Structural Engineering and Mechanics

Research includes the application of innovative materials and structural systems to solve problems of traditional civil infrastructure, marine applications, and other non-traditional applications. Particular areas of strength are composite materials, including wood-based, polymer matrix, and cement-based systems, as well as innovative computational modeling approaches.

Faculty:

Current Projects:

  •  “Effect of Core Layer Gaps on Strength and Stiffness of Cross-Laminated Timber Panels.”
    • Faculty Advisors: Dr. Bill Davids & Dr. Roberto Lopez-Anido
    • MsStudent: Charlie Gardner
  •  “Shear Connectors for Hybrid Composite FRP-Concrete Bridge Girders.”
    • Faculty Advisor: Dr. Bill Davids
    • MS Student: Dante Guzzi
  • “Advanced Analysis and Splicing of Concrete-Filled Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Tubes.”
    • Faculty Advisor: Dr. Bill Davids
    • PhD Student: Hakeem Majeed
  • “Fabrication and Mechanical Behavior of Shear Connectors for Thermoplastic Composite-Reinforced Concrete Beams.”
    • Faculty Advisors: Dr. Bill Davids & Dr. Roberto Lopez-Anido
    • MS Student: Camerin Seigars
  • “Bending Strength of in-Service Cast-in-Place T-Beam Bridge Based on Field Load Testing and Advanced Analysis.”
    • Faculty Advisor: Dr. Bill Davids
    • MS Student: Andrew Schanck
  • “Hybrid Thermoplastic Composite-Concrete Structural Members: Fabrication and Structural Response.”
    • Faculty Advisors: Dr. Bill Davids & Dr. Roberto Lopez-Anido
    • MS Student: Ben Smith
  • “Self-Erecting Hybrid Inflatable-Rigid Wall Shelters for Military Applications.”
    • Faculty Advisor: Dr. Bill Davids
    • MS Student: Jay Wegner
  • “Monitoring and Analysis of Micropile-Supported Integral Abutment Bridges.”
    • Faculty Advisor: Dr. Bill Davids
    • PhD Student:  Mahmood Albraheemi
  • “An investigation on the effects of cellulose nano-fibrils (CNF) on the properties of Portland cement paste”
    • Faculty Advisor: Dr. Eric Landis
    • PhD student:  Hosain Haddad Kolour
  • “Fracture Measurements in ultra-high-performance concrete using digital volume correlation and x-ray computed tomography”
    • Faculty Advisor: Dr. Eric Landis
    • PhD student:  Dmitry Loshkov
  • “Investigations of cellulosic nanocomposites on cement-based systems” 
    • Faculty Advisor: Dr. Eric Landis
    • PhD student:  Yi Peng
  • “Impact performance of ultra-high-performance-concrete panels with thermoplastic composite reinforcements”
    • Faculty Advisor: Dr. Eric Landis
    • MS student:  Reagan Smith
  • “Laboratory measurements of CNF-modified concrete”
    • Faculty Advisor: Dr. Eric Landis
    • MS student: Parivash Takasi
  • “Development and utilization of silica-cellulose nanocomposites for Portland cement systems”
    • Faculty Advisor: Dr. Warda Ashraf and Dr. Eric Landis
    • MS student:  K. Kavya Shirisha
  • “Alternative Cementitious Materials with Low-CO2 Footprint”
    • Faculty Advisor: Dr. Warda Ashraf
    • MS Student: Mohammad Rakibul Islam Khan
  • “Value-added Utilization of Woody Bio-ash in Construction Materials”
    • Faculty Advisor: Dr. Warda Ashraf
    • MS Student: Naveen Saladi
  • “Develop multi‐scale modeling and experimental techniques in additive manufacturing of thermoplastic composites”
    • Faculty Advisor: Dr. Roberto Lopez-Anido & Dr. Doug Gardner
    • PhD student: Sunil Bhandari
  • “Development of Wood Plastic Composite Timber for Innovative Marine Application”
    • Faculty Advisor: Dr. Roberto Lopez-Anido & Dr. Doug Gardner
    • PhD student: Murtada Alrubaie
  • “Feasibility of 3D printing of shelter components and parts”
    • Faculty Advisor: Dr. Roberto Lopez-Anido
    • MS student: PianPian Cheng
  • “Impact damage modeling of carbon fiber 3D woven composite”
    • Faculty Advisor: Dr. Roberto Lopez-Anido & Dr. Sethil S. Vel
    • MS student: Maitham Alabbad (Mechanical Engineering)
  • “Performance of Reinforced Thermoplastic Composite Structural Shelters”
    • Faculty Advisor: Dr. Roberto Lopez-Anido
    • MS student: Adam Letourneau (Mechanical Engineering)
  • “Damage Resistance and Tolerance of 3D Woven Composites”
    • Faculty Advisor: Dr. Roberto Lopez-Anido & Dr. Keith Berube
    • MS student: Justin McDermott (Mechanical Engineering)
  • “ Modeling and Simulation of the Thermoforming Process for Manufacturing of Thermoplastic Composites”
    • Faculty Advisor: Dr. Roberto Lopez-Anido & Dr. Senthil S. Vel
    • MS student: Philip Bean (Mechanical Engineering)

Recent Publications:

See faculty links for recent publications