MECHANICS OF QUASI-BRITTLE MATERIALS
Overview
I worked in Dr.Cusatis' group as a postdoctoral research fellow from October 2013 to August 2015.
From August 2015 to December 2019, I worked as an assistant professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Binghamton University. Since December 2019, I have been working as an assistant professor at the Department of Civil Engineering at University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Cusatis Group Research
Experimental and numerical analysis of shale
During my postdoctoral training, my research focused on experimental and numerical analysis of shale, which are the sealing formations in most hydrocarbon reservoirs. The goal of this research project was to integrate field observations, laboratory experiments, and understanding of fundamental physical processes into a comprehensive computational model that is specifically designed for complex hydraulic fracturing and to apply the model to develop deeper understanding and to solve practical problems. For this purpose, I had been extending and refining a three-dimensional meso-scale discrete simulation model using Lattice Discrete Particle Model (LDPM). I had also been independently conducting a series of mechanical tests on shale specimens to study their properties and failure mechanisms.
For more information:
https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4034658
Fracturing behavior and mechanical properties of fiber reinforced concrete
In another effort, I worked on the fracturing behavior and mechanical properties of fiber reinforced concrete. In our approach, fiber reinforced concrete was analyzed by the multi-scale model LDPM-F, in which the fine-scale fiber-matrix interaction is solved independently and the overall response is analyzed in a 3D meso-scale framework based on the LDPM. I simulated the round panel tests on fiber reinforced concrete and analyzed both the numerical and experimental data provided by my colleagues.
For more information: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euromechsol.2015.12.002