Construction Engineering
Engineering Stronger, Safer, and More Sustainable Structures
Research in Construction Engineering significantly advances the field by developing innovative techniques, materials, and technologies that improve efficiency, safety, and sustainability.
Impacts of Construction Engineering Research:
Economic
Efficiency
Sustainability Improvements
Safety
Improvements
Smarter
Technologies
Research Spotlight

Dr. Chris Pantiledes
Strengthening Sustainable Structures: Earthquake-Proofing Mass Timber Buildings
Wood, our oldest building material, is experiencing a revival — one that can even withstand earthquakes. And our very own Dr. Pantelides is at this the helm of its revival.
The deceptively simple piece of lumber is an example of mass timber technology, a category of “engineered wood product” set to revolutionize the construction industry— and that Pantelides has spent the last seven years studying and developing.
Dr. Christian Brockmann has led large-scale construction projects worldwide, such as the Bang Na Expressway in Thailand and the Port Said Tunnels in Egypt. His extensive academic background includes degrees in Civil Engineering, Business Administration, Economics, and Construction Management, equipping him to oversee complex projects.
Since joining the University of Utah in 2017, Dr. Rashidi has always been an advocator of Design-Build as an efficient and modern delivery method for construction projects. He has been incorporating the Design-Build contents and the emerging technologies that facilitate better execution of this delivery method into his teaching and research activities.
Dr. Romero is a recognized expert in the area of asphalt materials and mechanical testing. His research projects deal with mechanical testing, mechanics of materials including visco-elasticity and plasticity, design and construction of pavements using mechanistic methods, and maintenance and rehabilitation of infrastructure systems.
David Veech teaches operational excellence, lean systems, and lean leadership. David has written two best-selling books, taught at four universities, founded 2 successful international consulting firms that transformed organizations in dozens of industries and government agencies, co-founded a non-profit, owned a professional Ultimate Disk team, and founded a luxury travel agency (Clandestine Travel Ltd).
Recent News
Enhancing Construction Engineering Education with AI-Driven Mobile App
The intersection of technology and education is creating new possibilities for learning, and at the forefront of this transformation is a project funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). Dr. Abbas Rashidi, an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, is playing a key role in a $900,000 collaborative research initiative titled “An AI-Enhanced System to Integrate Unstructured Observations with Formal Engineering Education.”

Dr. Abbas Rashidi
Dr. Romero Develops New Method to Predict Asphalt Properties, Reducing Testing Time and Improving Design Accuracy
Dr. Pedro Romero and his team are pioneering a faster, easier way to obtain inputs for better pavement design, thereby optimizing available resources. The researchers developed a method to predict the elastic properties of asphalt using a test known as IDEAL CT, which assesses the cracking potential of asphalt. They then compared these approximate values with actual measured values to validate their findings.
This new approach significantly reduces the time and effort required to obtain the necessary data, allowing for results in approximately one day.

Academia and Industry Expertise
Dr. Christian Brockmann has led large-scale construction projects worldwide, such as the Bang Na Expressway in Thailand and the Port Said Tunnels in Egypt. His extensive academic background includes degrees in Civil Engineering, Business Administration, Economics, and Construction Management, equipping him to oversee complex projects.

Dr. Christian Brockmann