Research Experience

03/2022-present      

Professor, School of Aerospace, Xi’an Jiaotong University, China.

03/2021-03/2022     

Associate Professor, School of Aerospace, Xi’an Jiaotong University, China.

02/2018-02/2021     

HEMI Postdoc Fellow, Johns Hopkins University, United States.

Education

02/2014-03/2018    Ph.D., The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.

09/2010-03/2013    M.S., Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China.

09/2006-06/2010    B.S., Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China.

2023:

4. Hurley, R. C.*, Pagan, D. C., Herbold, E. B., & Zhai, C. (2023). Examining the micromechanics of cementitious composites using In-Situ X-ray measurements. International Journal of Solids and Structures, 267, 112162.

3. Zhai, C., Zhang, S., Ji, H., Wei, D., Song, H., Liu, K.*, & Xu, M.* (2023). Flexoelectricity at fractal rough surfaces. Extreme Mechanics Letters, 101997.

2. Gu, H., Ji, H., Zhang, S., Zhai, C.*, & Xu, M.* (2023). Displacement sensing with quasi-zero stiffness structure and flexoelectricity. Smart Materials and Structures, 32(3), 035024.

1. Kuwik, B. S., Kim, G., Zhai, C., Daud, M., & Hurley, R. C. (2023). Roughness and humidity effects on contact, friction, and contact plasticity revealed by micromechanical testing and analysis. Tribology International, 178, 108075.

2022:

5. Liu, Q., Wei, D., Zhang, H., Zhai, C., & Gan, Y.* (2022). A Numerical Investigation on Effective Diffusion in Cement-Based Composites: The Role of Aggregate Shape. Transport in Porous Media, 143(3), 681-702.

4. Shao, Y., Shao, S., Zhai, C., Song, S., Han, W., Xu, M.*, & Ren, B. (2022). Development of a frequency-controlled inertial type piezoelectric locomotion method with nano-scale motion resolution driven by a symmetrical waveform. Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing, 177, 109271.

3. Hurle, R. C. *, Zhai, C. *  (2022). Measuring Time-Resolved Force Chain Evolution in 3D Granular Materials. Papers in Physics.

2. Zhai, C., Albayrak, N., Engqvist, J., Hall, S. A., Wright, J., Majkut, M., ... & Hurley, R. C. * (2022). Quantifying local rearrangements in three-dimensional granular materials: Rearrangement measures, correlations, and relationship to stresses. Physical Review E, 105(1), 014904.

1. Zhang, S., Zhai, C., Liu, K., Song, S., Ji, H., Shao, S. *, & Xu, M. *  (2022). Quantitative evaluation of energy harvesting capabilities on flexoelectric and piezoelectric materials. Journal of Applied Physics, 131(6), 064101.

2021:

3. Sharifahmadian, O., Zhai, C., Hung, J., Shineh, G., Stewart, C., Fadzil, A., Ionescu, M., Gan, Y., Wise, S., & Akhavan, B.^* (2021). Mechanically robust nitrogen-rich plasma polymers: Biofunctional interfaces for surface engineering of biomedical implants. Materials Today Advances

2. Gupta, A., Crum, R. S., Zhai, C., Ramesh, K. T., & Hurley, R. C.^* (2021). Quantifying particle-scale 3D granular dynamics during rapid compaction from time-resolved in situ 2D x-ray images. Journal of Applied Physics, 129(22), 225902.

1. Wang, X., Zhai, C., & Gan, Y.^* (2021). Stress-dependent electrical impedance behaviours at fractal rough interfaces. Surface Topography: Metrology and Properties, 9(2), 025014.

2020:

3.  Zhai, C., Herbold, E., & Hurley, R.^* (2020), ‘The influence of packing structure and interparticle forces on ultrasound transmission in granular media’, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

2.  Zhai, C.,Darren. D. Pagan, & Hurley, R.^* (2020). In-situ 3DXRD and tomography measuremnts of cemented granular materials. The Journal of The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society.

1.  Wei, D., Zhai, C., Hanaor, D., & Gan, Y.^* (2020), ‘Contact Behaviour of Simulated Rough Spheres Generated with Spherical Harmonics’, International Journal of Solids and Structures. 

2019:

3.  Zhai, C., Herbold, E., Hall, S., & Hurley, R.^* (2019). Particle rotations and energy dissipation during mechanical compression of granular materials. Journal of Mechancis and Physics of Solids 129,19-38.

2.  Akhavan, B.^*, Croes, M., Wise, S., Zhai, C., Hung, J., Stewart, C., Ionescu, M., Weinans, H., Gan, Y., Yavari, S., & Bilek, M. (2019). Radical-functionalized plasma polymers: Stable biomimetic interfaces for bone implant applications. Applied Materials Today.

1.  Zhang, F., Xu, M.^*, Xie, S., & Zhai, C. (2019). Numerical simulation and experimental tests on active vibration control of two-dimensional pointing mechanism with adaptive hybrid system. International Journal of Applied Electromagnetics and Mechanics.

2018:

3.  Zhai, C., Gan, Y.^* (2018). Electrical percolation in conductive granular media. Journal of Coupled Systems and Multiscale Dynamics 6 (4), 310-316.

2.  Flores-Johnson, E. A., Carrillo, J. G., Zhai, C., Gamboa, R. A., Gan, Y., & Shen, L.^* (2018). Microstructure and mechanical properties of hard Acrocomia mexicana fruit shell. Scientific reports 8(1), 9668.

1.  Zhai, C.^*, Gan, Y., Hanaor, D., & Proust, G. (2018). Stress-dependent electrical transport and its universal scaling in granular materials. Extreme Mechanics Letters 22, 83-88.     

2017:

6.  Zhai, C., Hanaor, D., & Gan, Y.^* (2017). Universality of the emergent scaling in finite random binary percolation networks. PLOS One 12 (2).  

5.  Zhai, C., Hanaor, D., Proust, G., & Gan, Y.^* (2017). Contact stiffness of multiscale surfaces by truncation analysis. International Journal of Mechanical Sciences.

4.  Zhai, C., Gan, Y.^*, Hanaor, D., Proust, G., & Retraint, D. (2016). The role of surface structure in normal contact stiffness. Experimental Mechanics 56 (3), 359-368.

3.  Zhai, C., Hanaor, D., Proust, G., Brassart, L., & Gan, Y.^* (2016). Interfacial electro-mechanical behaviour at rough surfaces. Extreme Mechanics Letters 9, 422-429.

2.  Zhai, C., Gan, Y.^*, & Hanaor, D. (2016). ‘Numerical Analysis of Normal Contact Stiffness of Rough Surfaces’, Applied Mechanics and Materials, vol. 846, pp. 300–305.

1.   Zhai, C., Hanaor, D., Proust, G., & Gan, Y.^* (2015). Stress-dependent electrical contact resistance at fractal rough surfaces. Journal of Engineering Mechanics 143(3).