My research interests encompass cross-scale study of infrastructure durability and service life prediction with the use of experimental, analytical, and numerical methods. My research initiative is to advance the science and engineering for microstructure, infrastructure, energy, and sustainability.

Research Interests

• Innovative sensor technologies & development

• Intelligent sensing & detecting systems

• Smart & multifunctional materials and structures

• Efficient & resilient design of infrastructures

  • Making civil infrastructure more resilient to extreme events and expanding the functionality of civil infrastructure in new and creative ways that promote quality of life and sustainability, especially in urban areas

  • Disaster management and urban sustainability

  • Computer modeling and analysis of risk reduction strategies

  • Bridge the gap between engineering, natural sciences, and social sciences in addressing the complex issues of natural disasters

• Energy harvesting system development

• Energy efficient building design & assessment

• Non-destructive testing and evaluation application

• Sustainable Infrastructure Materials & Engineering

  • • Construction and rehabilitation of multimodal transportation systems for service life prediction; Green highway design and construction management lead to safer, sustainable, energy efficient, and cost effective highway

    • Green highway design using self-curing/easy-to-clean pavement technology with greater energy efficiency

  • Mutliscale computational and experimental characterization of the durability of nanostructured cement-based materials

    • Use of recycled materials in pavements through a better understanding of materials bonding effects to improve the workability and durability of recycled materials, which would reduce construction costs

  • Automatic transportation data collecting, processing, and interpretation for effective construction and infrastructure management

  • Application of 2-D/3-D imaging and automated geometric information retrieval and interpretation technology for construction/facility/infrastructure management

  • Digital image processing, computer vision, pattern recognition, and filter design

  • Shale gas exploration

  • Nanotechnology Application

    • Combined experimental and multiscale modeling of coupled chemo-physical-mechanical behaviors in construction materials including concrete, asphalt, polymers, and alloys, to improve the durability and give much better performance

    • Nanotechnology study of asphalt anti-oxidative hardening, anti-moisture damage, and concrete anti-corrosion mechanisms, as well as nano-modifier/coating development

    • Multiphysics evaluation of corrosion-resistant and self-curing reinforced concrete

    • Utilizing nanotechnology to create smart, self-healing materials leading to faster construction as well as increased durability and improved performance of structures, thereby helping to prevent catastrophic failures

    • Combined atomistic-to-continuum modeling of anti-degradation nano-modifier for polymers and photovoltaic materials for solar-energy industry

    • The application of large-scale distributive computing and parallel visualization technology in large-scale construction management

    • Computational modeling of nano- and micro-systems

    • Nano for energy research

  • Characterization, Processing, Modeling and Sensing of Engineering Materials

    • Cement chemistry and nano/microstructure

    • Alternative cementitious materials and material modification.

    • Computational material science and chemo/mechanical modeling of cement based materials.

    • Integrating scientific parallel computing into concurrent multi-scale modeling to bridge length and time scales

    • Computational studies of coupled physical processes of flow, transport, chemical reactions and geomechanics in porous and/or fractured media

    • Constitutive modelling of infrastructure materials, including specific topics involving interaction between the environment and the material, e.g. modelling of moisture damage, healing and aging

    • Non-isothermal multiphase reactive transport: near-field evolution of engineered barrier systems, large scale reservoir behavior

    • Reactive transport: coupled Thermo-Hydro-Chemical analyses

    • Computational solid mechanics: plasticity, damage, fracture mechanics

    • Risk and reliability analysis of composite material systems

    • Experimental impact, damage and fracture behavior of nanocomposites

    • High performance computing and advanced computational analyses

Publication

Here is a link to my Google Scholar's citation statistics:

http://scholar.google.com/citations?user=RxFRrwQAAAAJ

Papers in Peer-Reviewed Journals

[28] Spragg, R., Jones, S., Bu, Y, Lu, Y., Bentz, D., Snyder, K., Weiss, J., Alkali-Leaching in Cementitious Systems: Implications to Measurements of Resistivity, 2016 (under review)

[27] Lu, Y., Thomas, S., Garboczi, E., Improved model for 3-D virtual concrete: Anm model, ASCE Journal of Computing in Civil Engineering, 2015 (inpress)

[26] Jones, S., Martys, N., Lu, Y., and Bentz, D., Simulation Studies of Methods to Delay Corrosion and Increase Service Life for Cracked Concrete Exposed to Chlorides, Cement and Concrete Composites, 2015 (inpress)

