YOU ARE INVITED TO THE NEXT
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CIVIL ENGINEERS
NORTH CAROLINA SECTION
EASTERN BRANCH
LUNCHEON
In-Person: RSVP Online Now
Virtual: RSVP Online Now
NOTICE: This meeting is offered in-person and virtually. See below for details.
In-person registration closes at midnight on Monday, April 14, 2025. Virtual registration is open until the day of the event.
Speaker: Shane Underwood Ph.D.
Date: Thursday, April 17, 2025
Topic: Advancing Pavement Engineering: Durability, Safety, and Resilience through Multiscale Research
Time: 12:00PM - 1:00PM
Summary: Understanding and predicting pavement performance requires more than empirical observation—it demands a fundamental grasp of the mechanisms driving behavior across scales. This talk will highlight research from the Asphalt Multiscale Mechanics and Characterization (AM2C) Lab at North Carolina State University, which seeks to connect material-level phenomena to network-level outcomes through mechanistic modeling and multiscale analysis. Broadly, the talk will cover research performed at the AM2C Lab across three interrelated areas: (1) durability and structural performance, where microstructural damage mechanisms to long-term cracking and rutting predictions are linked; (2) pavement safety, where texture and friction are characterized and modeled to forecast crash-related risks; and (3) resilience to extreme events, where researchers are quantifying how thermal, moisture, and loading extremes impact performance, and develop predictive tools to assess future vulnerability. A common thread across these efforts is the use of mechanistically-grounded models to support predictive assessments and decision tools—providing practitioners with the means to anticipate performance, optimize interventions, and design more robust infrastructure. Together, these efforts support more durable, safer, and climate-resilient transportation infrastructure.
Bio: Dr. Benjamin Shane Underwood is a Professor, University Faculty Scholar, and Associate Head for Undergraduate Programs in the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering at NC State University. He earned his Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from NC State in 2011, following M.S. and B.S. degrees from the same institution. Prior to joining the NC State faculty, he served as an Assistant Professor at Arizona State University in the School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment. Dr. Underwood’s research focuses on the multiscale behavior of asphalt materials and pavement systems, emphasizing performance prediction, safety, and resilience. His work spans fundamental material characterization, fracture mechanics, and network-level pavement management. He has authored or co-authored over 160 peer-reviewed journal articles, led more than 45 funded research projects, and mentored over 15 doctoral students to completion. His predictive models and analytical tools have contributed to the development of performance-related specifications and climate-resilient infrastructure strategies. He is also recognized for his outstanding teaching, receiving multiple university- and college-level awards. Dr. Underwood actively contributes to national and international committees in pavement engineering and currently serves as a Senior Editor for the Journal of the Association of Asphalt Paving Technologists and as Associate Editor for the Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering and Road Materials and Pavement Design.
Location: This luncheon will be held at the beautiful NC State University Club at 4200 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27606. You can contact the NC University Club at (919) 828-0308 if you need assistance locating their establishment.
We are also offering a virtual-only option. Instructions and a link to the virtual meeting (via Zoom) will been sent to the registered participants. If you do not receive the login information, please contact us. You will have the option to install software for a better viewing experience, but the video will otherwise play in a standard web browser. You will not need to create an account.
Fees:
$25 for ASCE Members
$30 for Non-ASCE Members and Guests
$10 for ASCE Life Members and Unemployed ASCE Members.
$10 for Virtual Only
Free for Students
Credit cards are accepted for pre-registration but not at the door. There is a Venmo payment option for pre-registration. If you are paying at the door, please bring cash or a check made out to "ASCE NC Eastern Branch".
RSVP: Our online system handles all registrations and payments. You can register and pay for the event online using your credit card. Even if you don't want to pay online, please use the online system to register. There are no additional fees, accounts, or passwords to remember. The online system will also allow you to specify if you prefer a vegetarian meal. Upon arrival at the event, just check-in at the registration table using your name.
We understand your schedule may change and you might not be able to make it to the event. Cancellations with refunds can be honored up until four days prior to the event by sending an email. If you are neither able to attend nor cancel in time, you may send a replacement.
PDH: To help Professional Engineers in attendance acquire 15 Professional Development Hour (PDH) units per license renewal period in accordance with 21 NCAC 56.1703, a one hour PDH certificate will be emailed to registered participants after the presentation.