Biography

Professor Shao’s research develops engineering concepts, models, and tools to improve the sustainability and productivity of the construction industry. Current projects focus on (1) developing sustainable, resilient, and adaptable structural systems with improved constructability and suitability for prefabrication; (2) advancing the understanding, analysis, and design of structures using Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) and Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (FRP); and (3) empowering construction machinery with embodied intelligence to enhance production efficiency and human-centric work environments. The research adopts an interdisciplinary approach that integrates high-performance construction materials, innovative structural systems, advanced structural design and optimization methods, and embodied intelligence.

Professor Shao actively serves on three technical committees: (1) ACI 239C Structural Design on UHPC, contributing as a chapter leader to the development of the ACI UHPC Structural Design Guide; (2) ACI 440H FRP Reinforcement, focusing on the development of FRP seismic design guidance; and (3) the CSA S6 Canadian Highway Bridge Design Code Fiber-Reinforced Concrete (FRC) Annex, concentrating on structural design methods for UHPC and FRC. Additionally, Prof. Shao serves on the editorial boards of Engineering Structures (Elsevier) and the Journal of Infrastructure Intelligence and Resilience (Elsevier). Prof. Shao is also a registered Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) in Ontario.

We believe in fostering a diverse, vibrant, and inclusive space where every student’s unique dreams are supported. Our team works tirelessly to ensure all members receive an exceptional education alongside meaningful professional growth. By aligning our research and teaching, we aim to break down barriers in civil engineering; making the field more welcoming to women, minority groups, and people with disabilities. We take pride in intentionally creating supportive pathways for expecting parents and students rebuilding their lives from conflict zones.

Research Interests

UHPC, Intelligent Design and Construction, Structural Optimization

Courses

CIVL 320 Civil Engineering Materials

CIVL 528 Advanced Concrete Technology

Awards & Recognitions

• 2026 Featured paper award, Engineering Structures, 2026
• 2019 First-place best paper award, 2nd international UHPC symposium (Albany, NY)
• 2016 Charles H. Leavell Graduate Student Fellowship, Stanford University

Publications

• Ma, Y.; Jiang, F.; Ou, Z.; Wu, K.; Fan, X.; Shao, Y. Flexural Performance of UHPC-Encased H-Shape Steel Beams: Experiments and Theoretical Analysis. Engineering Structures 2026, 346, 121612.

• Hosseini, S. M.; Quan, Z.; Shao, Y. Enhancing Shear Performance in UHPC Beams through Strategic Fiber and Stirrup Integration. Engineering Structures 2026, 348, 121810.

• Jin, Z.; Wang, H.; Sun, X.; Shao, Y. Harnessing Human Expertise for High-Precision Robotic Assembly in Industrialized Construction: A Sample-Efficient Installer-in-the-Loop Interactive Reinforcement Learning Framework. Available at SSRN 6361639.

• Li, Y.; Dong, Z.; Shao, Y. Efficient Function-Calling Agents Based on Expert-Planned Coding for Out-of-Domain Applications: A Civil Drafting Case. Available at SSRN 6298860.

• in, L.; Wu, X.; Shao, Y.; Yang, R.; Wen, J.; Zhang, S.; Yu, H. Experimental Investigation on the Effect of Steel Fibers on Compressive Softening Behavior of Reinforced Ultra-High Performance Concrete under Biaxial Tension-Compression. Journal of Building Engineering 2026, 116102.

• Sun, T.; Han, B.; Wu, J.; Rusinkiewicz, S.; Shao, Y. Mobile Robotic Rebar Cage Assembly via Imitation Learning. Automation in Construction 2026, 181, 106671.

For a full list of my publications, visit my profile on: