Issam Harik, Raymond-Blythe Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering, and Abheetha Peiris, adjunct assistant professor and research engineer in the Kentucky Transportation Center, received the 2021 American Concrete Institute (ACI) Design Award at the ACI Virtual Concrete Convention March 28 – April 1. The award recognizes advanced concepts and techniques applied to a specific design project.
Harik and Peiris received the award for their co-authored paper “Improving the Durability of Impact Damaged PC Bridge Girders Using CFRP Rod Panel Retrofit,” which was published in February 2019. Harik, Peiris and a team of talented students have developed innovative products—dubbed CatStrong—for restoring bridges. Using remarkably resilient carbon fiber fabrics, panels and wraps, CatStrong has successfully restored more than 35 bridges by strengthening beams, columns, piles and walls.