By: Anne Schulze
ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineering) Geo-Congress 2024 was successfully held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, from February 25th to 28th. This conference has addressed the main challenges centered around geotechnical engineering. Shijun Wei is one of the prominent attendees of this conference, and at the venue, he actively exchanged his latest research findings with renowned experts and scholars in related fields. Shijun Wei has been deeply involved for several years and made outstanding contributions to geotechnical engineering.
Shijun Wei, an ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineering) Student member and Ph.D. candidate in Civil and Environmental Engineering (Geotechnical Engineering focus) at Virginia Tech, is now a distinguished young scholar mainly engaged in geotechnical engineering research.
Wei’s academic journey began at the University of Washington, where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in civil and environmental engineering from September 2014 to June 2018. Subsequently, he continued his studies at the University of California, San Diego, and obtained a master’s degree in Structural Engineering from September 2018 to June 2020. He has been pursuing a Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering at Virginia Tech, focusing on Geotechnical Engineering since August 2020. A multitude of professional knowledge and practical research experience in the ten years of his academic career has opened the door for him to embark on geotechnical engineering research, laying a solid foundation for his future research direction and career development.
During his Ph.D., Wei has been committed to the research of multiscale numerical modeling of clay systems, especially in evaluating the behavior of frozen soil, an intricate aspect of geotechnical engineering. His studies, based on advanced numerical modeling techniques, have delved deep into the complexities of clay systems and understand their behavior across different scales through extensive scientific experiments and data analysis. Remarkably, he has explored the intricate interplay of various factors influencing clay formations’ mechanical properties and stability, especially under frozen conditions. His research is conducive to effectively improving the quality and sustainability of engineering projects for the smooth progress of permafrost engineering in cold regions of the United States. This is undoubtedly a blessing and holds significant implications for various engineering projects in cold areas worldwide.
Wei has also continuously endeavored to promote his scientific payoffs domestically and internationally. Through unremitting efforts, he has continually pursued excellence in academia. He has published multiple academic papers as the first author in numerous scholarly conferences and journals in his professional field, providing theoretical guidance and suggestions for the scientific research of geotechnical engineering. He has presented his latest research findings at multitudinous conferences around the world, such as ASCE Geo-Congress from 2022 to 2024, American Geophysical Union 2020, Engineering Mechanics Institute Conference 2022, the 11th International Symposium on Ground Freezing, Cold Regions Engineering 2024, etc. Shijun Wei expressed great gratitude for these valuable opportunities to showcase his research to the world. Meanwhile, these conferences have stayed abreast of the latest scientific developments and research findings, exchanged academic ideas, and strengthened cooperation in the field.
Wei has participated in a large interdisciplinary team led by Professor Abdelaziz in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at Virginia Tech, which involved many researchers in various fields, including geotechnical engineers, materials scientists, AI experts, soil microbiologists, biogeochemists, geophysicists, geographers from different universities and the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL). He has collaborated with his team members and has dedicated himself to developing a Defensive Resilience Platform (DRP) for extreme cold weather conditions. Based on this platform, the deterioration of natural and man-made infrastructure under extreme cold weather conditions can be predicted, and a range of new building materials resistant to the adverse effects of low temperatures can be further developed.
As the core member of this project, Wei was mainly responsible for the multiscale numerical modeling of frozen soil behavior in his work and played a crucial role in this $17 million project. In his work, as one who always adheres to the principles of honesty and integrity, he has been passionate about his career, valued teamwork, and constantly pursued innovation and development. “I sincerely hope that we, as a team led by excellent researchers, can revolutionize our understanding and response to extreme cold weather challenges, ultimately advancing the resilience and sustainability of infrastructure in cold regions through our collaborative efforts.” Shijun Wei said.
The deeds of Shijun Wei have been a model of how a young scholar achieved significant success in geotechnical engineering through unremitting efforts and outstanding research. His work not only promoted the development of the academic community but also had a profound impact on practical engineering practice. Nowadays, extreme weather has brought more challenges and opportunities to permafrost engineering projects in cold areas worldwide. As a result, Shijun Wei hopes to continue his academic path to geotechnical engineering and make more significant contributions to teaching and research.
In the future, Shijun Wei will continue to pursue scientific research by delving into the behavior of frozen soils, expanding knowledge boundaries, and transforming research findings into practical applications to address the practical challenges in engineering in cold regions worldwide. At the same time, he will spare no effort to promote the development of geotechnical engineering, aiming to provide valuable insights and solutions for engineering practices in cold regions worldwide and bring more innovations and breakthroughs to the field and society.
Published by: Khy Talara
