UNT Research, Volume 18, 2009 Page: 13
46 p. : col. ill. ; 28 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
unt.edu untre s e a r c h
than 50 employees to large,
interstate trucking companies
with thousands of drivers.
Swartz's articles related to
transportation safety have been
accepted for publication in
Transportation journal and journal
of Transportation Management.
Combating increased road
ruts, cracks and surface wear
due to rising car and truck
traffic, the Texas Department
of Transportation turned to
UNT's College of Engineering
and Center for Advanced
Research and Technology to
study the problem. CART's
high-powered microscopes and
other state-of-the-art equip-
ment can test and analyze
materials from the micro
to atomic level. Seifollah
Nasrazadani, associate
professor of engineering
technology, is looking into
new ways to analyze paving
materials through a grant
from TxDOT, developing
new protocols for their char-
acterization based on applica-
tions of Fourier transform
infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy.As a result of a previ-
ous TxDOT grant, he used
CART's environmental scan-
ning electron microscope,
successfully applying the
FTIR technique to show that
concrete poured over already-
corroded rebar steel is prone
to cracking.
The impact of the work
is significant. The state of
Texas has more than 9,400
lane miles of pavement, and
TxDOT spends more than
50 percent of its annual
construction and maintenance
budget on pavement. Poor-
quality materials increase the
need for road repairs, costing
taxpayers money and causing
traffic slow-downs that waste
time and fuel. Nasrazadani
presented his research results
in January at the annual meet-
ing of the Transportation
Research Board of the
National Academies, advisors
to the nation on science, engi-
neering and medicine.The destruction of Hurri-
cane Katrina on the Gulf
Coast caused massive
displacement of survivors,
including many who are
African American, poor and
elderly. Cecilia Thomas,
assistant professor of social
work, is exploring the impact
of the trauma on older African
American survivors and their
processes of coping and
adapting with an award of
$100,000 from the Hartford
Geriatric Social Work
Faculty Scholars Program,
funded by the John A.
Hartford Foundation.
Preliminary results indicate
survivors' mental processes are
Seifollah Nasrazadani con-
ducted research for the Texas
Department of Transportation that
showed that concrete poured over
already-corroded rebar steel is
prone to cracking.Cecilia Thomas studies the trauma
of displacement for older African
American survivors of Hurricane
Katrina. Pictured is New Orleans'
Lower 9th Ward after the storm.
intrinsically different now than
in the immediate aftermath of
the storm. Through in-depth
interviews, Thomas is finding
that as survivors reflect on the
past, they express loss regard-
ing previous possessions, dis-
tance from family and a sense
of community.
While a large number of
the Katrina survivors have
indicators of depression and
struggle financially, they show
evidence of resiliency, and a
majority make meaning of
their circumstances through
religion and spirituality.
The study will help social
workers understand coping
experiences in a cultural con-
text, which will help them
better assess needs and provide
services.UNT RESEARCH SPRING 2009 F '13
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
University of North Texas. UNT Research, Volume 18, 2009, periodical, 2009; Denton, Texas. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc115032/m1/13/?rotate=90: accessed May 11, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting University Relations, Communications & Marketing department for UNT.