Will Hansen

Will Hansen is a Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Michigan, where he has been a faculty member since 1983. He previously held positions as Associate Professor (1989–2004), Assistant Professor (1983–1989), and served as Professor of Building Materials at Aalborg University, Denmark (1990–1991). His research focuses on concrete materials, pavements, and infrastructure durability.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Civil Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (1983)
• M.S. in Civil Engineering, Denmark Technical University (1977)

Research Interests: Professor Hansen's work spans mechanistic studies of concrete, early-age material properties, curling-warping in pavements, sustainable cementitious blends, concrete repair materials, creep/shrinkage analysis, and durability mitigation. His group employs advanced experimental methods including low-temperature dilatometry, freeze-thaw testing, and stress modeling to address infrastructure challenges.

Awards and Honors:

• ACI Fellow (FACI, 2003)
• ASCE-CEE Teacher of the Year (1996/97)
• CEE Department Research Award (1995/96)
• Masuda International Foundation Fellowship, Kobe University (1989)
• Chi-Epsilon Honor Society (1988)
• University of Michigan Teaching and Research Awards

Advising and Grants: He mentors PhD students in concrete science and pavement engineering, with current advisees Zhichao Liu (frost deterioration) and Bo Meng (creep/shrinkage). Former students hold academic positions globally. His MDOT-funded projects include studies on JPCP overlays (RC-1574), pavement durability (RC-1534), and early cracking mechanisms (RC-1501).

Laboratories: Leads the Pavement Research Center of Excellence, equipped with specialized instrumentation: Temperature Stress Testing Machines, creep frames, isothermal calorimeters, rheometers, and environmental simulation systems for concrete analysis.