Half of our 3.9 million miles of streets and highways are either poorly paved or not paved at all. Along the way, the CIS initiative is opening up some of NSF's most complex areas of investigation. The multibillion dollar estimates for renewing America's physical infrastructure are based on technologies currently known and employed. But most current technologies are over a half century old and may no longer be cost effective for the gigantic national tasks ahead. NSF's initiative, therefore, assumes that new knowledge must be developed to renew the Nation's physical infrastructure with greater economy as well as efficiency.
Building materials are a good example.
A few new asphalt mixes are appearing, and concrete is routinely prestressed and reinforced with steel rods and wire. Therefore, the CIS initiative focuses on interdisciplinary problem solving and knowledge sharing. A major objective is to find new ways for collaboration, since many disciplines and interests vital to our physical infrastructure have long histories of working in virtual isolation. The collaborative approach for CIS does work. They were joined by structural dynamics researchers Stuart J. Shelley amd David L. Brown.