Xiaoshan Lin

• PhD in Civil Engineering
• PostDoc Position at University of Liverpool

This study focuses on dynamic behaviours of short sandwich tubes with honeycomb cores under internal explosive loading. Six types of honeycomb geometries, i.e., Triangle, Square, Diamond, Hexagon, Kagome, and Octagon, are designed as the cores of the sandwich structures. The influence of honeycomb core geometry, wall thickness, and arrangement on t...

Topological interlocking structures have garnered significant attention for their distinctive properties, including robust resistance to crack propagation, outstanding energy absorption, adaptable flexibility, high resistance to missing elements and easy assembly and disassembly. Moreover, integrating various materials into a single structure enabl...

In this study, the impact behaviour of tunnel lining structures constructed using a novel topological interlocking system with steel fibre reinforced concrete (SFRC) bricks is comprehensively investigated. A sophisticated finite element model is firstly developed to simulate the impact tests on the interlocking SFRC tunnel specimens. The model cons...

Buckling resistance is crucial in structural design. This study addresses challenges associated with enhancing buckling resistance through topology optimization, focusing on avoiding incorrect buckling analyses and reducing reliance on parameter tuning. To eliminate pseudo buckling modes in low-density elements, this research employs a linear mater...

Topology optimization is increasingly becoming an important tool for designing high-performance and lightweight structures. A key challenge is preventing buckling, especially in slender members that are prone to collapsing under pressure. This study introduces techniques to enhance buckling resistance, focusing on two approaches: bi-directional evo...

Topology optimization techniques are increasingly utilized in structural design to create efficient and aesthetically pleasing structures while minimizing material usage. Many existing topology optimization methods may generate slender structural members under compression, leading to significant buckling issues. Consequently, incorporating buckling...

Buckling is a critical phenomenon that must be considered in structural design. In topology optimisation, addressing buckling poses persistent challenges, primarily due to the occurrence of pseudo buckling modes and issues related to the stress stiffness matrix. In this research, a linear material model is employed in topology optimisation consider...

Buckling resistance has gained significant attention in topology optimization due to its profound implications for structural designs. Despite considerable research on buckling-constrained topology optimization, maximizing the critical buckling load factor (BLF) still remains a challenging topic. In this study, an innovative algorithm that utilizes...

In this study, a new design of tunnel lining assembled from non-planar interlocking segments was developed and tested. The new tunnel segment is made of steel fibre reinforced concrete (SFRC), and it has six symmetrical side surfaces with a concave-convex topology, which can prevent the movement of each element in the interlocked tunnel. A series o...

Shape and topology optimization problems are usually associated with geometrical restrictions. Effective control of structural complexity during the optimization process is important for various considerations, e.g., functionality, manufacturability, and aesthetics. Most existing approaches characterize structural complexity as the number of caviti...

Topology optimisation techniques have been increasingly employed in architectural designs to achieve efficient and elegant structures with minimal material. Current architectural applications of topology optimisation typically consider structural stiffness as the main design objective. However, buckling is a critical phenomenon that should not be i...

The development of design guidelines for structural recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) is hindered by the absence of a unified elastic modulus model focusing on the properties of diversely-sourced coarse recycled aggregates (CRA). This study develops a unified elastic modulus model of RAC and natural aggregate concrete (NAC) considering four inputs:...

Buckling is a critical phenomenon in structural members under compression, which could cause catastrophic failure of a structure. To increase the buckling resistance in structural design, a novel topology optimization approach based on the bi-directional evolutionary structural optimization (BESO) method is proposed in this study with the considera...

The accurate prediction of swelling deformation and(or) swelling pressure if confined for expansive soils is essential for a better design and construction of a geotechnical structure that is built on or in an expansive soil. In this paper, we proposed a new method to quantify the swelling strain and(or) swelling pressure of expansive soils by cons...

The application of recycled ceramic aggregate (RCA) in concrete construction has attracted increasing attention recently. In this study, the effect of RCA on the exothermic reaction in HPC is investigated, which reveals the mechanism underlying the role RCA plays in regulating hydration heat output and permeability of HPC for the first time. The po...

