Du Hongjian

Biography

Dr Du Hongjian obtained his BEng and PhD from Shanghai Jiao Tong University in 2007 and the National University of Singapore in 2012, respectively. He worked as a Research Fellow and then as a Senior Research Fellow at NUS and a Lecturer at Swinburne University of Technology, Australia. Dr Du joined CEE as a lecturer in 2020.

Hongjian is a passionate educator. He strives to provide fruitful learning experiences to his students in lecture theatres, laboratories, and online classrooms. He applies active and experiential learning techniques to his teaching, aiming to foster his students’ holistic development in critical thinking, problem-solving skills, interdisciplinary collaboration, etc.  He has been nurturing undergraduate students with the skills to solve challenges by mentoring them in international and national competitions.   

Hongjian has a strong research focus on (1) the digital fabrication of reinforced concrete to increase construction automation and (2) the development of low-carbon building materials to combat climate change. He specializes in microstructural characterization and performance assessment of concrete. He is now mentoring a group of researchers on interesting but challenging topics including 3D concrete printing, embodied carbon calculation, carbon sequestration, upcycling waste in concrete, etc. Hongjian provides professional consultancy to the construction and concrete industry.   

Hongjian is proactive in translating his research into products to impact society. He holds a few inventions and patents related to green cement and low-carbon building materials. He is the co-founder of CIRCRETE, a deep-tech startup visioned to decarbonize the built environment.

Qualifications

• PhD, National University of Singapore, 2012
• BEng, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 2007

Honours & Awards

• Annual Teaching Excellence Award, NUS, 2023, 2024
• Excellence in Structural Engineering Education Award, The Institution of Structural Engineers, 2024.
• ExCEEd Teaching Fellow, American Society of Civil Engineers, 2023.
• The 3^rd Place Prize, 100k Innovation Challenge, CDE Industry Day, NUS, 2023.
• Outstanding Paper Award, Materials and Structures, RILEM, 2022.
• SCI Excellence Award, Singapore Concrete Institute, 2022.
• Best Paper Presentation Award, Higher Education Campus Conference (HECC), 2022.
• Provost Young Educator Award, NUS, 2020.
• College Educator Award, AY21/22, AY22/23, AY23/24, CDE, NUS.
• Engineering Educator Award, AY20/21, FOE, NUS.
• Faculty of Engineering Teaching Excellence Award, AY19/20,
• FSET Travel Grant Award, Swinburne University of Technology, 2018.
• Outstanding Reviewer for Construction and Building Materials, Elsevier, 2015.
• Gold Medal in Project Competition, ACI Singapore Chapter, 2014, 2013, 2012.
• Silver Award in Safety and Health Improvement Program, NUS, 2011.

Achievement of Mentorship

• • Merit Award, SCI Young Innovators Awards 2023, Singapore Concrete Institute [Students: Liu Congzhi, Bazil Bin Akhbar Angullia, Ng Jun Wei, Shanmuganathan Kumaraval, Shashank Kumaar]
  • Commendation Award, SCI Young Innovators Award 2023, Singapore Concrete Institute [Students: Zhang Wei, Cui Xinyue, Sherman Lee Kwan Han]
  • Bronze Award, Green Concrete Cube Competition 2023, American Concrete Institute Singapore Chapter [Students: Bazil Bin Akhbar Angullia, Lew Tay Ping Justin, Choo Teng Yi Edward]
  • Merit Award, Engineering Innovation Challenge (EIC) 2023, The Institution of Engineers, Singapore [Students: Liu Congzhi, Bazil Bin Akhbar Angullia, Ng Jun Wei, Shanmuganathan Kumaraval, Shashank Kumaar]
  • Finalist, The 25th Young Researchers Conference, 2023, The Institution of Structural Engineers, UK [Student: Gao Yangyunzhi]
  • Merit Award, CDE Innovation & Research Award 2023, NUS [Student: Ng Jun Liang Ben]
  • SCI Young Innovators Award 2022, Singapore Concrete Institute [Students: Gao Yangyunzhi, Teo Hao Jun, Wang Huan]
  • Silver Prize, Project Competition, ACI (Singapore Chapter), 2022 [Staff and Students: Dr. Bong Shin Hau, Dr. Luo Zhiyu, Lu Yifan, Chloe Ng Xuanhui]
  • 3rd Place Prize, International Concrete Competition, CIVILWEEK2022 [Students: Chen Ge, Gao Xinge, Tristan Tan Yong Cheuh]
  • 1st Runner Up Award and People’s Choice Award, BECC2022, 2022 [Students: Chloe Ng Xuanhui, Elizabeth Lim Zhi Yan, Hugo Teo Wee Siang, Keamjeera Vatanawood]
  • Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher Prize, AY2021/2022, NUS, 2022 [Student: Lim Keng En John]
  • High Achievement Award, CDE Innovation & Research Award, 2022 [Student: Lim Keng En John]
  • Finalist, International Concrete Competition CIVILWEEK, 2021 [Students: Lim Keng En John, Sean Chua Xin Wei]
  • First Prize (University Category), The Innovation in Public Transport (INPUT) Competition, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), 2021 [Students: Manikandan Annamalai, Sean Chua Xin Wei, Hussain Fathah]
  • Silver Medal in Project Competition, ACI Singapore Chapter, 2021 [Students: Wang Dehao, Wang Yue, Sean Chua Xin Wei, Lim Keng En John]
  • Independent Cement & Lime Prize, Swinburne University of Technology, 2019 [Students: Wong Se Cheng, Kelvin Tsen]

Professional Activities

• Chair, Workshop on Interdisciplinary Learning, CDTL, NUS, 19 Sep 2022.
• Chair, Symposium of Learning and Teaching during and after Pandemic, in The Seventeenth East Asia-Pacific Conference on Structural Engineering and Construction (EASEC-17), 2022 Singapore.
• Deputy Lead, Working Group in Technical Committee on CNC: Carbon-based nanomaterials for multifunctional cementitious matrices, RILEM.
• Member, Technical Committee on ADC: Assessment of additively manufactured concrete materials and structures, RILEM.
• Member, Working Group on SS 214: 2009 – Specification for precast concrete kerbs. Institution of Engineers, Singapore.

