In the design and construction industries there is an inadequate understanding of materials behavior and technology, because attention is given primarily to the strength of materials. Owing to this narrow focus, long-term performance of constructed facilities suffers. Therefore, it is necessary to expand our understanding of the properties of construction materials such as concrete, the relationship between these properties and the behavior of materials, and how the material properties are affected by construction methods. Recognizing these deficiencies, many investigators, including myself, are focusing research on durability and failure mechanisms of construction materials. My main research interests include investigation of the behavior of plain and reinforced concrete materials, and, in particular, the development of improved concrete materials and technologies for structural applications. The following are the main research areas in which I am interested:
Fracture Mechanics: Investigating fracture mechanics of concrete. Topics of investigation
include: using the molten metal alloy injection method to investigate
fractures of concrete, application of stereology to analyze compressive
stress-induced microcracks in concrete, fracture analysis of concrete
using scanning electron microscopy, effect of confinement on the
fracture behavior of concrete under compression, and development
of micromechanical models to simulate crack growth in concrete.
Application of innovative experimental techniques to investigate fracture behavior of materials:
Application of techniques such as molten-metal-injection method for:
Application
of scanning electron microscopy to microstructure of concrete:
Utilization of advanced image analysis techniques in conjunction with scanning
electron microscopy for investigation of fracture behavior of concrete
under various loading conditions.
Accelerated Construction with Portland Cement Concrete Pavement (PCCP):
PCCP reconstruction
for urban highways and intersections is frequently not considered due to perceived constructability
problems, especially at locations with high traffic flow. As a solution to chronic asphalt rutting and
in order to mitigate the maintenance and rehabilitation costs, fast track construction with PCCP
requires further innovations. These innovations may include technologies to increase pavement
service life, decrease construction time, lower life cycle and maintenance costs, utilize innovative
construction equipment or procedures, and alternate concrete mix designs.
Improvement
of toughness of cementitious materials:
Incorporation of fibers in the matrix to reduce brittleness, improve toughness,
and fracture resistance. Improvement of the interfacial zone between the
cement paste phase and other phases in the system such as aggregate or
fiber for more effective composite action in fiber and non-fiber reinforced
systems. Understanding the role of the interfacial zone in fracture, which
is very important for micromechanical models, macroscopic continuum models,
and constitutive relationships of cement-based materials.
Experimental
Methods in Fracture Mechanics of Concrete
Pull-Out-Induced Cracks In Reinforced Concrete
Multifractality of Fracture Patterns Under Various Stress Fields in Concrete
ACI
Mix Design
The Center for Advanced Cement-Based Materials (ACBM)
Alkali-Aggregate
Reaction
University
of Tokyo Concrete Laboratory
The Concrete Microscopy Library
WWW
Library of Civil Engineering
Conversion
Factors
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