Navneet Garg, Ph.D., F.ASCE, program manager for the National Airport Pavement and Materials Research Center at the Federal Aviation Administration, has been named a fellow by the ASCE Board of Direction.
Garg works in the FAA’s Airport Technology Research & Development arm. His journey and career in civil engineering has be a rewarding one, helping him grow both professionally and personally. He has worked on research projects such as conceptualizing and developing NAPMRC, developing specifications (included in FAA advisory circular) for FAA customized asphalt pavement analyzer as well as a strain gage–based sensor system to detect delamination/debonding in hot mix asphalt overlays at high-speed exits at airports, and the congressionally mandated study Operational Life of Airport Pavements, which he led.
The research results from these projects have been included in standards and specifications for airport pavement design and construction, used on airport projects around the world to handle current and future aircraft traffic in a safe and efficient manner, and reduced the downtime of runways from construction and maintenance activities.
Being chair of ASCE’s Airfield Pavement Committee has helped Garg bridge the gap between research and practice by bringing practitioners and researchers together through various seminars and lectures.
Naturally, Garg’s work has allowed him to travel internationally to either present his research papers or teach/educate in various workshops. This has brought him much collaborative learning with international researchers. He also mentors high school students (through STEM programs), and graduate students through ACRP Student Grants and thesis committees.
His current research focuses on studying the application potential of innovative and sustainable materials in airport pavements to reduce the embodied carbon of transportation infrastructure. It is globally impactful research combining Garg’s passion for civil engineering and love for aviation.