Fibre reinforced polymer (FRP)-reinforced concrete beams usually encounter brittle failure due to the linear behaviour of FRP. To solve this issue, compression yielding (CY) concept was proposed recently to improve the ductility of FRP-reinforced concrete beams. However, because of the complexity of the compression yielding mechanism, the calculati...

Expansive soil is blamed for many engineering problems such as foundation damages, subgrade heave, and road surface bulking. Lime is one of the most widely utilized materials in the stabilization of expansive soil. However, the stabilization mechanism of lime-treated expansive soil has not been thoroughly studied from the nanoscale level. This pape...

This work uses the zero-level contour of a parameterized level set function, a linear combination of cubic B-spline basis functions, to express the structural profile in structural topology optimization. Together with mean compliance, diffusion energy is minimized under a volume constraint to control the structural complexity. The design variables,...

In this study, the blast response of hybrid-fibre engineered cementitious composite (HFECC) panels with 1.75% polyvinyl alcohol and 0.58% steel fibres (by volume) is experimentally and numerically evaluated for the first time. For blast testing, HFECC and normal reinforced concrete (NRC) panels were tested under contact explosions generated by Plas...

Rammed earth is a sustainable building technique for constructing foundations, floors, and walls using natural raw materials such as earth, chalk, lime, with stabilizers like cements. As the proportion of various materials changes, the mechanical properties of rammed earth materials are also varying correspondingly. A series of experimental studies...

Owing to the variations in the recycled coarse aggregates (RCA) characteristics, the compressive strength prediction of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) is a complex challenge causing hindrance in the design guidelines development and practical application of RAC. This study aims to develop a unified compressive strength model for the RAC and natu...

Purpose: Irregularly shaped architectural designs with surfaces curved in multiple directions, known as free-form designs, have gained significant public interest in recent decades. However, it is challenging to convert complex designs into real structures. This paper aims to realize free-form construction by developing a novel workflow in which ad...

Concrete is a principal construction material in building industry. Formwork plays an important role in assisting geometry realisation and strength development of concrete elements. It is also one of the major costs in the construction of concrete structures. The use of formwork has a long history, and various formwork systems have been used in dif...

Billions of tons of construction and demolition (C&D) waste generation is causing global environmental crises. The application of C&D waste in concrete columns is a sustainable avenue but hindered due to a lack of comprehensive design guidelines. Currently, no work is available in the open literature regarding the machine-learning-based comprehensi...

High performance concrete (HPC) is widely used in concrete structures because of its excellent mechanical properties, good workability, and outstanding durability. However, as HPC usually has a low water to cement ratio, the hydration of cement would cause rapid decrease in the humidity inside concrete, leading to autogenous shrinkage of HPC. Inter...

Steel fibre reinforced concrete (SFRC) has been increasingly used in super high-rise buildings, nuclear facilities and infrastructures in recent years. Fire is one of the inevitable threats to these structures during their service life, therefore it is of great significance to study the behaviour of SFRC at elevated temperatures. In this study, a n...

Adsorption of lead (Pb²⁺) onto the montmorillonite (Mt) surface is one of the key approaches to remove Pb²⁺ in geological and environmental engineering. Temperature and initial Pb²⁺ concentration are two essential factors that influence the adsorption capacity of Mt on absorbing Pb²⁺. However, the nanoscale governing mechanism of temperature and in...

Concrete elements reinforced with fibre reinforced polymers (FRPs) have been increasingly applied in civil engineering structures. However, these structural elements are usually suffering from brittle failure caused by either concrete crushing or the sudden rupture of FRP. To solve this common issue, a compression yielding (CY) mechanism was recent...

High-performance concrete (HPC) has been increasingly used in modern engineering structures because of its superior material properties compared to ordinary concrete. One of the most critical issues in the application of HPC is serious early cracking, which is often encountered in the structures that involve mass concrete. Internal curing is an eff...

Thermal and saline environment significantly affects the swelling behavior of montmorillonite (Mt) that is crucial for the safety of engineering barrier. However, the swelling mechanism of Mt under non-isothermal and saline environment remains poorly understood. A molecular Na-Mt model is proposed to analyze the swelling pressure change of Mt under...

