Concrete Advancement Network
The Concrete Advancement Network (CAN), an Industry-University Cooperative Research Center (IUCRC), aims to develop new technologies to produce more efficient, rapidly deployable concrete with reduced dependency on natural resources.
About
Concrete is a vital component of the built environment, essential for housing and infrastructure. Advances in materials science and processing can enhance its resilience, recyclability, and long-term durability, delivering significant economic and societal benefits.
The Concrete Advancement Network (CAN), established by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Oregon State University, is an NSF Industry-University Cooperative Research Center (IUCRC) dedicated to developing innovative concrete technologies that are more efficient, rapidly deployable, and less reliant on natural resources. By integrating multi-scale modeling, digital manufacturing, machine learning, and artificial intelligence, CAN accelerates the adoption of cutting-edge solutions in an industry often reliant on traditional methods.
CAN’s approach combines model-based prediction and verification with experimental methods, expediting technology transfer from concept to implementation. Research projects are selected by industry partners and conducted by faculty, postdocs, and students, providing valuable industry collaboration and workforce development. Industry members benefit from royalty-free access to intellectual property and direct engagement with top student researchers, many of whom become leaders in industry and academia.
Idea Submission
CAN is currently looking for idea submissions
Become a Member
Any company, federal research and development organization, or government-operated contractor laboratory can become a sponsor of the center.
News & Events
CAN Spring Meeting
The CAN Spring Meeting will be held on February 19, 2025, followed by a workshop on February 20,...
Concrete is responsible for 8 percent of global carbon emissions
From Wisconsin Public Radio. Concrete is responsible for 8 percent of global carbon emissions. A...
UWM leads new NSF-funded consortium to research greener, high-performance concrete
From Universities of Wisconsin News Service UWM leads new NSF-funded consortium to research...
CAN Mission, Vision, and Values
Our Mission
- Drive innovation in concrete technology.
- Enhance sustainability and resilience in infrastructure.
- Foster industry-academic collaboration for cutting-edge solutions.
- Accelerate technology transfer from research to implementation.
- Develop data-driven, AI-enhanced, and model-based advancements in concrete materials.
Our Vision
- Lead the future of concrete through research and innovation.
- Create a more sustainable and efficient built environment.
- Strengthen the bridge between academia, industry, and policymakers.
- Establish a global hub for advanced concrete materials research.
- Support economic and societal benefits through transformative materials science.
Our Values
- Innovation: Pioneering advancements in concrete science for modern challenges.
- Sustainability: Promoting eco-friendly materials and processes to reduce environmental impact.
- Collaboration: Uniting industry and academia to drive practical, impactful solutions.
IUCRC: Value to Industry and University Members
Value to Industry Members
- Access to pre-competitive research
- Maximizing R&D investments
- Networking and collaboration
- Accelerated time-to-market
- Shared intellectual property (IP) framework
- Reduced innovation costs
Value to University Members
- Enhanced research funding
- Industry collaboration & relevance
- Cross-disciplinary research opportunities
- Enhanced student & faculty engagement
- Pathway for commercialization & impact
- Workforce development
- Long-term partnerships
Leveraged Support
In the IUCRC program NSF provides funds to support administrative and operational costs for a Center, while the industry member funds support the research projects, providing a leveraged research program.
The CAN Industry Advisory Board will ensure that the university partners are conducting research of relevance to the industry members, and it will help refine the mission, vision, and research roadmap for the Network. To fulfill these responsibilities, member representatives will attend semi-annual meetings, review research proposals, help select research projects to be funded, and vote on issues as they arise.
Participation
The two university partners, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Oregon State University, are actively recruiting industry and government partners to support their proposed center. Organizations can join by signing the membership agreement, accepting the bylaws, and paying the first installment of the annual membership fees.
For more information on CAN, including the proposed projects, contact Dr. Konstantin Sobolev at sobolev@uwm.edu or Dr. Iman Aghayan at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee at aghayan@uwm.edu. Visit https://iucrc.nsf.gov/about/ for more information on the NSF IUCRC program.