Editorial Boards

• Member, Editorial Board, Journal of Sustainable Cement-based Materials, Taylors and Francis, 2024-2026.
• Guest Editor, Special Issue on Advanced Measurements for Microstructure of Construction Materials, Journal of Measurement, Elsevier, 2020-2021.

Teaching Areas

• Structural Materials and Mechanics
• Structural Concrete Design
• Advanced Concrete Technology
• Specifying Concrete to EN 206

Research Interests

• Construction Automation
• 3D Concrete Printing
• Durability of Concrete Materials
• Reuse of Waste in Concrete

Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

1. Du H. Fostering Sustainability Education in Civil Engineering through Student-Guided Design Competitions, In World Engineers Summit Engineering for a Sustainable Future, Singapore, 8-10 Nov 2023. [Oral Presentation]
2. Du H. J., Tay, S. E. R., Yeoh, J., Geng, G., Lin, A., Goh Y. M., Ong, P., Tay, M. X. Y., & Yan S. (2023, May 29). Interdisciplinary education in the College of Design and Engineering (CDE): A learning community’s reflection. Teaching Connections. https://blog.nus.edu.sg/teachingconnections/2023/05/29/interdisciplinary-education-in-the-college-of-design-and-engineering-cde-a-learning-communitys-reflection/
3. Du H. J., & Tay, S. E. R. (2022). Using scenario-based student-generated questions to improve the learning of engineering mechanics: A case study in civil engineering [Paper presentation]. In Higher Education Campus Conference (HECC) 2022, 7-8 December, National University of Singapore. https://nus.edu.sg/cdtl/engagement/conferences/highereducation-campus-conference-2022/hecc-2022-home/ebooklet.pdf
4. Du H. (2022). Hybrid lab class for structural concrete design. In Symposium of Teaching & Learning during and after Pandemic. Singapore, 2022. [Oral Presentation]
5. Du H. (2022). Move lab class online for engineering undergraduate teaching. In Applied Learning Conference 2022. Singapore, 2022. [Poster Presentation]
6. Du H. (2021). Online lecture and hands-on practice: A complementary approach to learning. Teaching Connections. https://blog.nus.edu.sg/teachingconnections/2021/08/26/online-lecture-and-hands-on-practice-a-complementary-approach-for-learning/
7. Tsang HH, Du H & Haritos N. (2019). Enhancing the experience of learning engineering mechanics with blended and experiential components. In World Engineers Convention 2019. Melbourne: Engineers Australia, 2019, 1150-1164.

Selected Publications

1. Zhang W, Du H, Pang SD. Alkali-silica reaction of seawater-mixed mortar, Journal of Sustainable Cement-based Materials, Volume 13, 2024, pp. 1079-1089.
2. Luo Z, Ren F, Dang J, Du H. Sustainable utilization of low-value lithium-ion battery waste in cement and concrete, Sustainable Materials and Technologies, 2024, e00937.
3. Chen W, Wang Q, Huang Z, Du H. Hydration mechanism and mechanical properties of a developed low-carbon and lightweight strain-hardening cementitious composites, Journal of Sustainable Cement-based Composites, Volume 13, 2024, pp. 661-677.
4. Zhang Y, Qian R, Qiao H, Xue C, Feng Q, Su L, Zhang Y, Du H. Interlayer adhesion of 3D printed concrete: Influence of layer stacked vertically, Construction and Building Materials, Volume 399, 2023, 132424.
5. Zhao Y, Gao Y, Chen G, Li S, Liu C, Luo X, Gao J, Du H. Development of low-carbon materials from GGBS and clay brick powder for 3D concrete printing, Construction and Building Materials, Volume 383, 2023, 131232.
6. Yu S, Sanjayan J, Du H. Effects of Cement Mortar Characteristics on Aggregate-bed 3D Concrete Printing. Additive Manufacturing, Volume 58, 2022, 103024.
7. Chen W, Dang J, Du H. Using low-grade calcined clay to develop low-carbon and lightweight strain-hardening cement composites, Journal of Building Engineering, Volume 58, 2022, 105023.
8. Yu S, Xia M, Yu S, Sanjayan J, Yang L, Xiao J. Du H. Microstructural Characterization of 3D Printed Concrete, Journal of Building Engineering, Volume 44, 2021, 102948.
9. Zhang Y, Zhang Y, Yang L, Liu G, Chen Y, Yu S, Du H. Hardened Properties and Durability of Large-Scale 3D Printed Cement-based Materials, Materials and Structures, Volume 54, 2021, pp. 1-14.
10. Yu S, Du H, Sanjayan J. Aggregate-Bed 3D Concrete Printing with Cement Paste Ink, Cement and Concrete Research, Volume 136, 2020, 106169.