Insituform Technologies, Inc. Donates $25,000 to Louisiana Tech University’s Trenchless Technology Center Donation will help fund new research facility

ST. LOUIS, Mo., March 21 – Louisiana Tech University’s Trenchless Technology Center received a $25,000 donation from Insituform Technologies Thursday to help fund a new research facility at its Ruston, La. campus.

The donation was presented to Ray Sterling, program Director and Professor of the Trenchless Technology Center (TTC) at Insituform’s department for Research & Development in Chesterfield, Mo.

Sterling says the new facility will allow for more detailed and controlled experiments to be conducted. “Trenchless has been around for 30 years, but is still not largely understood by the general public. Hopefully the research produced at the Trenchless Technology Center will help trenchless methods to become more universally accepted,” said Sterling.

Construction for the facility will take place over seven months according to a report from the TTC. Phase I of construction includes a soil-structure interaction facility funded by the National Science Foundation. At completion the testing facility will include a large soil chamber, seminar room, graduate offices, specimen preparation area and a reception area. The facility is set to be dedicated in October.

According to Sterling, the funding of trenchless technology is important because of the growing need for trenchless rehabilitation caused by urbanization: “In view of increasing urbanization, new growth requires renewal of underground utilities. Trenchless technology allows us to renew and rebuild without tearing up street and disturbing the daily lives of people who live in urban areas,” Sterling said.

Insituform is a charter member of the Advisory Board for the Trenchless Technology Center, supporting the TTC since its formation in 1991. Insituform Senior Applications Manager Lynn Osborn sits on the Trenchless Technology Advisory Board.

Sterling was appreciative of the donation by Insituform and the support the TTC has received from the trenchless industry as a whole. “Insituform’s donation is making this new facility a reality. It’s truly great the way the industry has really rallied around the idea of a national facility,” he said. 

About the Trenchless Technology Center
The Trenchless Technology Center (TTC) is a university/industry cooperative research center under the College of Engineering and Science at Louisiana Tech University. Its mission is to advance trenchless technology by serving as an independent source of knowledge, research and education.