Western New England University (WNE) was well represented at the 2025 American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Structural Engineering Institute (SEI) Connecticut Chapter Seminar, held Friday, November 7, in Cromwell, CT, where both faculty and students from the Civil and Environmental Engineering program shared their research and expertise.
WNE juniors Kendra Robayo and Weronika Kaczor, advised by Dr. ChangHoon Lee, earned second place in the research poster competition and received a $650 cash award in the undergraduate category for their project titled “Characterization of Bond–Slip Performance in Damaged Reinforced Concrete due to Corrosion.”
Their research focuses on understanding how corrosion affects the bond between steel reinforcement and concrete—a key factor in maintaining the strength of bridges and other concrete structures. According to Professor Lee, “The objective of this research is to develop a predictive model for concrete structural deterioration induced by reinforcement corrosion.” The team introduced controlled levels of corrosion into reinforced concrete members to study how damage progresses and to evaluate how different concrete mixes—such as those with slag, air entrainment, and fibers—impact performance.
Their findings show that corrosion significantly weakens the bond between steel and concrete, reducing load capacity. Some additives, like slag and fibers, helped slow deterioration, while air entrainment performed poorly against corrosion.
In addition to the student achievements, Moochul Shin, Ph.D., professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, was one of seven invited presenters at the seminar. His presentation, “Development of Sustainable Infrastructure Systems Using Smart/Innovative Materials,” highlighted advancements in retrofitting and repairing lifeline structures by incorporating shape memory alloys (SMA) to improve the resilience and safety of infrastructure—an increasingly critical focus in New England’s structural engineering community.
The annual SEI-CT Seminar brings together practicing engineers, researchers, and students to exchange ideas that advance the field.
Western New England University’s strong showing at this year’s event reflects its commitment to undergraduate research, faculty innovation, and hands-on learning experiences that prepare students to become the next generation of engineering leaders.
