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Dr. Nabil Grace’s specialization is in structural engineering, highway bridges and composite materials. He is the originator and founding director of the Center for Innovative Materials Research (CIMR) at Lawrence Technological University, a multimillion dollar facility dedicated in 2008. Dr. Grace successfully obtained funding for this dynamic facility that offers students a variety of applied research opportunities and, at this time, is primarily devoted to the investigation of the use of composite materials in structural applications and for defense industry.
Dr. Grace’s research interests include application of carbon fiber reinforced polymer to structural engineering, assessment of dynamic behavior of composite automobile components, environmentally dependent behavior of composites, and infrastructure rehabilitation using composite materials. Dr. Grace’s research has been funded by the National Science Foundation, Army Research Laboratory (ARL), Tank Automotive Research Development Engineering Center (TARDEC), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Michigan Department of Transportation, Ohio Department of Transpiration, Maine Department of Transportation, North Carolina Department of Transpiration, Iowa Department of Transpiration, American Concrete Institute and several private manufacturing organizations.
His research activities have attracted some $18 million in private, state, and federal grants, and have been implemented in the design, construction, instrumentation, and field testing for the first Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) prestressed concrete highway bridge in United States history. Twenty prestressed concrete highway bridges using these unique solutions have now been deployed in such states as Michigan, Ohio, Virginia, North Carolina, and Maine. Dr. Grace’s research team has been continuously monitoring the behavior of five of these bridges and will continue to monitor their behavior under a contract with MDOT & FHWA until 2025.
Dr. Grace and his research team developed and issued the first design guidelines for CFRP prestressed concrete bridges and is currently posted on the main web page for MDOT along with design examples for the design calculations of four major bridges. Dr. Grace has been awarded four US patents in innovative bridge design and for advanced composite materials such as ductile hybrid fabric. Dr. Grace has published over 150 papers in national and international journals and for conferences.
Dr. Grace has served as dean of LTU’s College of Engineering since 2012. He chaired what is now the Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering 2002-2011. He received his master’s and Ph.D. in civil engineering from the University of Windsor, Ontario, and his bachelor’s degree from Cairo University.
Composite Armor with Cellular Structure – Patent No. US 7,703,375 B1
New Box Beam Bridge System – Patent No. US 7,296,317 B2
Ductile Hybrid Structural Fabric – Patent No. US 6,790,518 B2
Continuous CFRP Decked Bulb T Beam Bridges for Accelerated Bridge Construction – Patent No. US 9,309,634 B2
Source | Amount |
Michigan Department of Transportation, State-Wide Monitoring for CFRP Prestressed Concrete Bridges (2014-2020) | $395,540 |
Tank Automotive Research Development Engineering Center (TARDEC) US—Army, Composites Armor (2013 – 2015) | $260,000 |
Michigan Department of Transportation, Design Guidelines for CFRP Prestressed Concrete Bridges (2013-2017) | $341,814 |
National Science Foundation (2013 -2014) | $53,000 |
Michigan Department of Transportation, Durability Evaluation for CFRP Prestressed Concrete Bridges (2013-2017) | $345,000 |
Michigan Department of Transportation-Pool Fund (2011-2014) | $349,000 |
US Army Tank Automotive Research Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) (2010-2013) | $1,480,000 |
National Science Foundation (2010-2014) | $260,000 |
National Science Foundation (2010-2011) | $50,000 |
National Science Foundation (2010-2011) | $49,900 |
US Army Tank Automotive Research Development and Engineering Center TARDEC (2009-2011) | $730,000 |
US Army Tank Automotive Research Development and Engineering Center TARDEC (2008-2011) | $850,530 |
Michigan Economic Development Corporation (2006-2011) | $900,000 |
US-Department of Transportation (2006-2012) | $1,100,000 |
Michigan Department of Transportation (2006-2008) | $168,000 |
US-Army Research Laboratory-ARL Agreement (2005-2010) | $11,196,300 |
National Science Foundation (2005-2007) | $99,500 |
Mitsui/Tokyo Rope Manufacturer, Inc., Japan (2007-2011) | $200,000 |
National Science Foundation (2004-2008) | $315,000 |
Mitsui/Tokyo Rope Manufacturer, Inc., Japan (2004-2007) | $150,000 |
Michigan Department of Transportation (2002-2004) | $310,918 |
National Science Foundation (2000-2004) | $210,650 |
Diversified Composites, Inc. (2002-2003) | $33,000 |
Glasforms, Inc., and Grafil Co., CA. (2000-02) | $22,000 |
Ohio Department of Transportation (2000-2003) | $223,158 |
National Science Foundation (1999-2004) | $203,415 |
Grant for the Design and Construction of the First CFRP-Prestressed Concrete Bridge in the US-City of Southfield, MI Transportation Bill “TEA-21”, (1998) | $3,150,000 |
National Science Foundation (1999-2003) | $152,000 |
US-FHWA, Grant for Instrumentation and Monitoring | |
“City of Southfield Bridge”-(1999-2005) | $700,000 |
National Science Foundation (1997-2000) | $221,691 |
Ohio Department of Transportation (1999-2002) | $326,089 |
DaimlerChrysler Challenge Fund (1999-2001) | $200,000 |
Visteon (1999-2001) | $50,000 |
Chrysler Corporation, Detroit, MI (1997-99) | $200,000 |
American Concrete Institute (ACI-CRC) (1999-2001) | $20,000 |
American Concrete Institute-ACI (CRC) (1997-99) | $18,000 |
City of Southfield, Michigan (1996-99) | $92,000 |
Great Lakes Steel Fabricators (1996) | $25,000 |
Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, Japan (1996) | ¥1,500,000 |
National Science Foundation (1994-1997) | $216,250 |
National Science Foundation (1991-1994) | $125,920 |
National Science Foundation (1989-1991) | $103,444 |
Holnam Inc., Michigan (1999) | $18,000 |
Sika Corporation (1998-1999) | $67,000 |
Leader and Innovator 2009 From Lawrence Technological University |
Emerging Leader of the Year Finalist 2008 From Lawrence Technological University |
University Distinguished Professor From the Lawrence Technological University Board of Trustees |
Harry D Edwards Industry Advancement Award Co-Winner for the Bridge Street Bridge |
Engineering Surveying Excellence Award 2002 Eminent Conceptor Award for Engineering From The American Consulting Engineers Council (ACEC) of Michigan, and the Michigan Society of Professional Engineers |
Michigan Leading Edge Technologies Award 1997 |
CERF Charles Pankow Award for Innovation 1997 |
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