’s roads snow free, safer and longer-lasting.
A demonstration event took place Friday, Oct. 10, to celebrate the installation of four slabs of self-heating and self-healing bendable concrete on campus. Each of the four slabs was made using a different mixture to determine which version of the proprietary concrete formula will perform the best. The event was timed to launch the pilot test in advance of the coming winter season.
During the event, MSU President Kevin M. Guskiewicz, Ph.D., signaled the start of the real-world testing of this research by placing a square piece of concrete cast with the MSU Spartan helmet logo.
“Every journey, no matter how long, must begin with small steps, and it’s no small thing to advance the state of the art in pavement materials engineering when it comes to Michigan’s notoriously punishing climate — especially with ever-escalating costs of repairs and materials,” said Guskiewicz. “Today, we showcase our College of Engineering’s research excellence and MSU’s impact in our own backyard and beyond."
The new concrete installation is located along Engineering Research Court outside the Engineering Research Complex off Woodlot Drive on campus.
John Papapolymerou, interim dean of the College of Engineering, also spoke at the event.
“This novel concrete project is a great example of MSU’s economic relevance strategy, which fosters innovation and entrepreneurship, contributions to regional economic development and aligning research with state economic needs,” said Papapolymerou. “There are numerous applications on how this concrete will play a role in the infrastructure improvement strategy shared by our city and local government leaders and provides an opportunity to support national security.”
The concrete developed by Qingxu “Bill” Jin, an assistant professor in the College of Engineering, and his graduate student Xiaoqiang “Antonio” Ni has self-heating properties that can store heat from the sun that is released when the temperature drops near freezing. It’s also bendable and can self-heal. Initial testing showed that cracks thinner than a human hair can repair themselves, and it can withstand the weight of about 2,000 pounds or half of the weight of an average car without cracking.
During the testing phase this winter, wires connected to the sidewalk concrete slabs will help Jin and his team monitor the durability of the concrete from foot traffic and the performance of its self-heating properties in melting ice and snow.
“This concrete is the future, and it could revolutionize the infrastructure for urban communities by reducing maintenance costs and for rural communities that need safer, sustainable solutions,” said Jin. “We can’t wait to see how the concrete performs on campus this winter.”
Jin is eager to begin collecting data from the slabs as he continues to talk with state and local organizations and businesses about the future potential applications of this research.
Jon Debling, senior technology manager at the MSU Innovation Center, also talked about the interest in the proprietary concrete formula and explained that a provisional patent application had been filed this year.
Other guests in attendance included Lansing Mayor Andy Schor and representatives on behalf of U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin, U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett, the Michigan Department of Transportation, the city of East Lansing, Capital Region International Airport, city of Brighton and Meridian Charter Township.
