Civil Engineering Student Wins Poster Competition

Photo by Katie Chevrier

Chase Henrichs

Chase Henrichs, a graduate student in civil engineering, won the best poster in the Student Poster Competition at the Association of Asphalt Paving Technologists 90th Annual Meeting in Portland on March 8-11. Sixteen students participated in the competition.

Henrichs' poster, titled "Laboratory Comparison of Full Depth Reclamation Stabilization Techniques Using Arkansas Field Materials," shows the research that he has conducted this year under the advisement of Andrew Braham, a civil engineering assistant professor.

Specifically, Henrichs' research focuses on a pavement rehabilitation technique called full depth reclamation that is less expensive and more energy efficient than completely reconstructing a road. He developed and tested twelve different full depth reclamation mix designs from four highways in Arkansas to evaluate their performance in the laboratory.

Henrichs said he spent about five hours working on the poster. "I went to the competition last year in Atlanta, and it was my first year to do any kind of presentation like that," he said. "It was awesome to have the opportunity to go back this year and compete again. I saw a lot of really great posters there, so it's an honor that they thought mine deserved to win."

Henrichs explained that working on research with Braham, as well as with other students, has been a positive experience. "He's really good at getting you headed in the right direction but then letting you pace yourself and do your own work," he said. "I'm also really thankful for Sadie Smith, another graduate student who has helped me out a lot with my research."

"AAPT is the most prestigious conference for asphalt pavements in the United States and probably in the world," said Braham. "It's difficult enough to have the poster accepted, but to beat out fourteen other posters is an incredible accomplishment.  I am sure that winning the award was one of the highlights of Chase's experience in graduate studies here at the University of Arkansas, but I hope he knows that it was one of the highlights of my academic career as well!"

You can find Henrichs' poster here.