Scientists at the Composite Materials & Engineering Center (CMEC) develop new building materials and fuels from a range of recycled and virgin resources. They also design structural systems that utilize the new materials effectively. Rigorous structural testing ensures that innovations are efficient, economically viable, and safe.
In the Center’s Wood Materials Engineering Lab, research projects are as varied as designing wood plastic composites for use in construction and converting forest residuals into alternative jet fuel. Projects span fundamental and applied areas of wood materials and engineering.
Is your deck designed to handle a crowd? Can your home withstand an earthquake? CMEC structural engineering researchers answer questions like these every day to create safer and more efficient structural materials and systems.