Lab2Slab2Practice: A Framework for a Faster Implementation of Innovative Concrete Materials and Technology

Transportation infrastructure construction and maintenance consume energy and finite resources, and have substantial environmental impacts, primarily from the manufacturing of cement, concrete, asphalt, and steel. New feedstock materials and technologies for producing these materials can result in lower life cycle costs, use of local materials, creation of local employment, and reduced environmental impacts. These goals point to the urgent need for adopting innovative alternatives. However, implementation requires confidence on the part of materials producers, contractors, and infrastructure owners that the new materials and technologies can achieve these goals. Implementation demands rigorous testing, risk management, and stakeholder confidence in the engineering performance, environmental benefits, and economic viability of new materials and technologies. This report introduces a structured evaluation framework, “Lab2Slab2Practice,” aimed at accelerating the adoption of these new materials and technologies. Key strategies include leveraging social- behavioral-change models, such as the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology and Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model, to mitigate risks and facilitate adoption. A comprehensive review of prior successful government programs and initiatives, including AASHTO’s Superpave and Pavement Mechanistic-Empirical Design tools, underscores the importance of interagency collaboration and support, rapid experimentation, theoretical simulations, and engagement by owners (primarily departments of transportation), contractors, and other stakeholders. Regional centers are proposed as clearinghouses to systematically evaluate materials across Technology Readiness Levels, emphasizing engineering performance, scalability, and constructability. Public-private coalitions are proposed to fund these centers, ensuring transparent dissemination of findings and stakeholder training. With sufficient resources and alignment of federal, state and industry support, the framework targets reducing material adoption timelines from over a decade to 5 years or less, moving materials from ideas to use in standard practices, and improving cost-effectiveness and environmental benefits. View the NCST Project Webpage