High-performance materials: A step toward sustainable transportation

The key to highway improvements in the 21st Century will be the use of enhanced materials, inspection technology, design procedures, construction methods, operational practices, maintenance and rehabilitation technology and management techniques which can carry the Nation's highway system well into the next century. Technology wich permits rapid repair and return to service with minimal disruptions to safety and traffic flow must be developed and implemented to make a difference. This challenge must be undertaken in partnership with the entire highway community (States, conties, and cities), universities, highway users, the construction industry and heavy vehicle manufacturers. In order to sustain the function of the highway system, the Federal Highway Administration has embarked on a focused program of structural research which is centered around the development and deployment of high performance materials, materials, that are stronger, more durable, and offer potential for lower life cycle costs. High-performance materials offer substantial hope for better systems that last significantly longer. While research laboratories are still exploring ways to exploit these materials, some are already in use. In the United States, the Texas Department of Transportation has initiated two high-performance concrete bridge projects. And in California and other states, composite materials are being used for the repair and retrofit of bridges.