An International Workshop on the Genome of Stone-based Civil Infrastructure Materials, Beijing, China, 2016

Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University, Blacksburg VA

Investigators

Abstract

Evidence suggests that the successful mapping of the human genome may revolutionize the treatment of cancers and mental disorders amongst other ailments. A similar concept has been conceived for research and development in the study of engineering material. The Material Genome Initiative (MGI) which began in the United States in 2011 is seeking to develop a material innovation infrastructure and to incentivize a change in material design culture. The material "genome" can be described in terms of the material composition, the microstructure, and the inherent defects and can be determined by material characterization methods at multiple scales. Based on the measured material genome, multiscale mechanical models can then be established to evaluate the influence of the material genome on material properties. With the availability of high performance computational methods and tools, multiscale models based on actual composition and the microstructure of materials can help to speed up the material design process with a minimum of financial investment and labor costs. The ultimate goal of the material genome research is to be able to design materials of desired properties and performance by rational approaches. This has not yet been resolved for well-understood metallic materials and may be even more challenging to address for stone-based civil infrastructure materials, such as hydrated cement concrete, asphalt concrete, aggregate, and human-augmented soil. These engineered hybrid natural-synthetic materials are important for the sustainable development of society, with significant potential impacts on both the economy and the environment. Expanding concepts from the human genome to the material genome raises a number of questions, including: (i) what is the material genome? (ii) how can one identify the material genome and evaluate the influence of the material genome on material properties? and, (iii) how will understanding the material genome speed up discovery and innovation in material design? An international workshop will be held at the University of Science and Technology in Beijing, China in 2016 that will include the world's leading researchers and educators in stone-based civil infrastructure materials to develop a roadmap to help answer these questions in a timely manner. The purpose of the international workshop on The Genome of Stone-based Civil Infrastructure Materials is to: (i) review and update the latest research and developments related to the genome of metallic and stone-based materials; (ii) identify technical barriers to developing international collaborations; (iii) promote the establishment of an international consortium for the identification of the genome for stone-based materials; and (iv) develop a roadmap for research and education in identifying and establishing a relationship between the material genome and the properties of stone-based infrastructure materials. The workshop will provide US participants an opportunity to develop partnerships for future interactions with Chinese and European researchers.