US Army Corps Engineers Visit UMaine Lab for Composites Repair Course

June 9th-11th, University of Maine, Orono –

Earlier this month, the Transportation Infrastructure Durability Center (TIDC) hosted its first-ever Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) Composites Repair Course for representatives from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) at the University of Maine’s Advanced Structures & Composites Center. The participants represented various organizational positions and came from several states throughout the US.

Over the course of three intensive days, participants explored the growing role of FRP composites in infrastructure applications that they interact with every day through a combination of classroom instruction and hands-on laboratory training. The course introduced the fundamentals of FRP materials for structural applications before moving into practical exercises focused on real-world repair techniques.

Attendees gained firsthand experience in identifying and assessing composite damage, implementing multiple repair methodologies, and evaluating repair performance through durability testing. By completing the full repair process, from damage detection to post-repair validation, participants developed practical skills that can be applied to maintaining and extending the service life of critical infrastructure assets in the field.

As our country’s infrastructure continue to age and face degradation from exposure to the elements, advanced composite repair technologies are becoming increasingly important for improving resilience, reducing maintenance costs, and minimizing downtime. Training opportunities like this help equip engineers with the knowledge and confidence to incorporate innovative materials into infrastructure rehabilitation projects.

A special thank you goes to our partners at Basalt International, whose expertise and collaboration were instrumental in developing the curriculum and assisting with classroom instruction, hands-on laboratory sessions, and a tour of their composite components manufacturing facility in Winterport, Maine. Their contributions helped ensure participants received a comprehensive learning experience grounded in current industry practices.

We were thrilled to welcome such an engaged group of professionals to our lab and are grateful for the opportunity to support the continued advancement of composite technologies within the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. We look forward to building on the success of this inaugural course and expanding future educational opportunities focused on composites for transportation and infrastructure applications.

For more information contact tidc.ascc@maine.edu