Geng Guoqing

Biography

Dr. Geng Guoqing received his Bachelor degree from Southeast University (China) in 2010, and his Master and Doctoral degrees in CEE at UC Berkeley (USA) in 2013 and 2017, respectively. His PhD program was dedicated to investigating the microscale chemistry and mineralogy of modern construction materials. He was then awarded a postdoctoral fellowship at the Paul Scherrer Institute (Switzerland), where he studied the durability of concrete both as a construction material and hosting material for radioactive waste.

Dr. Geng has research interests in sustainability and performance-based innovation of modern construction materials. His research involves the usage of multi-scale mineral/chemical/material characterization methods and modelling tools. He has authored/co-authored over 50 journal publications in the field of cement and concrete research. He is the PI or Co-PI of several active research projects sponsored by the Minster of Education, Singapore Energy Center, DSTA, BCA and NRF.

Dr. Geng is currently the East Asian Regional Convener for RILEM, a board member of ACI-Singapore Chapter, and Singapore Concrete Institute. He serves as the editor for several international journals.

Qualifications

• PhD, University of California Berkeley, USA 2017.
• Master of Science, University of California Berkeley, USA 2013.
• Bachelor of Engineering, Southeast University, China, 2010

Positions Held

• 2019 Dec. – Present, Assistant Professor, National University of Singapore.
• 2017 Jun. – 2019 Dec., Postdoctoral Fellow, Paul Scherrer Institute, Switzerland.

Professional Service  

• Board of Directors, American Concrete Institute, Singapore Chapter
• Board of Directors, Singapore Concrete Institute
• East Asia Regional Convener of RILEM (International Union of Laboratories and Experts in Construction Materials, Systems and Structures)
• Board of Directors, American Concrete Institute, Singapore Chapter
• Board of Directors, Singapore Concrete Institute
• Editorial board, Cleaner Materials
• Guest Editor, Frontiers in Materials
• Program chair, The 17^th East Asia-Pacific Conference on Structural Engineering and Construction (2022, Singapore)

Award

• 2023 RILEM Gustavo Colonnetti Medalist (researchers under 35 years old who have performed high-level scientific research in the field of construction materials and structures)
• 2022 Faculty Teaching Excellence Award, NUS 2021/2022
• 2022 Best Young Researcher’s Paper Award, 17th East Asia-Pacific Conference on Structural Engineering and Construction
• 2021 Faculty Teaching Excellence Award, NUS 2020/2021
• 2021 Gold Medal, ACI-SC Annual Project Competition
• 2020 Le Chatelier distinguished paper, Cement and Concrete Research
• 2018 Outstanding reviewer for Cement and Concrete Research
• 2017 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions PSI Co-fund fellowship
• 2014 Special State Fund for Strategic Research Award
• 2014 Roy W. Calrson-Milos Polivka Fellowship

Research interests

• Circulation of low-grade and waste material for construction
• Degradation, durability and resilience of construction material
• High-performance construction material

Research Projects

• PI, 2022-2024, Effective Absorption of Low Concentration CO₂ Flue Gas for Sustainable Urban Development, Singapore Energy Center
• PI, 2021-2024, Engineering a Sustainable Cementitious Material Containing Clay and Limestone, Minster of Education
• PI, 2020-2024, Resolving the 3D Porous Structure of C-A-S-H at the Mesoscale, National University of Singapore
• Co-PI, 2020-2022, Testing and Performance of Rapid-Set Concrete Mix for Airport Pavements, DSTA
• Co-PI, 2022-2024, Resilient Building Façade with Robust Material Testing and Machine Learning Framework, BCA, NRF

Completed Research Projects

• Co-PI, Testing and Performance of Rapid-Set Concrete Mix for Airport Pavements, DSTA
• PSI-FELLOW-II-3i programme. Postdoctoral Fellowship Grant, Paul Scherrer Institute, co-funded by EU Horizon 2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, Investigate the Micro-mechanism of alkali-silica-reaction using multi-disciplinary approaches.

