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OU Professor Tries To Crack Issues With Asphalt

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An Ohio University professor has created something that may reduce the costly road repairs caused by winter weather.

Civil engineer Sang-Soo Kim has developed the Asphalt Binder Cracking Device, an instrument nicknamed ABCD.

ABCD is a ring-shaped test bed that can be used at low temperatures to determine how cold conditions can get before an asphalt road will crack.

"i like to make it simple and just create the field conditions in this small device," says Kim.

He hopes his invention will lead to better roadway asphalt preparations to fit the respective climates of different areas.

"This device can measure the properties more accurately so engineers in the field can choose proper asphalt binders," says Kim.

Kim has created a start-up firm for ABCD inside OU's Innovation Center and has received more than a half million dollars in research grant funding.