Concrete technology is taking a leap forward as Dr. Luna Lu, a professor at Purdue University, introduces revolutionary concrete sensors designed to prevent premature failures in highway infrastructure. Since 2017, Lu has been at the forefront of developing these sensors, founding WaveLogix in 2021 to bring her creation to a wider audience. Backed by funding from the Federal Highway Administration, these sensors are now being trialed in several states, with Indiana and Texas leading the way.
The sensors were successfully deployed earlier this year on critical interstate projects, including a stretch of I-35 in Texas and a new I-469 ramp in Indiana. These sensors offer a crucial advantage to road builders by monitoring the concrete’s strength in real-time without the need for extensive testing and analysis. Engineers can receive instant updates via a smartphone app, allowing them to determine precisely when fresh concrete can handle heavy traffic.
Beyond improving construction efficiency, these sensors promise to reduce the risk of discrepancies that often arise during lab testing, which can lead to the premature opening of roads and shorten the lifespan of concrete. By opening new roads on schedule and reducing construction costs, these innovations also contribute to lower carbon emissions. With traffic jams from infrastructure repairs wasting billions of hours and gallons of gas annually, Luna Lu’s groundbreaking technology has the potential to make a significant impact on road infrastructure and the environment.
Lu’s company, WaveLogix, plans to release the Rebel Concrete Strength Sensors to the market later this year, ushering in a new era of highway construction. Additionally, Lu is exploring how the sensors’ data can be harnessed to reduce carbon emissions associated with concrete production and roadwork. By using artificial intelligence to optimize concrete mixes and reduce cement usage, Lu hopes to make a substantial contribution to reducing pollution and advancing the field of civil engineering.
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