FIU researchers demonstrate cutting-edge bridge technologies for U.S. Department of Transportation leaders
Publish Date: 2026-05-29 17:15:00
Source Domain: communitynewspapers.com
FIU professor Atorod Azizinamini applies Sprayable Ultra-High Performance Concrete, during a demonstration for U.S. Department of Transportation leaders at FIU’s College of Engineering and Computing. (Credit: Taimy Alvarez/Florida International University)
MIAMI (May 29, 2026) — Researchers at Florida International University demonstrated emerging infrastructure technologies Friday for U.S. Department of Transportation leaders, showcasing innovations designed to improve bridge safety, extend the lifespan of aging infrastructure and strengthen inspection capabilities nationwide.
The event at FIU’s Engineering Center included remarks from FIU President Jeanette M. Nuñez and Seval Oz, assistant secretary for research and technology at the U.S. Department of Transportation. Members of Florida’s congressional and state delegations also attended. The demonstration highlighted the role of federally supported university research in developing practical infrastructure solutions with national applications.
Professors Atorod Azizinamini, director of FIU’s Innovative Bridge Technologies/Accelerated Bridge Construction-University Transportation Center (IBT/ABC-UTC), and Kenneth G. Furton, executive director of the FIU Global Forensic and Justice Center, led the demonstrations. Azizinamini showcased a magnetic scanning system capable of detecting hidden corrosion inside bridge structures, along with Sprayable Ultra-High Performance Concrete, an advanced repair material developed at FIU that can be applied in the field to rehabilitate deteriorating infrastructure. The technology recently was used for the first time on a bridge project in Virginia.
Furton demonstrated one of the event’s most visible technologies: specially trained dogs capable of detecting volatile organic compounds emitted by corrosion beneath surfaces. Dogs named Pixie and Loki participated in the demonstration, showing how canine detection methods…
