< Previous50 UNIVERSITY NEWS AUBURNTIGERS.COM A country’s infrastructure is essen- tial for the economy, environment and well-being of its people. If you disagree, do you remember earlier this year when a cargo ship in Bal- timore hit a support pier of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing a section of the bridge to collapse? The bridge became impassable and almost all passenger and cargo shipping to the Port of Baltimore was halted, al- tering millions of lives and the national supply chain. Researchers at Auburn University are dedicated to improving the nation’s in- frastructure. The Samuel Ginn College of Engineering is home to the Auburn Uni- versity Transportation Research Institute (AUTRI), which oversees cutting-edge transportation-related research within the college’s academic departments and research centers. This includes the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) and its as- phalt test track, the Highway Research Center (HRC), the Alabama Transpor- tation Assistance Program (ATAP), Ad- vanced Structural Engineering Labo- ratory (ASEL) and the GPS and Vehicle Dynamics Laboratory (GAVLAB). WHERE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD Work at NCAT has supported the infrastructure that has kept America’s highways moving for nearly four de- cades. It was created to ensure the as- phalt industry can deliver pavements that are durable, sustainable, quiet, safe and economical. The 1.7-mile oval test track is com- prised of 46 experimental test sections sponsored cooperatively by highway agencies and private industry on a three- year cycle. Throughout each cycle, load- ed trucks generate 10 million equivalent single axle loads on the track. Since op- erations began, trucks have accumulat- ed enough mileage to circle the Earth 440 times. Test Track Manager Jason Nelson likes to say NCAT is “where the rubber meets the road” because it is where the research faculty and students create in a lab or classroom is put to the test in a real-world setting. “We are creating tests and specifica- tions to design more sustainable pave- ments that incorporate high levels of recycled materials,” he said. “States can integrate these tests into their design procedures to assess road performance, resulting in improved roads for drivers nationwide.” On the surface, researchers watch for wear and tear. Deep cracks allow water to penetrate the materials, potential- ly damaging the road’s integrity. Below the surface, test sections equipped with strain gauges and pressure plates pro- vide data to track pavement responses and refine pavement performance. BUILDING BETTER Additional infrastructure research is applied at ASEL, specifically the design, build and maintenance of steel, concrete and mass timber-produced roads, bridg- es and buildings. At any given time, six to eight research projects are conducted for state, federal and private industry. The 42,000-square-foot facility houses a high bay laboratory with a strong wall and strong floor specially engineered to handle extreme structural testing loads; a geo- technical chamber within the strong floor; a concrete materials research and testing laboratory; and wind testing capabilities that can replicate hurricane-level loads. ASEL Director and Associate Profes- sor Matt Yarnold, along with HRC Direc- tor and Mountain Spirit Professor Anton Schindler, currently lead a research proj- ect to evaluate the current performance of continuous bridge deck slabs for the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT). The team installed sensors on the slabs of a bridge in Livingston, Alabama, to measure stress caused by traffic and climate patterns. Back at ASEL, they are building a bridge section for testing. If the team successfully develops en- hancements to improve bridge perfor- mance, the changes could be used in most future bridges constructed by ALDOT. “This is a small detail that can have a high impact throughout Alabama,” Yar- nold said. BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE With the growing popularity of mass timber — the engineered wood product can be as strong as concrete and steel but weigh less — Auburn forged the Au- burn Mass Timber Collaborative, bring- ing together experts in engineering, the College of Architecture, Design and Construction (CADC) and the College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment. Research and instruction in mass tim- ber are conducted in several locations on campus, including ASEL, but also in west Alabama at Rural Studio. A part of CADC’s School of Architec- ture, Planning and Landscape Architec- ture, the design-build studio challenges students to build with locally available, renewable materials and design to maxi- mize energy efficiency and resiliency. Four architecture students recent- ly designed and built a home with an 18’x18’ footprint. UNIVERSITY NEWS BY: AMY WEAVER INFRASTRUCTURE: HOW AUBURN IS BUILDING A BETTER AMERICA Research at Auburn’s National Center for Asphalt Technology has supported the infrastructure that has kept America’s highways moving for nearly four decades. Research at Auburn’s Advanced