NEW STRATEGIES
FOR ENSURING
THE STRUCTURAL
SAFETY OF BRIDGES
AND OTHER
INFRASTRUCTURE
WITHOUT
DISRUPTING
SERVICE
U VA R ES EA R C H E R S
D E VIN K . H A R R I S , P HD
Assistant Professor
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
T
he National Academy of Engineering has identified restoring and revitalizing
America’s aging infrastructure as a “Grand Challenge.” This is why the research
being conducted by Devin K. Harris, Assistant Professor in U.Va.’s Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, is so important. The United States is
desperately in need of innovative solutions, Harris said.
His research is focused on the assessment and preservation of structures that are
still in use, with a primary concentration in bridge engineering and ensuring their
continued safe operation.
His work relies heavily on experimental testing of structural components, structures
that are still in use, and materials, with a focus on delivering outcomes that feed directly
into practice. Much of his work has focused on advancements in the area of structural
health monitoring, which can be described as a strategy for evaluating the performance
of a structure, providing a mechanism to describe the current state or health of an aging
infrastructure and a rational means to mitigate the challenges associated.
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U.Va. DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING