School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering Seminar Series Presents “Nanotechnology enables sustainable and durable concrete infrastructure” Presented by Dr. Xianming Shi
About the event
Title: Nanotechnology enables sustainable and durable concrete infrastructure
Presented by: Dr. Xianming Shi, Chair and Professor, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, WSU
Abstract: Over the last decade, nanotechnology has demonstrated great potential in contributing to durable and environmentally friendly concrete. This talk starts from a patented technology in which the value of coal fly ash was unlocked using a novel nano-sized material, graphene oxide (GO). This technology hinges on the use of GO in the waterglass activated fly ash to produce a “greener” cementitious binder, geopolymer. GO selectively altered the distribution of different hydration precursors, promoted the formation of certain hydrates, and improved the polymerization degree of fly ash geopolymer. The 28-d compressive strength of geopolymer pastes (w/c 0.35) was increased by 23% by the admixed GO at 0.02% by mass of fly ash. The admixed GO increased the 7d and 28d compressive strength of geopolymer pervious concrete by more than 50%. Subsequently, this talk reports other nanotechnology enabled innovations, including enhanced use of fly ash, silica fume and waste medical masks in concrete, as well as use of GO to improve interfacial transition zone on fine aggregate and use of nanosilica for self-healing high-strength ECC (engineered cementitious composites).
Biography: Dr. Xianming Shi, P.E. is the Chair and a Professor at the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman. He also serves as the Founding Director of the National Center for Transportation Infrastructure Durability and Life-Extension (TriDurLE) and the Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of Infrastructure Preservation & Resilience. A Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), he has more than 20 years of experience in conducting engineering and science research. Two of his projects won the AASHTO Sweet Sixteen Award and Supplementary Award, respectively. Four graduate students he mentored won a nationwide competitive scholarship by the American Coal Ash Association Educational Foundation over the last six years, respectively. One of his papers was the Best Paper 2011-2012 by the ASCE Journal of Cold Regions Engineering, and another won the 2020 Most Cited Paper Award by the Resources, Conservation & Recycling journal. He obtained his Ph.D. in Chemistry from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1999.