Teaching

Department of CEE, National University of Singapore

• CE2155 Principles of Structural Mechanics and Materials
• CE5610 Assessment and Retrofit of Concrete Structures
• CE6601 Characterization of Sustainable Building Materials
• CE5611A Specifying Concrete to EN 206

Publications

Peer-reviewed journals (* indicating the corresponding author)

• • Liu, Q., Ming, X., Wang, M., Wang, Q., Li, Y., Li, Z., Hou, D. and Geng, G.*, 2024. Probing the hydration behaviour of tricalcium aluminate under the in situ polymerization of acrylic acid. Cement and Concrete Research, 177, p.107429.
  • Zhang, Z., Zhu, Q. and Geng, G.*, 2024. Mechanical behaviour of CSH agglomerates at multiscale. Composites Part B: Engineering, 271, p.111140.
  • Wang, Q., Yan, Y., Zhang, Z., Wen, X., Zheng, C. and Geng, G.*, 2024. An LC3-type binder produced with marine clay and municipal waste incineration fly ash. Construction and Building Materials, 411, p.134182.
  • Zhao, L., Feng, P., Shen, X., Rong, H., Miao, C. and Geng, G.*, 2024. Mitigating chloride attack in cementitious materials without compromising other properties via the use of viscosity modifying admixture. Cement and Concrete Composites, p.105441.
  • Zhang, Z. and Geng, G.*, 2024. Measuring the surface cohesion of calcium silicate hydrate. Cement and Concrete Research, 175, p.107369.
  • Yan, Y., Tang, J. and Geng, G., 2023. Exploring microstructure development of CSH gel in cement blends with starch-based polysaccharide additives. Case Studies in Construction Materials, 19, p.e02589.
  • Qu, Z., Yan, Y., Pel, L., Ong, G.P. and Geng, G.*, 2023. Quantifying early age hydration and micro-structure evolution of fast setting binder using 1H NMR. Cement and Concrete Research, 174, p.107343.
  • Zhang, Z. and Geng, G.*, 2023. Discrete Element Modelling of Powder-compacted CSH Matrix. Journal of Advanced Concrete Technology, 21(11), pp.889-902.
  • Luo, Q., Zhang, X., Bai, Y., Yang, J. and Geng, G.*, 2023. Reduce the cost and embodied carbon of ultrahigh-performance concrete using waste clay. Case Studies in Construction Materials, p.e02670.
  • Geng, G.* and Zhang, Z., 2023. The missing link in the bottom-up theory of mechanical properties of calcium silicate hydrate. RILEM Technical Letters, 8, pp.31-44.
  • Sun, M., Gao, X., Zhang, Z., Zou, C., Xin, D. and Geng, G.*, Stepwise dissolution of silica surface in alkaline solution revealed by molecular modelling. Journal of the American Ceramic Society, 106(11), pp.6586-6601.
  • Yan, Y., Wang, R., Wang, W., Chu, Y., Wang, Y., Li, L., Tian, Q., Geng, G. and Liu, J., 2023. Robustness improvement of starch-based temperature rise inhibitor: Study on the effect of casting/curing temperatures. Journal of Building Engineering, 74, p.106758.
  • Liu, Q., Ming, X., Xu, J., Hou, D., Sun, G., Li, Z. and Geng, G.*. Robust cement composite with low hydration temperature and high mechanical performance achieved by Field’s metal and acrylic acid-acrylamide copolymer. Construction and Building Materials, 2023 (387) 131655.
  • Yan, Y. and Geng, G.*. Evolution of CSH morphology at early age: New insights from direct TEM observation. Journal of Building Engineering, 2023 106764.
  • Qu, Z., Yu, Q., Ong, G.P., Cardinaels, R., Ke, L., Long, Y. and Geng, G.*. 3D printing concrete containing thermal responsive gelatin: Towards cold environment applications. Cement and Concrete Composites, 2023 105029.
  • Luo, Q., Zhang, X., Li, Y., Zhang, Z. and Geng, G*, Interfacial Degradation of Calcium Silicate Hydrate and Epoxy under a Hygrothermal Environment: An Experimental and Molecular Model Study. The Journal of Physical Chemistry C
