MSE researchers win poster awards for superabsorbent polymer-cement system research
MSE PhD Candidates Caitlin J. Adams and Baishakhi Bose have received a combined three poster awards this year for their research on superabsorbent polymers for internally cured cement systems.
At the American Concrete Institute Virtual Convention from March 28 through April 1, 2021, Bose took first place and Adams took second in the ACI 123 Concrete Research Poster Session. Bose’s poster was titled “Investigation of autogenous shrinkage and hydration process of cementitious systems with 0.42 water-cement ratio internally cured with superabsorbent polymers,” and coauthored by Caitlin J. Adams; MSE undergraduate researcher Ethan Mann; Michael Nelson and Tommy E. Nantung of the Indiana Department of Transportation; Jan Olek, the James H. and Carol H. Cure Professor in Civil Engineering and Director of the North Central Superpave Center; and MSE Professor Kendra A. Erk. Adams’s poster was titled “Effects of total water and (high range) water reducing admixture dosage on flow and strength of mortar internally cured with superabsorbent polymers,” and coauthored by Baishakhi Bose, Michael Nelson, Tommy E. Nantung, Prof. Jan Olek, and Prof. Kendra A. Erk.
Adams also received the third place poster award at the 11th Advances in Cement-Based Materials conference organized by the American Ceramics Society. The conference was held virtually from June 23-25, 2021. Her poster was titled “Effects on flow and strength of mix design adjustments for mortar internally cured with superabsorbent polymers” and coauthored by Baishakhi Bose, Michael Nelson, Tommy E. Nantung, Prof. Jan Olek, and Prof. Kendra A. Erk.
The work presented in all three posters was funded by the Indiana Department of Transportation through the Joint Transportation Research Program SPR-4419. SNF Floerger and BASF provided the superabsorbent polymers used in these studies.
Writer: Caitlin Adams, cjadams@purdue.edu