Grant: Discovery Launch Supplement

Given the uncertainties associated with future climate change, fostering flexibility and resilience into Canada's critical infrastructure is essential for minimizing climate-related damages and saving long-term repair costs. Seasonal freeze and thaw events as well as permafrost deterioration can substantially damage road subgrade and pavement, especially in harsher regions. As a result, the subject of pavement engineering for cold regions now faces a pressing need for the development of smart materials and technologies that are also economical, low-carbon, and environmentally beneficial. Previous research has sought to improve the strength and durability of weak and vulnerable subgrades by substituting alternate inorganic and organic modifiers for traditional soil additives. Recent advances in my studies have also demonstrated that employing recovered industrial waste products as alternative cementing agents allows for successful decarbonization of our paving materials. However, how these soil modifiers interact with local soil types under frequent and long-term freeze-thaw cycles are not well understood, as do the microscopic mechanisms underlying the modified material's sensitivity to frost action. As a result, these novel stabilizing approaches have been less successful in colder climates with lengthy seasonal frosts and low annual mean temperatures. The proposed research program will build on my previous research findings and expand on my efforts and exploration of innovative road materials (such as binders, additives, and geosynthetics) for cold region roads that improve the mechanical and durability properties of the subgrade and pavement overall. This research aims to identify viable solutions and adaptation approaches that can be applied at the design, construction, and maintenance stages of unsealed and sealed roads in Canada in order to produce better climate-resilient and long-lasting transportation infrastructure. The significance of this work is also derived from its potential to improve the effective utilization of diverse industrial side-streams in construction, so contributing to the sector's sustainability, cost-efficiency, and environmental responsibility. The planned five-year research program will achieve its main goals by training graduate and undergraduate HQP in comprehensive geomaterial characterization and performance evaluation using advanced laboratory-scale geotechnical testing and analytical techniques. The findings of the study will disseminate new knowledge on engineering material design and optimization for cold-region roadways with a variety of functional advantages. Strong collaboration with both new and existing industry and academic partners will enable rapid dissemination of the research findings. HQP will be equipped with core skills that are in high demand in the Canadian construction sector, considering long-term trends such as technological innovation and sustainability.