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Four faculty members in the Tagliatela College of Engineering have received Connecticut Department of Transportation research funding for projects focused on drone-based infrastructure inspection, stormwater management, and corrosion assessment.

Four faculty members in the University of New Haven’s Tagliatela College of Engineering (TCoE) have received research funding from the (CTDOT) for three projects this year, marking an exciting milestone for the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

The awards come just two years after the department received its first CTDOT research grant, reflecting the growing strength of its research capabilities and its commitment to developing practical solutions for the state’s transportation infrastructure challenges.

The three projects address distinct but interconnected needs: improving the accuracy of drone-based surveying and infrastructure inspection, identifying more efficient approaches to stormwater maintenance, and developing nondestructive methods for assessing corrosion in steel structures.

Together, the projects bring expertise from across engineering disciplines to address questions that could help transportation agencies make better-informed decisions about infrastructure inspection, maintenance, and resource allocation.

"Receiving three CTDOT-funded research awards in a single year is an exciting milestone," Byungik Chang, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering said. "These three awards demonstrate the growing strength of our faculty’s research and our commitment to addressing Connecticut’s infrastructure needs."

'Clear, practical answers'

The project led by faculty member Reihaneh Samsami, Ph.D., P.E., CAPM, will evaluate drone-based surveying and mapping technologies to help CTDOT determine how best to use them across Connecticut’s transportation infrastructure.

"Drones are now common across state DOTs, but there is still little independent evidence on how much the results depend on who flies the drone, what season it is, how the data is georeferenced, and which software processes it," Dr. Samsami explained. "The goal is to give CTDOT clear, practical answers."

The project aims to establish when camera-based drone surveys are sufficient, when light detection and ranging (LiDAR) technology is necessary, and when a combination of technologies or conventional surveying remains the better option.

The project also intends to produce a vetted list of platforms, standard operating procedures, and quality-control standards that CTDOT can adopt across the agency. More consistent data could support digital infrastructure management while reducing the need for personnel to work near active roadways.

"Students will work with survey-grade equipment, including RTK drones, GNSS receivers, and a drone LiDAR system," Dr. Samsami said. "They will collaborate directly with CTDOT engineers and surveyors."

'A simple rule of thumb'

Another project, led by Nandan Shetty, Ph.D., will investigate whether CTDOT can improve the efficiency of catch-basin maintenance by prioritizing locations near the downstream ends of drainage networks.

Catch basins help manage stormwater runoff and capture sediment, making their maintenance important to drainage performance and water quality. The research will test whether concentrating cleaning efforts on selected catch basins can achieve similar outcomes while reducing the number that need to be cleaned.

"We’re testing whether CTDOT can clean fewer catch basins by prioritizing those near the downstream end of a drainage network, while achieving similar sediment and water-quality outcomes," Dr. Shetty explained. "The research could provide a simple rule of thumb for what proportion of a drainage network needs to be prioritized.

The project will also expand the department’s modeling capabilities. Dr. Shetty plans to use EPA SWMM, a widely used model for urban stormwater systems, to compare predictions about runoff and sediment movement with measurements collected in the field.

"What I especially like about this project is that we’ll be able to compare what the model predicts about runoff and sediment movement with what we actually measure in the field," he said.

'Create valuable opportunities for our students'

The third project, led by Huan Gu, Ph.D., with Chang as co-principal investigator, brings together chemical and civil engineering expertise to develop a nondestructive approach to assessing corrosion in steel infrastructure.

Corrosion can affect the condition and service life of bridges and other steel structures. Accurately evaluating conditions without damaging protective coatings presents an important challenge for transportation agencies.

"Our goal is to provide useful information about that condition while preserving the coating and avoiding damage to the structure," Dr. Chang said.

If successful, the approach could help agencies identify corrosion earlier, target repairs more effectively, and prioritize limited maintenance resources. The research ultimately aims to support safer infrastructure and extend the service life of steel structures.

Across all three projects, the awards, "create valuable opportunities for our students to participate in applied research that can help improve the safety, sustainability, and efficiency of transportation infrastructure," Dr. Chang said.