Yi Shao
Ph.D.

Professor Shao’s research aims at improving the sustainability and automation level of the construction industry by promoting circular utilization and autonomous construction. Current projects focus on (1) developing sustainable, resilient, and adaptable structural systems that can be reused/reconfigured due to function/climate changes and are engineered for robotic construction, (2) advancing the knowledge and design theory of Ultra-high Performance Concrete (UHPC) structures, and (3) developing autonomous solutions for various construction tasks. Our research adopts an interdisciplinary approach, which includes the development and usage of high-performance materials, innovative structural systems, advanced design methods, and autonomous construction methods (AI, robotic control, computer vision, etc.).
Our team is committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and dynamic educational environment. We support the unique dreams of each student. We are determined to help our team members gain the best educational experience and professional development. Through our research and educational activities, we strive to make the civil engineering industry more accessible and attractive to women, minority groups, and persons with disabilities.
- Postdoctoral Scholar, University of California, Berkeley (2022)
- Ph.D., Stanford University (2020)
- M.S., Stanford University (2017)
- B.S., Hunan University (2015)
- Sustainable, resilient, and adaptable structures
- Energy-efficient buildings
- Advanced materials, especially Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC)
- Topology optimization
- Robotic construction
- Earthquake engineering
- First-place best paper award, 2nd international UHPC symposium (Albany, NY),2019
- Charles H. Leavell Graduate Student Fellowship, Stanford University, 2016
- Guest Editor, Advances in Structural Engineering (SAGE Journal), 2022-present
- Guest Editor, Advances in Bridge Engineering (Springer Journal), 2023-present
- Co-chair of interactive panels, Third International UHPC Symposium, 2023
- Chapter chair, ACI UHPC Structural Design Guidance, ACI 239-0C Committee, 2022-present