Innovative Materials for Improved Roadway Mobility and Drainage Efficiency
Flood-related roadway closures and drainage failures cause major travel delays, increase congestion, and pose risks to public health and safety. Conventional stormwater culverts or highway drainage made from plastic, such as Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) or High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE), are vulnerable to deformation, cracking, and chemical degradation, particularly in high-temperature or chemically aggressive soils. This project develops and evaluates advanced recycled HDPE composites reinforced with carbon nanotubes for use in drainage pipes and highway culvert systems, designed to maintain roadway mobility and performance during extreme rainfall, with an emphasis on public health and safety benefits and long-term roadway performance. Laboratory-scale fabrication and mechanical testing will optimize the composition of carbon nanotube-reinforced recycled HDPE blends for improved fracture strength, chemical resistance, and physical properties. Past research by the PI has previously produced and evaluated nanoclay-reinforced recycled plastic, demonstrating established expertise in composite preparation and testing. The research team will collaborate with Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), El Paso Water Utilities, and El Paso County to validate the material in representative stormwater applications and to assess long-term material performance under demanding exposure conditions such as ultraviolet radiation and high temperatures. By utilizing recycled HDPE, the project reduces material waste while improving performance and supporting long-term infrastructure reliability. The project will also conduct performance analysis and compare lifecycle costs against conventional PVC or HDPE systems, providing guidelines for integrating innovative polymer composites into transportation drainage infrastructure that support efficient roadway operation and reduced flood-related mobility disruptions. This project undertakes breakthrough research by applying carbon nanotubes to strengthen recycled thermoplastics for stormwater drainage systems. It is an innovative effort combining material science, hydraulic engineering, and laboratory-scale testing.
Language
- English
Project
- Status: Active
- Funding: $100,500.00
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Contract Numbers:
69A3552348329
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Sponsor Organizations:
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology
University Transportation Centers Program
Department of Transportation
Washington, DC United States 20590 -
Managing Organizations:
Texas A&M Transportation Institute
Texas A&M University System
3135 TAMU
College Station, TX United States 77843-3135 -
Project Managers:
Ocon, Monica
- Performing Organizations: El Paso, TX United States
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Principal Investigators:
Youn, Sungmin
Kim, Jaeyoon
- Start Date: 20260215
- Expected Completion Date: 20270814
- Actual Completion Date: 0
- USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers
- Source Data: 03-12-UTEP
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Carbon fibers; Composite materials; Culverts; Drain pipe; Drainage structures; Materials tests; Nanostructured materials; Recycled materials; Thermoplastic materials
- Subject Areas: Highways; Materials;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01981712
- Record Type: Research project
- Source Agency: Center for Advancing Research in Transportation Emissions, Energy, and Health (CARTEEH)
- Contract Numbers: 69A3552348329
- Files: UTC, RIP
- Created Date: Mar 4 2026 1:53PM