CSEE researchers investigate safer structures using pre-stressed concrete and advanced manufacturing

The TRB provides leadership in transportation improvements and innovation through trusted, timely, impartial and evidence-based information exchange, research, and advice regarding all modes of transportation. The meeting will feature a wide range of novel technologies that highlight the future of transportation safety, efficiency and reliability. In this TRB preview, there will be two key presentations discussing bridge engineering.

Mohamed Hassan Lasheen, PhD student advised by Associate Professor Pinar Okumus and Associate Professor Negar Elhami-Khorasani in CSEE, will deliver a key presentation on “Stiffness of Cracked Prestressed Concrete Beams.” 

"Bridge owners often struggle to decide whether a prestressed concrete bridge with shear cracks should be posted, repaired, or replaced,” says Lasheen. “This research presents an artificial intelligence tool that links shear crack width measurements to stiffness, providing a rapid way to evaluate the condition of in-service structures." 

Pranay Singh, PhD student and advisee of Associate Professor Ravi Ranade and Associate Professor Pinar Okumus in CSEE, will present his poster on “Enhancing Anchorage Zone Durability in Pretensioned Girders Using Additively Manufactured SHCC Shells: Material Design and Proof-of-Concept Study.”

“The study aims to enhance the durability of prestressed bridges by integrating structural analysis, material design, and advanced fabrication techniques such as 3D concrete printing,” says Singh. “By combining these approaches, the work seeks to reduce end-zone cracking, improve crack control, and extend the long-term performance and service life of prestressed bridge girders."

In January, Dr. Pinar Okumus will transition as co-director of the Institute for Bridge Engineering at UB. She is a member of TRB Standing Committee on Concrete Bridges and Structures (AKH12) and served as a paper review coordinator for the 2026 annual meeting. 

“The Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting is one of the biggest conferences that brings together engineers from various disciplines, transportation agencies, and policy makers to discuss advances, knowledge gaps, industry needs, and policies in bridge engineering," says Okumus. "Bridges are the most expensive component of roadways often determining the volume of traffic a road can carry. TRB gives us a venue to improve our bridges and the transportation system by sharing research findings with all stakeholders.”

As part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, the TRB mobilizes expertise, experience, and knowledge to anticipate and solve complex transportation-related challenges. The committee, researchers and staff are focused on advancing resilient infrastructure, exploring transformational technology, and caring for the public’s health and safety. 

The 105^th annual TRB meeting will take place from January 11-15, 2026, in Washington, D.C.