Research
Materials Science & Engineering
Hernandez Research Group
Research in our group focuses on the application of environmental microbiology to emerging engineering and health issues. Research areas include bioaerosol characterization, bioaerosol oxidation, inactivation of airborne pathogens, microbial treatment of acid mine drainage, and microbially-induced concrete corrosion. Current projects include Biological Load in Bioaerosols, A Toxicological Suite for the Analysis of Airborne Particulate Matter; Characterization and Solutions for Microbially-Induced Concrete Corrosion; and Survival and Inactivation in Airborne Pathogen Transmission.
Hubler Research Group
Dr. Hubler’s research group addresses construction material design for structures under unique loading conditions and for improved lifetime. The overarching goal of our research is to develop the means to create metamaterials which capitalize on valuable fracture, fragmentation, and energy dissipation mechanics behaviors seen in rock, concrete, and colloidal structures. In pursuit of this goal, current work aims to build a better understanding of the mechanics of random multiscale materials through experimental and analytical methods. Ongoing research involves the design of cementitious materials, micro-structure quantification, carbon sequestration, electromagnetic shielding, fracture mechanics, micro- and meso-scale testing, energy dissipation, creep, and dynamic fragmentation.
Our teaching and research focus on computational multiscale multiphysics materials modeling for simulating inelastic deformation and failure in heterogeneous porous media, including saturated and partially saturated soils and rock, unbonded particulate materials (e.g., sand, gravel, or metallic powders), bonded particulate materials (e.g., sandstone, asphalt, concrete, ceramics, energetic materials, ...), soft biological tissues (e.g., ocular lens tissue), and thin deformable porous materials and membranes, for instance. Scales of interest range from the microstructural/histological to the continuum. Accounting for microstructural features and response at the pore/particle/grain scale is critical to understanding and modeling predictively a material's inelastic deformation and transition to failure at the continuum scale (engineering scale of interest). Accounting for histological features and response at the cellular/extracellular matrix (ECM) scale likewise is critical to understanding and modeling predictively a biological tissue's range of response under physiological and surgical influences as well as those encountered in the presence of prosthetic materials.
Song Research Group
Computational material engineering for metal alloy system and polymer composites. We focus on developing computational framework to provide a predictive computational infrastructure for optimizing material design/manufacturing processes in a manner that ensures the performance of the relevant macroscopic products on demand. As a key to tailor and enhance the mechanical performance of the final products in macro scale, multiphysics phenomena involved in the microstructure evolution are predicted and subsequently up-scaled to macro scale through a coupled computational multiscale/multiphysics analysis approach. Some of our current research topics include, but not limited to: (1) Developing physics-based computational analysis methods to investigate material behaviors in micro (atomistic)/meso (quasi-continuum)/macro (continuum) length scales; (2) Developing computational predictive framework to identify the relation between 3D metal printing process parameters and the mechanical response of the final products; and (3) Developing multiscale/multiphysics Integrated tool to predict manufacturing-induced defects in autoclave polymer composites through coupled chemo-mechanical analysis.
The Srubar Research Group focuses on polymer- and cement-based infrastructure materials for sustainable infrastructure applications. Materials of current focus include (1) low-calcium alkali-activated (geopolymer) cements, (2) bioaerogels, (3) superabsorbent biopolymers, (4) natural fiber composites, (5) engineered wood products, and (6) ordinary portland cement concrete. We focus our experimental efforts on elucidating fundamental process-structure-property relationships, carbon sequestration, and long-term durability and our computational efforts on transport phenomena, service-life modeling, life cycle assessment, and energy simulation of buildings. Our current work is supported by the National Science Foundation, Industry, and the University of ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥.
Theoretical analysis, experimental study, and monitoring of long term durability of cementitious materials and reinforced concrete structures, including creep, shrinkage, fracture, freeze/thaw, and alkali-silica reaction of concrete; high temperature damage and radiation effect on concrete; chemical and moisture transport in concrete; and chloride-induced corrosion of steel in concrete. Reutilization of various solid wastes in concrete such as fly ash, waste glass, waste tires, and recycled concrete. Applications of special additives in concrete, such as carbon nanotubes, optical fibers, forming agents, and phase change materials.