[25] Lu, Y. and Wang, L., Nanomechanics modeling of asphalt-mineral interfaces: traction and sliding failure study, ASCE Journal of Nanomechanics and Micomechanics, 2014 (accepted)

[24] Lu, Y. and Wang, L., Atomistic modeling of moisture sensitivity: a damage mechanisms study of interfaces in asphalt concrete, ASCE Journal of Nanomechanics and Micomechanics, 2014 (accepted)

[23] Bentz, D., Garboczi, E., Lu, Y., Martys, N., Sakulich, A., Weiss, J., Modeling of the Influence of Transverse Cracking on Chloride Penetration into Concrete, Cement & Concrete Composites 38 (2013) 65–74

[22] Lu, Y. and Garboczi, E., Bridging the gap between random microstructure and 3-D meshing, ASCE Journal of Computing in Civil Engineering, 10.1061/(ASCE)CP.1943-5487.0000270 (Nov. 8, 2012)

[21] Lu, Y., Sustainability and Innovative Construction: Green Building with Concrete, OMICS Journal of Civil & Environmental Engineering, 2:5, (2012): Doi: 10.4172/2165-784X.1000e107 (http://www.omicsgroup.org/journals/2165-784X/2165-784X-2-e107.pdf)

[20] Lu, Y. and Garboczi, E., The Effect of Cracking on the Transport Properties of Cement Concrete --- a literature review, Interagency Report, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 2012 (in press)

[19] Lu, Y., and Lloyd, S., Quantum-Chemistry Study of Asphalt Oxidative Aging: An XPS-Aided Analysis, Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, American Chemistry Society (ACS) Publications, Vol. 51, No. 23, 7957-7966, 2012

[18] Chen, J., Pan, T., Huang, X., and Lu, Y. (2012). Predicting the dynamic behavior of asphalt concrete using three-dimensional discrete element method, Journal of Wuhan University of Technology-Mater. Sci. Ed., 27(2), 382-388

[17] Lu, Y., Predict the service life of pavement: evaluate moisture sensitivity and oxidative aging of asphalt, OMICS Journal of Civil & Environmental Engineering, 2 (2012):e103.doi:10.4172/2165-784X.1000e103 (http://www.omicsgroup.org/journals/2165-784X/2165-784X-2-e103.php?aid=4386)

[16] Lu, Y., Multiscale and multiphysics modeling of concrete structures, OMICS Journal of Civil & Environmental Engineering, 1 (2011):e102. doi:10.4172/jcee.1000e102 (http://www.omicsgroup.org/journals/2165-784X/2165-784X-1-e102.php?%20aid=2986)

[15] Pan, T., and Lu, Y., Quantum-Chemistry Based Study of Rebar Passivation in Alkaline Concrete Environment. International Journal of Electrochemical Science, 6 (2011) 4967 - 4983, 2011.

[14] Lu, Y. and Wang, L., Nanoscale modeling of the mechanical properties of asphalt and aggregate, Edited by R.A. Tarefder, Y.R. Kim, Z. You and L. Wang. Pavements and materials: testing and modeling in multiple length scales. Trends in Engineering Mechanics, Engineering Mechanics Institute, American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), 43–53, 2010

[13] Lu, Y. and Wang, L., Molecular dynamics simulation to characterize asphalt–aggregate interfaces, Edited by J.D. Frost. Characterization and behavior of interfaces. Amsterdam: IOS Press, 125–130, 2010

[12] Pan, T., and Lu, Y., Stochastic Modeling of Reinforced Concrete Cracking due to Nonuniform Corrosion: FEM-Based Cross-Scale Analysis, ASCE's Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, Vol. 24, No. 6, 698-706, 2012

[11] Lu, Y. and Wang, L., Nano-Mechanics Modeling of Deformation and Failure Behaviors at Asphalt-Aggregate Interfaces, International Journal of Pavement Engineering, Vol. 12, No. 4, 311-323, August 2011

[10] Lu, Y. and Wang, L., Nanoscale Modeling of Mechanical Properties of Bitumen-Rock Interface under Tensile Loading, International Journal of Pavement Engineering, Vol. 11, No. 5, 393-401, October 2010

