Contact Info

Biography

Website: https://chengzhu.wixsite.com/geomechanics-lab

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=kaVaOw0AAAAJ&hl=en

Education:
Ph.D., Georgia Institute of Technology
M.S., Georgia Institute of Technology
M.Eng., Nanyang Technological University
B.S., Nanyang Technological University

Impactful Research Areas:
Sustainability
    Green Construction
    Sustainable Materials & Processes
    Renewable Energy
Connectivity
    Digital Engineering
    Infrastructure & Transportation
    Sensors & Robotics

Research Expertise:
Geomaterial-Climate Interaction: Soil and rock responses under changing climate or extreme weather conditions, such as global warming, long-term drought, rising sea level, and heavy rainfall 
Sensing Technologies in Geoengineering: Development, testing and application of rapid and nondestructive technologies for geomaterial characterizations
Bio-mediated Geotechnics:  Geotechnical hazard mitigation and geoenvironmental remediation through bio-mediated techniques 
Energy Geotechnology: Application of geotechnology in energy production (geothermal, hydraulic fracturing) and geological storage (oil/gas storage, induced seismicity, nuclear waste disposal)
Novel Geotechnical Education: Exploration of new approaches to attract more students and enhance their learning experience

Honors and Award:
Researcher of the Year, ASCE New Jersey Section (2022)
NSF I-Corps National Award, Rowan University (2021)
Wall of Fame, Rowan University (2020)
Frances R. Lax Faculty Development Award, Rowan University (2018)
Future Leaders Program, American Rock Mechanics Association (2018)
James S. Lai Award, Georgia Institute of Technology (2015)

Selected Publications:
Hewage, S. A., Tang, C. S., Mehta, Y., & Zhu, C. (2023). Investigating cracking behavior of saline clayey soil under cyclic freezing-thawing effects. Engineering Geology, 107319.

Zhuo, Z., Zhu, C., Ali, A., Mehta, Y., Lein, W., DeCarlo, C., Elshaer, M., Hewage, S. A., & Cai, W. (2023). Comparative study of different materials for insulated pavement in cold regions. Cold Regions Science and Technology, 210.

Lv, C., Li, W. Q., Tang, C. S., Zhu, C., Pan, X. H., Zhang, X., & Shi, B. (2023). Characterization and quantification of calcite distribution in MICP-treated sand using μ-XRF image processing technique. Acta Geotechnica, 1-15.

Hewage, S. A., Roksana, K., Tang, C. S., Zhuo, Z., & Zhu, C. (2023). Evaluation of Cracking in Biochar-Amended Clayey Soil Under Freeze–Thaw Cycles. Transportation Research Record.

Huang, C., Zhu, C., Ma, Y., & Aluthgun Hewage, S. (2022). Investigating Mechanical Behaviors of Rocks Under Freeze–Thaw Cycles Using Discrete Element Method. Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, 1-18.

Zhuo, Z., Ali, A., Zhu, C., Mehta, Y., Lein, W., DeCarlo, C., Elshaer, M. & Kennedy, D. (2022). Evaluating the potential of using foamed concrete as the insulation layer for pavements in cold regions. Construction and Building Materials, 341, 127903.

Lv, C., Tang, C. S., Zhu, C., Li, W. Q., Chen, T. Y., Zhao, L., & Pan, X. H. (2022). Environmental Dependence of Microbially Induced Calcium Carbonate Crystal Precipitations: Experimental Evidence and Insights. Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, 148(7), 04022050.

Liu, R., Vail, M., Koohbor, B., Zhu, C., Tan, C. S., Xu, H., & Shi, X. C. (2022). Desiccation cracking in clay-bottom ash mixtures: insights from crack image analysis and digital image correlation. Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment, 81(4), 1-15.

Zhuo, Z., Zhu, C., Tang, C. S., Xu, H., Shi, X., & Mark, V. (2022). 3D characterization of desiccation cracking in clayey soils using a structured light scanner. Engineering Geology, 106566.

Tang, C. S., Zhu, C., Cheng, Q., Zeng, H., Xu, J. J., Tian, B. G., & Shi, B. (2021). Desiccation cracking of soils: A review of investigation approaches, underlying mechanisms, and influencing factors. Earth-Science Reviews, 216, 103586.