January 15, 2025

Researchers from the Missouri Center for Transportation Innovation (MCTI) accepted a High Value Research Award for their work in sustainable pavements. 

Bill Buttlar, Glen Barton Chair in Flexible Pavement, and Punya Rath, an assistant research professor in civil and environmental engineering, received a High Value Research Award from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) for their demonstration of sustainable pavements at the Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., this month. 

The research team was commended for their demonstration projects for the Missouri Department of Transportation, which center on the performance of sustainable pavements in use on Stadium Boulevard in Columbia, Missouri, and Interstate 155 in the Missouri Bootheel. 

“We’re taking technical concepts related to recycled materials development and applying them to the transportation industry – which historically has required frequent maintenance and development – and then putting our work into action in the real-world, not just lab environments,” Rath said. “Our goal is to develop a sustainable solution to a recurring problem. And we’re seeing positive results with our tests so far.” 

In addition to receiving this award, Rath moderated a workshop session on sustainability and presented a poster with graduate student Nandita Gettu. The poster focused on similar research into the design and evaluation of Missouri asphalt mixtures with ground tire rubber and waste plastics. 

Buttlar and Rath’s research is supported by the Missouri Center for Transportation Innovation (MCTI), which hosted a reception during the conference. 

Interested in contributing to the next generation of transportation research? Learn more about civil engineering at Mizzou.