We are delighted to announce that the ACPA Robert G. Packard Award for Design Innovations in Concrete Pavements has been awarded to Kathryn A. Kennebeck, PhD Student at the University of Pittsburgh, Lev Khazanovich, Professor at the University of Pittsburgh, Sushobhan Sen, Assistant Professor at the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Mason Smetana, PhD Student at the University of Pittsburgh, and Feng Mu, Engineer Manager at ITW Commercial Construction, for their groundbreaking work on “Developing a Next-Generation Concrete Pavement Analysis Tool: PITTSLAB.” This prestigious award was presented at the 13th International Conference on Concrete Pavements, held in Minneapolis from August 25-29, 2024.
The American Concrete Pavement Association (ACPA)’s Robert G. Packard Award, named after a visionary leader in concrete pavement technology, recognizes significant innovations that have the potential to advance the field of concrete pavement technology. This year’s award-winning project, PITTSLAB, represents a major leap forward in pavement analysis. The tool offers a next-generation approach that enables more accurate, efficient, and comprehensive evaluation of concrete pavements, addressing both current and emerging challenges in pavement design.
The development of PITTSLAB was highly praised by the award committee for its innovative use of advanced computational techniques, its potential to improve pavement performance, and its applicability to a wide range of pavement engineering problems. The tool is expected to become a critical asset for engineers and researchers working to enhance the durability and sustainability of concrete pavements.
This recognition highlights the exceptional contributions of Kathryn, Lev, Sushobhan, Mason, and Feng to the field of concrete pavement design and underscores the importance of innovation in driving the industry forward.
Please join us in congratulating the award recipients on this outstanding achievement.
To read more about the award and past recipients visit: https://13thiccp.concretepavements.org/awards