Zhanping You (CEE) was quoted in the story “Is Nanotech the New Pothole Killer?” on public radio station WHYY in Philadelphia.
Is nanotech the new pothole killer?
There are many culprits for the frequent potholes on U.S. roadways. Potholes can be the result of normal wear and tear, utility work, or volatile temperature swings that disrupt the chemical properties that keep pavement stuck together.
Asphalt is a critical component in road surfaces — but maybe not what most people think it is.
“Basically, the asphalt really looks like a glue, a glue that holds all the stones together,” says civil engineer Zhanping You, a professor and researcher at Michigan Tech University.
You and his team are studying ways to curtail the temperature volatility of asphalt by adding nano-particles.