Texas Tech University

Qiang Chen, M.S.

Wind Science and Engineering (WiSE) Ph.D. Student
Research Assistant, Texas Tech University

Email: qiang.chen@ttu.edu

Room Number:   Civil Engineering, Room 104

Website: LinkedIn

Qiang Chen, currently based in Lubbock, Texas, is a Ph.D. candidate in Wind Science and Engineering at Texas Tech University, with an anticipated graduation in May 2024. His academic journey includes an M.S. in Bridge and Tunnel Engineering from Southwest Jiaotong University and a B.E. in Civil Engineering from Sichuan University.

As a Research Assistant at Texas Tech University, under the supervision of Delong Zuo, Qiang has conducted research by physically simulating tornado-like vortices in a tornado simulator, measuring tornado-like loading on a low-rise building model. Qiang's investigations extended to understanding the effects of building openings, tornado types, and translation on tornado-like loading.

Qiang's professional experience also includes an internship at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Gaithersburg, Maryland, where, under the mentorship of Marc Levitan and Dan Rhee, he investigated the KvT factor. His work focused on considering the effect of vertical wind velocity for component & cladding and the main wind force resisting system of low-rise buildings. This research involved comparing data from the Texas Tech University tornado simulator with the requirements in tornado provisions of ASCE 7-22.

Photo Description

Education

  • Ph.D. in Wind Science and Engineering, Texas Tech University, Sept. 2019 - Present
  • M.S. in Bridge and Tunnel Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Sept. 2016 - June 2019
  • B.E. in Civil Engineering, Sichuan University, Sept. 2012 - June 2016

Professional Experience

  • Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas - Research Assistant (Supervisor: Delong Zuo)  - Sept. 2019 - Present
    • Simulated tornado-like vortices physically in a tornado simulator, measured tornado-like loading on a low-rise building model and processed the data analysis using MATLAB and SQL.
    • Investigated the effects of building opening, tornado type and tornado translation on tornado-like loading and simulated internal pressures numerically by solving differential equations.
    • Analyzed the probability of failure of components (door, window, roof sheathing and panel) of a low-rise residential building under tornadic loading using Monte Carlo simulation method.

  • National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland - Intern (Mentors: Marc Levitan and Dan Rhee) - Nov. 2023 - Present
    • Analyzed the tornado-like loading on a low-rise building model in the tornado simulator at Texas Tech University and studied the KvT factor that is included in tornado provisions of ASCE 7-22.
    • Investigated the KvT factor both for component & cladding and main wind force resisting system based on the data in the tornado simulator and compared to the requirement of ASCE 7-22.

  • Southwest Jiaotong University Chengdu, China, Research Assistant (Supervisor: Yongle Li) - Sept. 2016 - June 2019 
    • Established finite element models of long-span bridges, and calculated wind-induced responses.
    • Conducted wind tunnel experiments for two scaled long-span bridge models.
    • Built a CFD model of a cable-stayed bridge, studied the mechanism of vortex-induced vibration.

Awards and Honors

  • Best Student Presentation, The 14th Americas Conference on Wind Engineering May 2022
  • Presidential Fellowship of Texas Tech University Sept. 2019 - Present
  • Graduate's Scholarship of Southwest Jiaotong University Sept. 2016 - Sept. 2018
  • Undergraduate's Scholarship of Sichuan University Sept. 2013 - Sept. 2015

Research Articles

  • Chen, Q., Tang, Z., Zuo, D., James, D., The Effect of Openings on Tornado Like Loading on a Low-Rise Building Model. [Journal paper, in preparation]
  • Chen, Q., Zuo, D., Tang, Z., James, D., Tornado-Like Loading on a Low-Rise Building Model by a Single-Celled Vortex and a Two-Celled Vortex, (Abstract, presented at the 16th ICWE, Florence, Italy, Aug. 2023).
  • Chen, Q., Tang, Z., Wu, X., Zuo, D., James, D., Laboratory Study of Tornado-Like Loading on a Low-Rise Building Model, Journal of Wind Engineering & Industrial Aerodynamics, 2023. [Journal paper]
  • Chen, Q., Tang, Z., Wu, X., Zuo, D., James, D., Effects of Openings and Translation on Tornado-Like Loading of a Low-Rise Building Model (Abstract, presented at the 14th ACWE, Lubbock, TX, May 2022)
  • Wu, X., Tang, Z., Chen, Q., Zhang, H., Zuo, D., Evaluation of Building Response to Tornado-Like Loading Based on Laboratory Testing of a Building Model (Abstract, the 14th ACWE, Lubbock, TX, May 2022)