Structural Engineering Laboratory supports state, federal and private industry projects involving the design, build and maintenance of steel, concrete and mass timber-produced roads, bridges and buildings.129 E. Glenn Ave. (Downtown) (334) 209-6390 1673 Shug Jordan Pkwy. Suite A (334) 209-1295 1684 S. College St. (334) 209-1140 Serving Auburn for over 40 years “Bertha!”Continued From Page 24 DORIAN MAUSI “When you come to Auburn, you can tell there is something different. Everything isn’t trans- actional here. It’s a family. I really wanted to be in this family-ori- ented culture because that’s what drives a team. I knew this place was going to bring the best out of me.” JALEN MCLEOD “Football here is a culture; it’s different. If you want to go to the next level, you’re going to come to Auburn or the SEC. What stood out to me the most was the culture and I’m glad to have experienced that.” GREG MCCONICO JR. “Sometimes I can’t even believe I’m here because I’m still an Auburn fan. So even walking around the facilities, knowing I play for Auburn, talking to the coaches – my receiver coach Marcus Davis played at Auburn and I used to watch him as a fan – just being here is so special for me.” IZAVION MILLER “Coming in, I was just ex- pecting football, but with Coach Freeze, I’ve gotten a lot more. He’s teaching us how to appreci- ate football and be grateful for life. I love being part of what we call the Auburn Family. People are so nice here -- it’s a cool place to be. I do love Auburn – way more than I would have expected.” ISAIAH RAIKES “This team is pretty tight-knit and has genuine relationships in caring for one another. To have that kind of chemistry where you actually care about one another – chemistry makes a dif- ference, and I see it here. All the teams in the SEC are beautiful – there are no bad atmospheres – but a few stand above. Auburn is definitely one of those.” KEIONTE SCOTT “Ever since I signed, the fans have supported me. They love Auburn. Seeing how excited people are for Auburn gets you excited for Auburn. I want to say thank you for taking me in and supporting me throughout this whole journey. I hope I’ve left Auburn better than I found it, as was one of my goals. Always continue to love Auburn like you will.” GRIFFIN SPEAKS “Growing up here, there was something different in the air on gamedays. At a young age, I didn’t understand it, but I could feel it. My biggest goal coming back was I didn’t want to just sit on the sidelines. I wanted to actually get on the field and contribute. I wanted to make Auburn better.” COLBY STAFFORD “I’ve always loved Auburn but it’s cool to know I was a part of it in this way, as part of the team. And for me, with other walk-ons, I know what they‘ve been through and I have so much respect for them. I never thought I would get the chance to play for Auburn, but I’m so glad I followed it through.” JERRIN THOMPSON “When I leave here, I want my name to be brought up in a good way. Football has taught me about family and team. It shows me so many life lessons and how to fight adversity. It’s the greatest thing you can go through being an American young boy growing up.” PAYTON THORNE “This game means the world to me. It’s taught me so much about life, life lessons that you can’t get anywhere else, and it’s given me a platform to help and influence others. I love football and I will for the rest of my life.” Continued On Page 64 52 COVER FEATURE AUBURNTIGERS.COM COVER FEATUREORANGE AND BLUE ©2024 BLUE MOON BREWING COMPANY, GOLDEN, CO • ALE54 2024 STADIUM MAP 2024 STADIUM MAP AUBURNTIGERS.COM (NS PASS) NORTH STADIUM LOT SOUTH DONAHUE DRIVE HEISMAN DRIVE SOUTH DONAHUE DRIVE HEISMAN DRIVE BILL & CONNIE NEVILLE LOBBY SUITE TICKET PICK-UP 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 20 0 EXIT GATE STUDENT GATE STUDENT GATE SOUTH SERVICE GATE AUBURN PLAYER GUEST STUDENT GATE BROADWAY CLUB & MEDIA CREDENTIALS TIGER WALK CLUB ENTRANCE HIGH SCHOOL COACHES 11 10 1U VISITING PLAYER GUEST & VISITING FAN TICKET PICK-UP NORTH SERVICE GATE VISITING TEAM LOCKER ROOM FOOTBALL RECRUITING OLYMPIC SPORT RECRUITING TIGER WALK CLUB 1 1 2 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 12 12 14 15 14 13 15 16 16 17 17 18 1819 19 20 20 21 46 46 45 44 44 434241 43424140 4039 39 38 38 37 37 36 35 35 34 34 33 33 32 32 31 31 30 30 2929 28 28 114 113 112 111 110 109 108 107 106 105 104 103 102 21 22 23 23 24 24 25 25 26 26 27 27 ADA SHUTTLE PICKUP ADA SHUTTLE PICKUP HRC ONLY BROADWAY CLUB ONLY TICKET OFFICE TICKET OFFICE TICKET OFFICE GAMEDAY TRANSIT & FANFEST NEVILLE ARENA TICKET OFFICE Sales & Pick-Up BROADWAY CLUB SUITESSUITES NELSON CLUB BECKWITH CLUB Entry Gate Water Station Cooling Station LEGEND Medical Bag Entry Special Access Statues Guest Services ADA Shuttle Elevator First Aid Tiger Babies Charging Station Student Section Seating bowl closed to non-students Team ShopCIVIL CONSTRUCTION, DONE RIGHT56 2024 AUBURN PARKING MAP 2024 AUBURN PARKING MAP AUBURNTIGERS.COM WOODFIELD LOT (ADA Reserved with Tailgating) SEE NEXT PAGE FOR LEGEND Auburn University is a smoke-free campus. 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