The addition of macro-polypropylene fibres improves the stress-strain performance of natural aggregate concrete (NAC). However, limited studies focus on the stress-strain performance of macro-polypropylene fibre-reinforced recycled aggregate concrete (RAC). Considering the variability of coarse recycled aggregates (CRA), more studies are needed to...

Swelling pressure of expansive soil is a fundamental parameter in the prediction of expansive soil behavior and also an essential quality indicator for geotechnical structure design. In this paper, we proposed a novel method by combining the diffuse double layer theory and molecular dynamics approach to predicting swelling pressure of expansive soi...

This research primarily aims to investigate the effect of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and polypropylene (PP) fibres at different volume fractions of 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1% on mechanical properties of high-performance printing concrete. For concrete without fibres, there is no noticeable discrepancy in the compressive strengths between printed and cast...

Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) is a polymer material that has high ductility, good biocompatibility and excellent abrasion resistance. These properties open a pathway to manufacturing functional TPU parts for applications in various fields such as aerospace engineering, medical devices and sports equipment. This study aims to investigate the mech...

To adopt sustainability in the construction industry, various nations around the globe are focusing on the utilization of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC). The thermal performance of RAC incorporating different types of recycled coarse aggregates (RCA) is unexplored in the current literature. In this study, the thermal performance of RAC incorpora...

Confinement through steel spirals can significantly improve the performance of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC). However, only a few studies are available in the literature in this context. Considering the variability of recycled coarse aggregates (RCA), more studies are needed to explore the behavior of RAC confined by steel spirals. In this stud...

Fibre reinforced concrete (FRC) has gained increasing interest in recent years due to its superior mechanical properties compared to normal concrete. To apply FRC in civilian and strategically important buildings and other infrastructures, fire resistance is an inevitable matter of concern. According to the existing test results, different fibre ty...

In this paper, a novel non-planar interlocking element is developed, which can be used to construct cylindrical structures. The proposed element has a symmetrical geometry with six curved side surfaces to be interlocked with adjacent elements. A tubular structure can be constructed by assembling a number of identical non-planar elements, and the mo...

The design and manufacture of structural nodes for gridshell structures are complicated due to complex geometries and loading conditions. The validation of the design concepts of these nodes is even more challenging, because complex design loads are difficult to be applied in a laboratory test. In this paper, a testing rig is proposed and manufactu...

Nonlinear Finite Element Analysis of Composite and Reinforced Concrete Beams presents advanced methods and techniques for the analysis of composite and FRP reinforced concrete beams. The title introduces detailed numerical modeling methods and the modeling of the structural behavior of composite beams, including critical interfacial bond-slip behav...

In this study, the mechanical responses of an assembly plate made of topologically interlocking concrete bricks with rubber as soft interfaces are investigated. The principle of topological interlocking is combined with the concept of hybrid material design. A series of quasi-static tests are conducted to compare the mechanical behaviour of the hyb...

Steel fibre reinforced concrete (SFRC) has been increasingly used in the engineering structures subjected to intense dynamic loads. In structural design and analysis, a dynamic increase factor (DIF) has been usually used to characterize strain-rate effect on the dynamic mechanical behaviour of SFRC. At present, several analytical equations that con...

Ultra-high performance fibre reinforced concrete (UHPFRC) is a promising construction material for protective structures due to its superior material characteristics. In this study, a finite element model is developed for the simulation of structural responses of UHPFRC panels subjected to blast loads. Based on the available experimental data, the...

This paper presents an extensive numerical study on the impact behaviour of plate-like assemblies made of interlocking concrete bricks. In the proposed 3D finite element model, a damage based concrete model is employed with considerations of strain rate effect and concrete failure criteria. Boundary conditions are appropriately defined to simulate...

The use of high performance fibre reinforced cementitious composites (HPFRCC) as a strengthening material for reinforced concrete (RC) structures is promising due to their compatible mechanical and physical properties, especially their pseudo strain hardening behaviour in tension. At present, most research on HPFRCC has focused on the material beha...

In this study, a three-dimensional finite element model is developed to investigate the pressure–impulse response of the steel plates with semi-rigid connections under blast loads. The strain rate effect on the material properties is considered, and a number of spring elements are used for simulating the plate to support connections. Once verified,...

A finite element model is developed in this paper for numerical modeling of the structural responses of FRP-strengthened reinforced concrete panels under blast loading. Strain rate effects for concrete in tension and compression, steel reinforcements and FRP sheets are taken into account in the finite element model. The commercial explicit hydrocod...

A simple reference material for establishing the minimum measurement uncertainty of optical systems for measuring 3D surface displacement fields in deforming objects is described and its use demonstrated by employing 3D digital image correlation as an exemplar technique. The reference material consists of a stepped bar, whose dimensions can be scal...

Engineering simulation has a significant role in the process of design and analysis of most engineered products at all scales and is used to provide elegant, light-weight, optimized designs. A major step in achieving high confidence in computational models with good predictive capabilities is model validation. It is normal practice to validate simu...

Bond between reinforcing bars and the surrounding concrete is one of the dominant mechanisms affecting the structural behaviour of fibre reinforced polymer (FRP)-reinforced concrete structures. In this chapter, the experimental and numerical studies on the bond mechanism between FRP rebars and concrete in FRP-reinforced concrete beams are presented...

In this study, a finite element model is developed for simulation of the structural behaviour of steel-reinforced concrete panels under blast loading using LS-DYNA. Pure Lagrangian formulation is applied in the finite element analysis, and the strain rate effect is taken into account in the material models of both concrete and steel. The finite ele...

In this paper, several FRP-reinforced concrete beams are modelled using a recently developed one-dimensional two-node layered composite beam element which accounts for the bond-slip between reinforcing bars and the surrounding concrete. Effect of different surfaces of FRP reinforcing bars on the structural response of FRP-reinforced concrete beams...

A finite element model is developed for the simulation of the structural response of steel-reinforced concrete panels to blast loading using LS-DYNA. The effect of element size on the dynamic material model of concrete is investigated and strain-rate effects on concrete in tension and compression are accounted for separately in the model. The model...

A new one-dimensional two-node layered composite beam element that accounts for the bond-slip between reinforcing bars and surrounding concrete is presented for nonlinear analysis of steel/fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) concrete beams. A layered approach is used not only to represent the nonlinear material property accurately but also to model the...

Thermal–structural coupling nonlinear finite element analyses are conducted in this paper to determine three-dimensional stresses of a composite tee joint, which is formed when a right angled plate is adhesively bonded to a base plate at elevated temperature. The von-Mises stresses of the adhesive layer of the tee joint with three different laminat...

In this paper, a simple one-dimensional two-node layered composite beam element is developed for accurate modeling of structural behavior of steel/fiber reinforced polymer-reinforced concrete beams under a combined mechanical and thermal loading in fire conditions. By employing the Timoshenko’s beam functions to construct the new element, shear-loc...

A simple displacement-based one-dimensional two-node layered composite beam element with only two degrees of freedom per node is developed based on Timoshenko's composite beam functions for nonlinear finite element analyses of steel/FRP-reinforced concrete beams in this paper. Timoshenko's composite beam functions are employed to represent the disp...

In this paper, several FRP-reinforced concrete beams are modelled using a recently developed one-dimensional two-node layered composite beam element which accounts for the bond-slip between reinforcing bars and the surrounding concrete. Effect of different surfaces of FRP reinforcing bars on the structural response of FRP-reinforced concrete beams...

A new simple one-dimensional two-node layered beam element with only 2 degrees of freedom per node is developed for finite element analyses of isotropic and composite beams in this paper. Timoshenko's composite beam functions are modified and employed to represent the displacement functions of the element, thus providing a unified formulation for s...

In this paper, the advances of finite element methods and analyses for FRP reinforced and strengthened concrete beams in last two decades are reviewed to present a state of the art of the research of numerical analysis and modelling of FRP composite concrete beams. Future research on finite element analysis of FRP composite beams is also presented.

A simple one-dimensional two-node beam element is developed in this paper based on Timoshenko's composite beam functions. To account for the layered characterization of the composite beams, a layered method is employed in the proposed element. The proposed element provides a unified formulation for both slender and moderately deep beam analyses, an...