People

Assistant Professor, Geotechnical Engineering

Department of Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering, Texas Tech University

Joint Faculty, National Wind Institute, Texas Tech University

Joint Appointee, National Laboratory of the Rockies, U.S. Department of Energy

Email: Yimin.Lu@ttu.edu

• Ph.D., Geotechnical Engineering, Texas Tech University, USA, 2026 - present

• M.S., Safety Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology-Beijing, China, 2026

• B.S., Safety Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology-Beijing, China, 2023

Research

• Generative AI applied to granular flow

• Multiphase reactive flow for subsurface energy

Email: zihan@ttu.edu

• Ph.D., Wind Science & Engineering, Texas Tech University, USA, 2024 - present

• M.S., Physical Oceanography, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, China, 2022

• B.S., Marine Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, China, 2019

Research

• Coastal infrastructure resilience under wind hazards

Email: rui.li@ttu.edu

• Ph.D., Geotechnical Engineering, Texas Tech University, USA, 2026 - present

• M.S., Bridge and Tunnel Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, China, 2020

• B.S., Civil Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, China, 2017

Research

• Graph AI applied to granular flow

• Soil erosion and bridge scour protection

Email: kuang.shi@ttu.edu

• B.S., Computer Science, Texas Tech University, USA, present

Research

• Data-driven post-hazard damage assessment

• Ph.D., Geotechnical Engineering, Texas Tech University, USA, 2024 - present

• M.S., Civil and Environmental Engineering, Southwest University, China, 2023

• B.S., Civil Engineering, Southwest University, China, 2020

Research

• Flow and arching of particulate biomass and solid waste materials

• Screening of elongated biomass particles

Email: weihe.sun@ttu.edu

• Ph.D., Geotechnical Engineering, Texas Tech University, USA, 2025 - present

• M.S., Geotechnical Engineering, Hohai University, China, 2025

• B.S., Civil Engineering (Geotechnical), Hohai University, China, 2022

Research

• Rheology of dilute suspension with shape-changing particles

• Air-driven granular flow

Email: fan.yang@ttu.edu