  • Wieland, E., Miron, G.D., Ma, B., Geng, G. and Lothenbach, B., Speciation of iron (II/III) at the iron-cement interface: a review. Materials and Structures, 2023 (56) 31.
  • Li, J., Xu, K., Geng, G. and Mason, H.E., Determine the coordination of Al and Si of Fe-rich fly ash: The challenge in NMR and how we probe its heterogeneity using X-ray spectromicroscopy. Cement and Concrete Research, 2022 (161) 106947.
  • Liu, X., Feng, P., Yu, X., Shen, X., Geng, G. and Lothenbach, B., The physiochemical alterations of calcium silicate hydrate (CSH) under magnesium attack. Cement and Concrete Research, 2022 (160) 106901.
  • Dixit, A., Geng, G., Du, H. and Dai Pang, S. The role of age on carbon sequestration and strength development in blended cement mixes. Cement and Concrete Composites, 2022 (133) 104644.
  • Zhang, Z., Yan, Y., Qu, Z. and Geng, G.* Endowing strength to calcium silicate hydrate (CSH) powder by high-pressure mechanical compaction. Cement and Concrete Research, 2022 (159) 106858.
  • Aili, A., Maruyama, I., Geng, G., Umeki, S., Sumitani, K., Sawada, S., Ueda, S. and Umeki, Y. Micro X‐ray diffraction and elemental study on Al‐tobermorite formation in aged modern concrete. Journal of the American Ceramic Society. 2022
  • Luo, Q., Li, Y., Zhang, Z., Peng, X. and Geng, G.*. Influence of substrate moisture on the interfacial bonding between calcium silicate hydrate and epoxy. Construction and Building Materials, 2022 (320) 126252.
  • Sun, M., Geng, G.*, Xin D., Zou C. Molecular quantification of the decelerated dissolution of tri-calcium silicate (C₃S) due to surface adsorption. Cement and Concrete Research, 2022 (152) 106682.
  • Leemann, A., Bagheri, M., Lothenbach, B., Scrivener, K., Barbotin, S., Boehm‐Courjault, E., Geng, G., Dähn, R., Shi, Z., Shakoorioskooie, M. and Griffa, M. Alkali‐silica reaction–a multidisciplinary approach. RILEM Technical Letters, 2021 (6) 169-187.
  • Geng, G. *, Barbotin, S., Shakoorioskooie, M., Shi, Z., Leemann, A., Sanchez, D.F., Grolimund, D., Wieland, E. and Dähn, R. An in-situ 3D micro-XRD investigation of water uptake by alkali-silica-reaction (ASR) product. Cement and Concrete Research, 2021 (141) 106331.
  • Liu, X., Feng, P., Li, W., Geng, G., Huang, J., Gao, Y., Mu, S. and Hong, J., 2021. Effects of pH on the nano/microstructure of calcium silicate hydrate (CSH) under sulfate attack. Cement and Concrete Research, 140, p.106306.
  • Pang, B., Jia, Y., Dai Pang, S., Zhang, Y., Du, H., Geng, G., Ni, H., Qian, J., Qiao, H., Yang, L. and Liu, G., 2021. Research on the toughening mechanism of modified nano-silica and silane molecular cages in the multi-scale microfracture of cement-epoxy composite. Cement and Concrete Composites, p.104027.
  • Mancini, A., Wieland, E., Geng, G., Lothenbach, B., Wehrli, B. and Dähn, R., 2021. Fe (II) interaction with cement phases: Method development, wet chemical studies and X-ray absorption spectroscopy. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 588, pp.692-704.
  • Pang, B., Jia, Y., Dai Pang, S., Zhang, Y., Du, H., Geng, G., Ni, H., Qian, J., Qiao, H. and Liu, G., The interpenetration polymer network in a cement paste–waterborne epoxy system. Cement and Concrete Research, 2021 (139) 106236.
  • Mancini, A., Lothenbach, B., Geng, G., Grolimund, D., Sanchez, D.F., Fakra, S.C., Dähn, R., Wehrli, B. and Wieland, E.. Iron speciation in blast furnace slag cement. Cement and Concrete Research, 2021 (140) 106287.
  • Geng*, Z. Shi, A. Leemann, K. Glazyrin, A. Kleppe, D. Daisenberger, S. Churakov, B. Lothenbach, E. Wieland, R. Dähn. Mechanical behaviour and phase change of alkali-silica-reaction products under hydrostatic compression. Acta Crystallographica B, 2020 (76) 4.
  • Li, Y. Wang, G. Geng, H. Chen, P. Hou, X. Cheng, P.J. Monteiro, S. Huang, J.H. Kim. Microstructural study of hydration of C₃S in the presence of calcium nitrate using scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM). Journal of Nanomaterials, 2020.
  • Geng, Z. Shi, A. Leemann, C. Borca, T. Huthwelker, K. Glazyrin, I.V. Pekov, S. Churakov, B. Lothenbach, R. Dähn, E. Wieland. Atomistic structure of alkali-silica reaction products refined from X-ray diffraction and micro X-ray absorption data. Cement and Concrete Research, 2020, 129, 105958.
  • Latina Nedyalkova, B. Lothenbach, Geng, U. Mäder, J. Tits. Uptake of iodide by calcium aluminate phases (AFm phases). Applied Geochemistry, 2020, 104559.
  • Mancini, E. Wieland, G. Geng, R. Dähn, J. Skibsted, B. Wehrli, B. Lothenbach. Fe(III) uptake by calcium silicate hydrates. Applied Geochemistry, 2020, 104460.
  • Bae, A. Machida, A. Shiro, G. Geng, H. Suh, H. Suzuki, H. Jee, M. Kanematsu, S. Morooka, T. Shobu, T. Watanuki. Analysis of Atomistic Structural Deformation Characteristics of Calcium Silicate Hydrate in 53-Year-Old Tricalcium Silicate Paste Using Atomic Pair Distribution Function. Construction & Building Materials, 2020, in press.
  • J. Monteiro, G. Geng, D. Marchon, J. Li, P. Alapati, k. kurtis, M.J.A. Qomi. Advances in characterizing and understanding the microstructure of cementitious materials. Cement and Concrete Research, 2019, 124.
  • Liu, C. Sun, G. Geng*, P. Feng, J. Li, R. Dähn. Influence of decalcification on structural and mechanical properties of synthetic calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H). Cement and Concrete Research, 2019, 123.
  • Shi, G. Geng, A. Leemann, B. Lothenbach. Synthesis, characterization, and water uptake property of alkali-silica reaction products. Cement and Concrete Research, 2019, 121, 58-71.
  • Li, G. Geng*, W. Zhang, Y.-S. Yu, D.A. Shapiro, P.J.M. Monteiro. The hydration of β- and α′H-dicalcium silicates: an x-ray spectromicroscopic study. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, 2019. DOI: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.8b05060.
  • Afroughsabet, G. Geng, A. Lin, L. Biolzi, C.P. Ostertag, P.J. Monteiro. The Influence of Expansive Cement on the Mechanical, physical, and microstructural properties of Hybrid-Fibre-Reforced Concrete. Cement and Concrete Composites, 2019, 96, 21-32.
  • Zhou, C.A. Orozco, E. Duque-Redondo, H. Manzano, G. Geng, P. Feng, P.J.M. Monteiro, C. Miao. Modification of poly(ethylene glycol) on the microstructure and mechanical properties of calcium silicate hydrates. Cement and Concrete Research, 2019, 20-30.
  • Li, G. Geng*, R. Myers, Y.-S. Yu, D. Shapiro, C. Carraro, R. Maboudian, P.J.M. Monteiro. The chemistry and structure of calcium (alumino) silicate hydrate: a study by XANES, psychographic imaging, and wide- and small-angle scattering. Cement and Concrete Research, 2018, 115, 367-378.
  • Geng*, R.N. Vasin, J. Li, M.J.A. Qomi, J. Yan, H.-R. Wenk, P.J.M. Monteiro. The preferred orientation of calcium aluminosilicate hydrate is induced by confined compression. Cement and Concrete Research, 2018, 113. 186-196.
  • Geng*, R.J. Myers, Y.-S. Yu, D.A. Shapiro, R. Winarski, P.E. Levitz, A.L.D. Kilcoyne, P.J.M. Monteiro. Synchrotron X-ray nanotomographic and spectromicroscopic study of the tricalcium aluminate hydration in the presence of gypsum. Cement and Concrete Research, 2018, 111, 130-137.
  • Geng*, J. Li, Y. Zhou, L. Liu, J. Yan, M. Kunz, P.J.M. Monteiro. A high-pressure X-ray diffraction study of the crystalline phases in calcium aluminate cement paste. Cement and Concrete Research,2018, 18, 38-45.
  • Zhou, D. Hou, G. Geng, P. Feng, J. Jiang, J. Yu. Insights on the interfacial strengthening mechanisms of calcium-silicate-hydrates/polymer nanocomposites. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2018, 20, 8247-8266.
  • Geng*, R.J. Myers, M.J.A. Qomi, and P.J.M. Monteiro. Densification of the interlayer spacing governs the nanomechanical properties of calcium-silicate-hydrate. Scientific Reports, 2017, 7.
  • Geng*, J. Li, Y.-S. Yu, D.A. Shapiro, D.A. Kilcoyne, P.J.M. Monteiro. Nanometer-resolved spectroscopic study reveals the conversion mechanism of CaO∙Al₂O₃∙10H₂O to 2CaO∙Al₂O₃∙8H₂O and 3CaO∙Al₂O₃∙6H₂O at an elevated temperature. Crystal Growth & Design, 2017, 17, 4246-4253.
  • Geng*, R.J. Myers, J. Li, R. Maboudian, C. Carraro, P.J.M. Monteiro. Aluminum-induced dreierketten chain cross-links increase the mechanical properties of nanocrystalline calcium aluminosilicate hydrate. Scientific Reports, 2017, 7, 44032.
  • Geng*, R.J. Myers, A.L.D. Kilcoyne, J. Ha, P.J.M. Monteiro. Ca L_2,3-edge near edge X-ray absorption fine structure of tricalcium aluminate, gypsum and calcium (sulfo)aluminate hydrates. American Mineralogist, 2017, 4, 900-908.
  • J. Myers, G. Geng, E.D. Rodriguez, P. da Rosa, A.P. Kirchheim, P.J. Monteiro. Solution chemistry of cubic and orthorhombic tricalcium aluminate hydration.Cement and Concrete Research, 2017, 100, 176-185.
  • Orozco, B-W Chun, G. Geng, A.H. Emwas, P.J.M. Monteiro. Characterization of the bonds developed between calcium silicate hydrate and polycarboxylate-based superplasticizers with silyl functionalities. Langmuir, 2017,33, 3404-3412.
  • Ortaboy, J. Li, G. Geng, R.J. Myers, P.J.M. Monteiro, R. Maboudian, C. Carraro. Effects of CO₂ and temperature on the structure and chemistry of C-(A-)S-H investigated by Raman spectroscopy.RSC Advances, 2017, 7, 48925-48933.
  • Zhou, D. Hou, H. Manzano, C.A. Orozco, G. Geng, P.J.M. Monteiro, J. Liu. Interfacial connection mechanisms in calcium-silicate-hydrates/polymer nanocomposites: a molecular dynamics study.ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 2017, 9(46), 41014-41025.
  • Shi, G. Geng. Electrochemical behaviour of fine-grained steel in alkaline solutions in the presence of chlorides. Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering (ASCE), 2017, 29(7), 04017039.
  • J. Myers, G. Geng, J. Li, E. Rodríguez, J. Ha, P. Kidkhunthod, G. Sposito, L. Lammers, A. Kirchheim, P.J.M. Monteiro. Role of adsorption phenomena in cubic tricalcium aluminate dissolution. Langmuir, 2016, 45-55.
  • Shi, G. Geng, J. Ming. Corrosion resistance of fine-grained rebar in mortars designed for high-speed railway construction. European Journal of Environmental and Civil Engineering, 2016, 21, 1-16.
  • Rheinheimer, S.R. Chae, E.D. Rodriguez, G. Geng, A.P. Kirchheim, P.J.M. Monteiro. A scanning transmission X-ray microscopy study of cubic and orthorhombic C₃A and their hydration products in the presence of gypsum. Materials, 2016, 9(9), 745.
  • Zhao, J. Yu, G. Geng, J. Jiang, X. Liu. Effect of fibre types on creep behaviour of concrete.Construction and Building Materials, 2016, 105, 416-422.
  • Geng, R. Taylor, S. Bae, D. Hernández-Cruz, D. A. Kilcoyne, A. H. Emwas, P. J. Monteiro. Atomic and nano-scale characterization of a 50-year-old hydrated C₃S paste.Cement and Concrete Research, 2015, 77, 36-46.
  • Li, Y. Ge, G. Geng, S. Bae, and P. J. M. Monteiro, CaCl₂-accelerated hydration of tricalcium silicate: an STXM study combined with ²⁹Si MAS NMR. Journal of Nanomaterials, 2015, 16, 412.
  • Shi, W. Sun, G. Geng. Corrosion resistances of passive films on low-carbon rebar and fine-grained rebar in alkaline media. Acta Metallurgica Sinica, 2011, 47(4), 449-454.
  • Shi, W. Sun, G. Geng. Influence of carbonation on the corrosion performance of steel HRB335 in simulated concrete pore solution. Acta Metallurgica Sinica, 2011, 47(1), 17-24.

