Research

AI techniques have been widely applied in many fields of civil engineering due to their capabilities in computation and knowledge processing. In my research, In my research, I have used ML techniques for different purposes such as performance prediction, condition assessment, and optimization. 

My research in this area aims at fundamental multiscale understanding of the effects of sustainable and alternative materials on the sustainability and resilience of structures and infrastructures. One of my main topics of studies has been investigating the feasibility of the use of waste and by-product materials in various civil engineering applications. In one of the studies, I investigated the effects of several green and environmentally friendly modifiers on the rheological properties of asphalt binders. The use of ground tire rubber (GTR) from end-of-life tires and a composite modifier made from recycled plastics, as alternatives for commonly used modifiers, was found as a valuable approach to provide many economic, environmental, and technical benefits. Overall, multi-functional and sustainable binders and aggregates can extend the service life of pavements and improve the quality of the ride. I have also studied the performance of various sustainable materials for different purposes such as super absorbent polymers (SAP) for internal curing of concrete, supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) for improving the resistance of pavements to deicer salts, and nanomaterials (e.g., nano-TiO2) for enhancing  the mechanical properties of concretes made with and without fly ash.

The future of automated and autonomous vehicles is extremely important for policymakers, researchers, and automobile manufacturers. Due to the advancements in technology and improvements in data analysis techniques, automated (having partial automation) and autonomous (having full automation) vehicles are now emerging streams in the field of transportation. AVs are expected to provide a wide variety of benefits such as improved safety, reduced congestion and travel time, reduced running and parking costs, allowing for multitasking during travel, decreased greenhouse gas emission, reduced fuel consumption, and flexibility in travel. However, for the AVs to become a part of daily life, a huge effort is needed to overcome the barriers such as safety and security concerns and to add the new compatible infrastructure. The successful penetration of AVs depends on the end-user’s perception and affinity towards these vehicles. 

Roadway crashes is one of the main causes of death in the U.S., and they impose a tremendous economic and emotional burden on society. In my previous studies, I have used a wide range of econometric, statistical, and AI techniques to explore the factors affecting the safety of roadway users including drives, passengers, pedestrian, and bicyclists. In a recent project, I studied the determinants of injury severities in crashes involving large trucks. As a dominant freight-carrier mode, trucks carry about 64% of the U.S. freight tonnage. However, due to the specific features of the large trucks, they impose significant safety issues on roadways.

Soil stabilization is a technique to improve the engineering and geotechnical properties of soils such as mechanical strength, permeability, compressibility, durability and plasticity.  In my research, I have investigated the effects of a wide range of additives (such as calcium-based and non-calcium-based additives and geosynthetics) and techniques on the engineering and geotechnical properties of soils.  For this purpose, I have used several small-scale, large-scale, and field-based characterization techniques.