MSU’s Rula School of Civil and Environmental Engineering establishes national testing standards

Adkerson Way: new road construction between CollegeView Drive and University Drive, in between The Vista and The Grand Fromage.
(photo by Megan Bean / © Mississippi State University)

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Mississippi State University’s Richard A. Rula School of Civil and Environmental Engineering has played a significant role in developing and establishing national testing standards. transforming the construction industry and infrastructure across the U.S.

Over the past 20 years, the school has directly contributed to establishing or improving five American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials testing standards. These standards are crucial for ensuring the quality, durability and performance of materials used in roads, bridges, pipelines and other vital infrastructure projects and have major practical and financial implications for the construction industry.

Among the key standards the school has helped develop include:

—AASHTO T 401: Provides a brittleness index for asphalt, allowing agencies to efficiently evaluate factors generally thought to affect asphalt mixture durability and performance.

—AASHTO TP 145: Quantifies the effect of moisture on asphalt performance through wheel tracking tests.

—AASHTO R 120: Provides a framework to integrate pavement layer thickness design, mixture design, and construction control of stabilized materials in an efficient manner.

Director Isaac Howard credited the school’s dedication to practical, applications-focused research with establishing these standards. Because of this, the school can directly impact the construction industry and infrastructure.

“Our students, faculty, staff, alumni and stakeholders should be proud of the Rula school’s efforts toward national standards,” Howard said. “It’s a clear message that the states are supportive of the work we’re doing and the impact it has on the construction industry. Our Construction and Materials Regional Consortium is a fruitful partnership.”

The school’s success in establishing these national standards is a testament to its collaborative approach, working closely with industry partners, agencies and students to develop practical, implementable solutions. The school’s work on these standards has benefited the construction industry and provided unique opportunities for students like Jessica Lewis, a Ph.D. candidate studying under a distinguished fellowship from Ergon, to be directly involved in the standard development process. Lewis has been directly involved in developing AASHTO T 401 and TP 145, gaining invaluable experience in the standard-setting process.

“Being able to come in and be a small part of the process to move these standards towards the finish line is something I think is invaluable for my graduate school experience,” Lewis said.

The school’s success in establishing these standards underscores its commitment to advancing the construction industry and providing students with hands-on, impactful experiences. As it continues collaborating with industry partners and agencies including the Mississippi Department of Transportation, the school remains dedicated to practical, research-driven solutions that address infrastructure challenges.