Current Research

Monitoring, Modeling, and Visualization of Structures

This project develops a method for monitoring and assessing historic structures subjected to changing climate conditions. This is a unique multidisciplinary project with collaborations among structural engineering, geological engineering, and computer engineering. The project involves field investigations, laboratory testing, advanced computational modeling, machine learning, and augmented reality. 

Co-PI: Prof. Jesse Hampton, Geomechanics and Damage Group (GeoD)

Refer to the Monitoring, Modeling, & Visualization page for more details.

Metal Buildings Subjected to Tornadoes

The goal of the study is to improve the understanding of internal pressure of buildings due to sudden large openings in the building envelope to enable the accurate assessment of building performance in tornadoes. Findings will contribute significantly to the development of codes and standards for tornado-resistant building design, including critical infrastructures and other types of buildings.

Collaborative Research: Assessment of Building Resiliency in Tornadoes Considering Transient Internal Pressure Effects. Funded by the National Science Foundation – Award #2053364.

Co-PI: Dr. Delong Zuo, Texas Tech University

Steel-XR: Extended Reality in Structural Steel Fabrication

The aim of Steel-XR is to increase the speed of fabricating steel buildings. We are working on implementation of mixed reality technology to assist with the steel fabrication process. This is a cross-disciplinary project with software engineers.

Funded by the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC).

Demonstration videos are available here. AISC research report is available here.

Augmented Reality Implementation into Steel Foundry Applications

The next generation of manufacturing will utilize new technology to reduce manufacturing errors and streamline the process. The objective of this project is to develop augmented reality technology aimed towards improving the workflow of a steel foundry. This is a cross-disciplinary project with software engineers.

Funded by the Steel Founders’ Society of America (SFSA), Prime: Department of Defense (DoD) through the Steel Performance Initiative: Steel Technology Advanced Research (STAR).

Point Cloud Analysis of Structural Components

We are examining how to scan structural steel components and measure geometric imperfections from the 3D point clouds. The geometric information can be used in finite element analyses. 

Steel Structures System Reliability

These projects are part of a coordinated  initiative to increase the cost effectiveness of steel joist and deck systems and cold-formed steel framing by recognizing system reliability and combat the use of competing products in the marketplace.

Steel Joist Bay System Reliability

This project investigates the reliability of a bay of open web steel joists, Joist Girders, joist bridging, and steel deck. The goal is to obtain a more holistic understanding of the reliability driven design approach as applied to a bay of structural components, rather than isolating the structural components. The focus will be on the expected strength and deformation capacity of the joist bay system.

Composite Floor Joist System Reliability

This project covers a system reliability analysis on CJ-series composite steel joists including the composite slab.  Based on the output of this study, the advantages and disadvantages of considering a reliability-driven design approach for composite floor joist systems with steel deck and concrete will be discussed.

System Reliability of Cold-Formed Framing Systems

This project investigates the system reliability of cold-formed steel framing systems. This could lead to code changes and potential material savings up to 10 or 15% in CFS axially load bearing wall systems.

Proprietary Joist System Reliability

This investigation involves steel joist system reliability to help uncover potential benefits of a reliability driven design approach to a specific proprietary steel joist system. The goal is to obtain a more holistic understanding of the reliability-driven design approach for this steel joist system.

Unequal Leg Stainless Steel Angles Under Compression

Test series on the capacity and behavior of unequal-leg stainless steel angle compression members for future development of design equations for Chapter E in AISC 370: Specification for Structural Stainless Steel Buildings.

Funded by the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC).

Collaborative project with Prof. Leroy Gardner, Imperial College London

Proprietary Research on Structural Systems