[9] Liu X., Garboczi, E., Grigoriu, M., Lu, Y., Erdogan, S., Spherical harmonic-based random fields based on real particle 3D data: Improved numerical algorithm and quantitative comparison to real particles, Powder Technology, Vol. 207, No. 1-3, 78-86, 2011

[8] Lu, Y., Wang, L., Druta, C., Portable image analysis system for characterizing aggregate morphology, Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 3-11, ISSN: 0361-1981, 2009

[7] Xu Q. and Lu, Y., et al., Element integration method for upper bound limit analysis, Mechanics Research Communications, Vol. 37, No. 6, 611-616, 2010

[6] Xu, Q. and Lu, Y., et al. Shakedown analysis of a slope with cyclic groundwater level, International Journal for Numerical and Analytical Methods in Geomechanics, Vol. 34, 517-531, 2010

[5] Lu, Y. and Xu, Q., et al, TBM in the future of China, Marine Georesources & Geotechnology, Special Issue: Preliminary Study of the Taiwan Strait Tunnel Project, Vol. 21, No. 3-4, ISSN: 1064-119X, 2003

[4] Xu, Q., Li, M., Lu, Y., Upper bound limit analysis of slope stability by element integration method, Rock and Soil Mechanics, Vol.27, No.7, 1028-1032, 2006

[3] Xu, Q. and Lu, Y., Effect of Alternate Wetting and Drying on the Long Term Stability of Slope, Chinese Journal of Underground Space and Engineering, Vol.1, No.6, 1021-1024, 2005

[2] Lu, Y. and Xu, Q., Shakedown analysis of slopes under alternate loads, Rock and Soil Mechanics, Vol.25, No.11, 1693-1697, 2004

[1] Xu, Q. and Lu, Y., An evaluation approach for long term stability of expansive soil slope, Rock and Soil Mechanics, S2, 109-113, 2004

Papers in Peer-Reviewed Conference Proceedings

[8] Lu, Y., Thomas, S., Garboczi, E., A real microstructural model for virtual cement concrete modeling, Proceedings of 5th International Symposium on Nanotechnology in Construction, Chicago, IL, May. 2015

[7] Lu, Y., Thomas, S., Anm Model Approach for Lunar Soil Simulant Properties Study, ASCE Proceedings of 14th ASCE International Conference on Engineering, Science, Construction and Operations in Challenging Environments, St. Louis, MO, Oct. 2014

[6] Lu, Y., Garboczi, E., Bentz, D., Modeling Chloride Transport in Cracked Concrete: A 3D Image–Based Microstructure Simulation, Proceedings of the COMSOL Conference 2012, Boston, MA, USA, 2012

[5] Lu, Y. and Wang, L., Atomistic Modeling of Asphalt-Aggregate Interface Behavior under Tensile Loading, Proceedings of 2009 NSF Engineering Research and Innovation Conference, Honolulu, Hawaii. USA, 2009

[4] Wang, L. and Lu, Y., Atomistic Investigation into the Chemo-Mechanics Properties of Bitumen–Rock Interface. Edited by N. Kringos. Chemomechanics of bituminous materials (Proceedings of the International Workshop on the Chemo-mechanics of Bituminous Materials). Delft, the Netherlands: Group of Mechanics of Infrastructure Materials, 65–68. 2009

[3] Lu, Y., and Wang, L., Molecular dynamics simulation to characterize asphalt-aggregate interfaces, Research Symposium on the Characterization and Behavior of Interfaces (CBI), 125-130, Atalanta, Georgia, USA, 2008

[2] Zhou, G. and Lu, Y., Linbing Wang, International Roughness Index Model Enhancement for Flexible Pavement Design Using LTPP Data, Transportation Research Board, 2008

[1] Xu, Q. and Lu, Y., On boundary conditions of infiltration and evaporation, Symposium On Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering at the Ninth Annual Meeting of Chinese Civil Engineering Association, pp.1202-1205, 2003

Invited Presentations and talks

[14] Lu, Y., Polymer Adhesives Development using Modeling-Guided Design Across the Length Scales, PPG Industries, Adhesives and Sealants R&D, Allison Park, PA, January, 2016

[13] Lu, Y., Thomas, S., Garboczi , E., A real microstructural model for virtual cement concrete modeling, 5th International Symposium on Nanotechnology in Construction, Chicago, IL, May 2015

