Innovation in Construction Materials

Resiliency, Sustainability, and Performance 

The Lopez-Arias Lab advances innovation in construction materials at the University of California, Merced. By integrating performance, sustainability, and resilience, we develop next-generation materials designed to withstand natural and man-made hazards while reducing the carbon footprint of construction. Our mission is to create the materials that will shape the future of infrastructure.

A primary focus of the lab is the development of sustainable high-performance concrete through microstructural and macrostructural analysis. By bridging material's microstructure to macro-scale performance, we investigate how advanced cementitious materials can achieve enhanced durability, mechanical performance, and multifunctionality.

Established in January 2026, the Lopez-Arias Lab is equipped with the tools necessary to design, fabricate, and characterize advanced construction materials. In combination with access to state-of-the-art core research facilities, the lab enables comprehensive mechanical, durability, and microstructural evaluation of novel material systems.

Professor Marina Lopez-Arias has a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering with a concentration in materials from Purdue University. Her Ph.D. dissertation, entitled "Sustainable Proactive Cementitious Materials: Thermal Energy Storage, CO₂ Capture, and Depollution", focused on the development of multifunctional cementitious systems. Marina has won several international and national awards during her career, including the ACI Foundation's S. P. Shah Fellowship, the National Award for the Best Civil Engineering Thesis in Spain, the Research Excellence Award, and the Outstanding Postdoc Award.