Qingli Dai
- Professor, Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering
- Associate Chair for Research, Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering
- PhD, Applied Mechanics, University of Rhode Island
- MS, Engineering Mechanics, Zhejiang University, China
- BS, Engineering Mechanics, China Institute of Metrology
Biography
The concrete-related research has focused on alternative cement, mixture design, performance, and durability for sustainable concrete pavement and structural applications. Her recent research has involved low-carbon concrete using alternative cement and supplementary cementitious materials, such as glass powder, fly ash, mine tailings, and calcined clay. LCA and EPD analyses have been conducted to reduce carbon emissions and life-cycle costs. The group has investigated recycled materials, such as tire rubber concrete and recycled concrete aggregates, for use in pavement applications. Her team has enhanced concrete durability by addressing freeze-thaw cycles, chloride ingress and corrosion, and alkali-silica reaction. She serves as chair of the ACI subcommittee 555 OC and is a voting member of several ACI committees.
Research on concrete structures has aimed to improve their service life through damage diagnosis, maintenance, and repair. Mechanics-based analysis and data-driven performance evaluation have been integrated to assess the performance of pavements and structures. NDE tools have been adopted to measure real-time changes in properties and damage. Both life-cycle assessment and reliability evaluations have been conducted, considering the impacts of climate change. Research on CLT mass timber panels and structures has focused on enhancing their mechanical properties and lateral performance.
Data-based resilience research has been conducted to extend mechanics-based modeling with machine learning tools for pavement performance evaluation, railroad condition evaluation during track inspections, and electrical grid reliability assessments.
Dr. Dai has been one of the principal investigators on research projects funded by the National Science Foundation, state Departments of Transportation, and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). She has authored or co-authored more than 140 peer-reviewed papers, including 120 journal articles. She is a member of several ASCE committees and serves as an associate editor for the ASCE Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering.
Links of Interest
Teaching Interests
- Matrix structural analysis
- Finite element analysis
- Concrete Materials
- Pavement design
- Timber design
Research Interests
- Low-carbon cementitious materials; SCM; LCA and EPD; durability performance
- Design and performance of concrete pavement and structures
- Mechanics-based computation; Data-driven performance evaluation
- NDE techniques (acoustic, ultrasonic and eddy current systems)
- Structure resilience subjected to extreme weather conditions
- Active-material actuator design, wind-structure interaction, vibration reduction