Kamran M. Nemati's

Research Interests

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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.
 

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Research Areas

Experimental Methods in Fracture Mechanics of Concrete

Pull-Out-Induced Cracks In Reinforced Concrete

Multifractality of Fracture Patterns Under Various Stress Fields in Concrete

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 Concrete-Related Sites

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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