A row of containers of concrete sit on a table in a laboratory setting.

Research under Dr. Tyler Ley focusing on concrete mixtures to withstand freezing climates

Wednesday, May 7, 2025

Media Contact: Tanner Holubar | Communications Specialist | 405-744-2065 | tanner.holubar@okstate.edu

In regions that regularly experience extreme cold, roadways and bridges go through constant freezing and thawing cycles.   

This requires special blends of concrete known as air-entraining concrete mixtures, which have certain additives to create tiny air bubbles in the concrete. As water freezes inside the concrete, these air bubbles give the frozen water room to expand, helping prevent cracks and other defects in the concrete.  

These types of mixtures are being studied as part of a research project in the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology by Dr. Tyler Ley, Regents Professor and Cooper W&W Steel Chair in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and his students as part of a project funded by the South Dakota Department of Transportation.  

Students involved with this project are Autumn Burns, a graduate research assistant on Ley’s CIVE team, as well as Mohammed Jobaer Uddin, a postdoc fellow who earned his Ph.D. in 2024. 

A group of students work with concrete in a laboratory setting. — Students work with stages of concrete mixtures as part of research on non-vinsol air entraining mixtures that can better withstand freezing temperatures.

Vinsol resin, made from pine, was formerly used as an additive for these mixtures to stabilize air bubbles, but it is no longer commercially available. New additives, made of synthetic surfactants or organic materials that work like vinsol resin to form microscopic bubbles in the mixtures, are now used for air-entraining concrete mixtures. 

These stress-relieving bubbles are like putting a pressure relief valve on a full water bottle in the freezer. If the bottle is filled, it will shatter, but if a pressure relief valve is added, the pressure will not cause the bottle to break.

“This same idea applies to concrete,” Burns said. “In cold climates, the water inside the concrete expands and causes cracks. To prevent this, people add special additives to the concrete while mixing to add more bubbles so the water can expand without causing damage.” 

This can help mitigate issues such as cracks, potholes and corrosion, as well as reinforce the concrete to withstand harsher climates. 

Ley’s research team will study these mixtures through lab testing and monitor their performance over time to ensure they meet the SDDOT standards.  

Mix trials will compare the quality and stability of air void systems and will focus on two different mixtures: pavement mix, which is used for roads and designed to handle heavy traffic and long-term wear; and bridge deck mix, a stronger mix with a higher cementitious content than pavement.  

Containers of concrete mixtures are seen on a table in a laboratory setting. — Autumn Burns, a graduate research assistant on the team of Dr. Tyler Ley, works with a concrete mixture at the Bert Cooper Civil Engineering Lab at Oklahoma State University. Ley's research team is studying concrete mixtures that can better withstand freezing temperatures.

The main goal for this project is to make recommendations to the SDDOT’s standard specifications for roads and bridges and provide a list of air-entraining mixtures to be included in the organization’s approved products list. 

“Each mix will be tested for temperature, slump, unit weight, air content and SAM number (used to test the air void system in fresh concrete) throughout the testing process,” Burns said. “Additionally, mix samples will undergo hardened air void analysis to measure the spacing in the concrete, as well as freeze-thaw resistance and strength testing to assess long-term durability.” 

With undergraduate and graduate students playing a vital role in the research, they gain hands-on experience in material testing, mix design, and data analysis.  

“Both undergraduate and graduate students at OSU collaborate throughout the process, gaining valuable real-world experience that prepares them for careers in civil engineering,” Burns said.

Visit Ley's YouTube page for more on his research on concrete.