By Claire Galvin, Manager of Communications and Digital Strategy

U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney visited the University of Connecticut on Friday, July 7 to hear the latest on crumbling concrete foundation research conducted by the UConn School of Engineering.

The Congressman was welcomed by UConn President Radenka Maric and UConn Engineering staff and faculty. Courtney and Maric were also joined by Debbie McCoy, a Vernon resident whose home was affected and who’s among the leaders of a group who have supported the research and testing.

Courtney was brought up to speed on the latest research efforts conducted through the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department.

The UConn School of Engineering has been a leader in crumbling concrete research. To date, the team has developed a testing method that is minimally invasive to the foundation in use, and is time and cost-efficient; and conducted intense research based on 100+ houses showing 70+ homes with sulfide-bearing minerals that can contribute to crumbling concrete. Next steps will include expanding the evaluations of mitigation methods, with a focus on cost-effective alternatives to replacement.

Courtney briefly discussed the Community Project Funding that was included in the FY23 omnibus to support ongoing research into crumbling foundations.