Author: Kristi Kesti-Pieti

A research team from Michigan Technological University has been honored with the Best Paper Award by the Standing Committee on Binders for Flexible Pavement (AKM20) of the Transportation Research Board (TRB). This prestigious recognition highlights the team’s groundbreaking work on advancing sustainable materials in road construction.

The awarded paper, titled “Role of Pyrolysis Wax on Enhancing the Performance of Waste Plastic Modified Asphalt Prepared with Wet Process,” explores innovative methods to improve asphalt performance using recycled materials.

The authors of the paper include the following MTU researchers:

• Ph.D. student Sepehr Mohammadi (civil engineering)
• Postdoctoral Scholar Dongzhao Jin (CEGE)
• Research Assistant Professor Daniel Kulas (ChE)
• Former Research Assistant Professor Ali Zolghadr (ChE)
• Research Professor David Shonnard (ChE)
• Distinguished Professor Zhanping You (CEGE)

The study investigates the potential of pyrolysis wax, derived from waste plastic, to enhance the performance of asphalt when integrated through a wet process. This innovative approach not only addresses critical challenges in road material durability but also contributes to waste reduction and sustainability goals. The MTU team’s recognition underscores the University’s commitment to research excellence and sustainability.

Zhanping You received the certificates in Washington, D.C., earlier this week and shared the exciting news with his co-authors and collaborators. “This is a great achievement and recognition of our team’s effort to advance sustainable infrastructure materials,” he said. “This achievement will undoubtedly inspire future research endeavors in transportation and materials engineering.”

The TRB, part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, is a leading institution dedicated to improving transportation through innovation and research. The AKM20 committee, which presented the award, focuses on cutting-edge developments in binders for flexible pavement.

Adjunct Instructor Joshua Pearce (MSE) was quoted and Robert Handler (ChE/CEGE/SS) was mentioned by Ontario’s Western University in a story about the economic and environmental benefits of using sheep for vegetation management on solar farms. Their 2022 study highlighted how sheep grazing under solar panels provides a profitable revenue stream for farmers while reducing the need for herbicides and grass cutting.