Missouri S&T – News and Events – S&T researcher awarded $2 million to develop AI for concrete supply chain security
Publish Date: 2026-05-27 14:00:00
Source Domain: news.mst.edu
Here are some key points summarized from the article related to Missouri S&T’s innovative project on construction materials supply chains:
– Missouri S&T’s Dr. Hongyan Ma has been awarded $2 million by the U.S. Department of Energy to develop AI tools for enhancing the strength of construction materials supply chains, focusing on alternative materials in concrete production.
– The project, supported by a $52 million DOE initiative, aims to improve American manufacturing and industrial competitiveness.
– The project will construct an extensive database of alternative cementitious materials to identify efficient blends that can replace much of the traditional cement in concrete while maintaining the necessary strength and durability.
– AI-driven evaluations will test multiple material combinations to improve the use of alternatives like coal ash, slag, and recycled concrete among others.
– Collaborating with multiple industry partners, including construction companies and infrastructure firms, the project aims to demonstrate practical applications and broader industry usage of these materials.
– The team will use Missouri S&T’s Clayco Advanced Construction Materials Laboratory to test these materials on a larger scale for real-world performance assessments.
– The project’s significant industrial backing, contributing $720,000, brings the total funding to $2.72 million, highlighting its importance for the future infrastructure and manufacturing in the U.S.
For more information about the project, please visit Missouri S&T’s civil, architectural, and environmental engineering programs website.
