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Objectives

The COE will achieve this Peak of Excellence objective by engaging in four types of activities over the next five years:

(a) Strengthening existing infrastructure R & D capabilities, for example, by improving capabilities of the National Center for Asphalt Technology and Highway Research Center. In addition, developing and operating the Spring Villa Research Facility and focusing research faculty will strengthen key highway infrastructure R&D capabilities.

(b) Redirecting or refocusing strong, existing capabilities that have been used in the past to solve other problems.

(c) Building capabilities in certain key areas, for example by hiring nationally prominent researchers or leaders to fill in the gaps of COE capabilities.

(d) Contacting relevant interest groups and envisioning interdisciplinary cooperation to carefully identify research capabilities or expertise.

The proposed program was organized in a way that reflects the three technical areas of commercial vehicles, highway infrastructure and modeling and simulation. Emphasis is placed on interaction between the three areas and team building.