[12] Lu, Y., Thomas, S., Interdisciplinary Modeling of Sustainable Infrastructure Materials Across the Length Scales --- a characterization, simulation, and prognosis study, Center for Advanced Energy Studies (CAES) 2015 Materials, Modeling, Simulation, and Visualization workshop, McCall, ID, May 2015

[11] Lu, Y., Thomas, S., Anm Model Approach for Lunar Soil Simulant Properties Study, 14th ASCE International Conference on Engineering, Science, Construction and Operations in Challenging Environments, St. Louis, MO, Oct. 2014

[10] Lu, Y., Garboczi , E., Qian, Z., A material model and its application to simulate the composite material structure of mortar and concrete using real-shape particles, ACerS Cement Annual Conference 2013, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, July 2013

[9] Lu, Y., Quantum-Chemistry Based Atomistic Study of Asphalt Oxidation and Antioxidants - a nanomechanics approach evaluating sustainable infrastructure, Smart Materials for Sustainable Infrastructure Workshop, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, USA, November, 2012

[8] Lu, Y., Garboczi, E., Bentz, D., Modeling Chloride Transport in Cracked Concrete: a 3-D image–based microstructure simulation, Proceedings of the COMSOL Conference 2012, Boston, MA, USA, October, 2012

[7] Lu, Y., Multiscale Modeling of the Fracture and Failure of Cementitious Materials, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, George Washington University, Washington DC, USA, June, 2012

[6] Lu, Y., Bridging the gap between random microstructure and 3-D meshing, Sigma XI’s 19^th Annual Postdoc Poster Presentation at NIST Chapter, Feb. 2012

[5] Lu, Y., Multiscale/Multiphysics Modeling of the Deformation and Failure Properties of Materials, Polymeric Materials Group, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, USA, May, 2011

[4] Lu, Y., Atomistic Characterization and Modeling of the Deformation and Failure Properties of Asphalt-Aggregate Interface, Inorganic Materials Group, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, USA, Feb., 2011

[3] Lu, Y., Atomistic Modeling of Bitumen-Stone Interface under Tensile Loading, The 2009 Joint ASCE-ASME-SES Conference on Mechanics and Materials, Blacksburg, VA, USA, June 2009

[2] Lu, Y., Molecular dynamics simulation to characterize asphalt-aggregate interfaces, Research Symposium on the Characterization and Behavior of Interfaces (CBI), Atlanta, Georgia, USA, September 2008

[1] Lu, Y., An evaluation approach for long term stability of expansive soil slope, 2nd CIB Student Chapters International Symposium, Beijing, China, October 2004

Project and Report

Participated Projects as Task Leader/Contributing Author for Projects and Reports

1. 2014 NIST SURF program (NIST Gaithersburg campus)

2. Net-Zero Energy, High Performance Buildings: Measurement science for service life prediction of polymers used in photovoltaic (PV) systems (NIST)

3. Net-Zero Energy, High Performance Buildings: Measurement Science to Assure the Performance of Green Concretes (NIST)

4. Sustainable, High-Performance Infrastructure Materials: Early-Age Performance of Concrete (NIST)

5. Sustainable, High-Performance Infrastructure Materials: Long Term Performance of Concrete (NIST)

6. Unified Approach for Multiscale Characterization, Modeling, and Simulation for Stone-based Infrastructure Materials. (Funded by National Science Foundation, NSF award #0625927).

7. Portable Image Analysis System for Characterizing Aggregate Morphology. (Funded by Virginia Transportation Research Council, VTRC Contract #82561, report #FHWA/VTRC 08-CR11).

8. Microstructure fracture and fluid transportation in cementitious materials. (NIST)

9. EAR Program Awards Research on Mechanical and Structural Nanoscale Modeling. (Funded by Federal Highway Administration, FHWA Project #DTFH61-09-R-00017).

10. New Technologies for Development of Renewable Energy in the Public Right-of-Way. (Funded by Federal Highway Administration, FHWA Project #DTFH61-10-C-00019)

11. Application of LADAR in the Analysis of Aggregate Characteristics. (Funded by National Cooperative Highway Research Program, NCHRP Project #04-34).

12. Spherical Harmonic-Based Morphological Analysis for Three Groups of Virtual Aggregates Generated by Non-Gaussian Random Fields. (NIST)

13. Slope Stability Analysis by Shakedown and Element Integration Approach. (Funded by National Science Foundation of China)