Research Clusters

Research in Advanced Materials explores novel processing, characterization and design techniques for construction materials to build, repair, monitor, and even power our surrounding infrastructure. Material systems include polymers, composites, cement-based materials and concrete, and asphalts. 

Computational Mechanics is the intersection of mechanics, applied mathematics, and computer science, which is aimed at developing new methods for solving computationally-challenging problems in science and engineering.

The Construction Engineering and Management (CEM) Program prepares students to effectively deliver and manage the capital facilities and infrastructure that provides the setting for human and social activity, while also supporting worldwide economic development.

Fluid mechanics is the branch of classical physics and mathematics concerned with the response of matter that continuously deforms (flows) when subjected to a shear stress. The subject can be divided into fluid statics - the study of fluids at rest, and fluid dynamics - the study of the effect of forces on fluid motion. Fluid flows impact transport and mixing (of materials or properties) in the environment and in industrial processes, and are hence of interest across a wide range of fields - including engineering, physics, mathematics and biology. Fluid mechanics is the subject of active international research, and features some of the most important unsolved problems of classical physics.

Geotechnical engineers are nowadays mandated to design foundations and soil structures that ensure stability and satisfactory performance under the impact of natural disasters, such as earthquake and heavy rainfall. Meanwhile, many civilian and military engineering problems involving geological materials, such as artificial freezing of soil for tunneling, long-term geological disposals of nuclear waste, carbon dioxide and hydraulic fractures require knowledge from responses of geological materials beyond the typical ranges of confining pressure, temperature range, and loading rates in classical soil and rock mechanics. This modern development motivates the incorporations of seismology, continuum mechanics, discrete mechanics, transport phenomena, physical (centrifuge)  and numerical modelings for geomechanics applications.

Research of Multi-Hazard Risk Assessment and Mitigation explores risk assessment and risk management of civil infrastructure subjected to natural and man-made hazards. These hazards include earthquakes, floods, wind and blasts. Civil infrastructure includes buildings, bridges, above ground and underground transportation facilities, etc.

Research in Safety and Reliability explores primarily probabilistic and statistical approaches for the analysis, optimization, design, construction, maintenance and operations of structures and other engineering systems, such as buildings, bridges, earth structures, offshore facilities, and nuclear structural systems.

Transportation engineering is the application of technology and scientific principles to the design, operation, planning and management of transportation infrastructure, mobility service, traffic, and travelers for various travel modes, in order to provide for the safe, efficient, rapid, comfortable, convenient, economical, and environmentally sustainable movement of people and goods.