   

  Peer-reviewed conference proceedings

  • Geng, Z. Shi, B. Lothenbach, A. Leemann, E. Wieland, R. Daehn. A micro-XAS and XRD study of the crystalline alkali-silica reaction products. Proceedings of the 16^th International Conference on Alkali Aggregate Reaction in Concrete, Lisboa, Portugal, 2021.
  • Geng, R. Daehn, E. Wieland, P.J.M. Monteiro. Understanding the mechanical properties of cement-based phases at the molecular level. Proceedings of the 15^th International Congress on the Chemistry of Cement, Prague, Czech Republic, 2019.
  • Geng, P.J.M. Monteiro. Correlating the atomic structure of nano-crystalline C-A-S-H with its mechanical property using high-pressure X-ray diffraction. Proceedings of the 3^rd International Conferences on Microstructure Related Durability of Cementitious Composites, Nanjing, China, 2016.
  • Geng, D.A. Kilcoyne, C.J. Benmore, P.J.M. Monteiro. Multi-technology investigation of the atomic structure of calcium silicate hydrates. Proceedings of the 14^th International Congress on the Chemistry of Cement, Beijing, China, 2015.

Book/Conference Proceeding

 

• Geng, G., Qian, X., Poh, L.H. and Dai Pang, S. eds., 2023. Proceedings of The 17th East Asian-Pacific Conference on Structural Engineering and Construction, 2022: EASEC-17, Singapore (Vol. 302). Springer Nature.
• Zhang, Z. Liu, H. Yu, G. Sun, G. Geng. Transport Property and Durability of Modern Concrete, Science Press, Beijing, China, 2018 (in Chinese).