2/23/2022 McCall Macomber
Written by McCall Macomber
Han Wang, a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering doctoral student, has won the Testing Innovation Fellowship Program Award.
The award is jointly supported by the Geosynthetic Institute, the North American chapter of the International Geosynthetic Society and the American Society for Testing and Materials’ Committee D35 on Geosynthetics.
The program, which launched in 2021, aims to increase student engagement in professional organizations and help transition geosynthetics-related research to ASTM International standards.
One of three doctoral students selected for the inaugural award, Wang will prepare a draft of either a new ASTM standard or a revised version of an existing standard with oversight from an ASTM mentor.
“Working with a professional from ASTM is an excellent opportunity to learn more in regard to general standard development and the way the standard can benefit nationwide regulation and communication between different institutions,” Wang said.
“This is a very new area for me,” Wang added, “and I look forward to diving into this with ASTM mentoring.”
Wang’s research focuses on stabilization and reinforcement application of geosynthetics, which help stabilize and strengthen soil or aggregates in underlying pavement layers.
Wang currently serves as a research assistant on the Illinois Department of Transportation and Illinois Center for Transportation project, “R27-234: Effectiveness of Geosynthetics in Soil/Aggregate Stabilization — Evaluation using Bender Element Sensor Technology.”
The project, which Wang will use as the basis for her work with the program, will quantitatively evaluate the strength enhancement of a composite layer of geosynthetics and the soil or aggregate used to construct the subgrade and subbase/base of roadway pavements.
Wang and the research team, led by her advisor CEE Abel Bliss Professor in Engineering Erol Tutumluer, will use bender-element sensor technology — which transmits shear waves through a prepared test specimen and collects transmitted wave signals — to obtain shear wave velocity and evaluate pavement’s strength.
Wang will adapt the bender-element sensor methodology used in the ICT-IDOT project into an existing or a new ASTM standard.
Tutumluer couldn’t be prouder of his student’s accomplishment.
“Han Wang is one of the most qualified and brightest students working in the transportation geotechnics field with me at UIUC,” Tutumluer said.
“Her work on this project will no doubt help facilitate improved designs and construction practices with geosynthetics to build and maintain safe, cost-effective and sustainable pavements,” he added.
Wang is grateful for the help and support of her University of Illinois colleagues Mingu Kang, Dr. Issam Qamhia, Zhongyi Liu, Taeyun Kong and Syed Husain as well as Illinois Center for Transportation staff.
“I would also like to thank my academic advisor Professor Erol Tutumluer for the wise insights and full understanding whenever I encounter a barrier or feel lost,” Wang said. “I feel much supported and blessed to continue my work.”
The three-year program, which awards the recipients $500 per year, will end Dec. 15, 2024.