Research / Areas of Research Urban Systems
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- Energy
- Resource Recovery and Reuse
- Climate Mitigation, Adaptation, and Resilience
- Water Treatment
- Structure and Infrastructure
- Automation
- Geosystems
Energy
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Research Topics
Energy geosystems • underground thermal energy storage systems • bioenergy • geothermal systems • input-output models for design & lifecycle assessment • freight electrification • energy-water nexus • energy-water-food-waste-materials cycles • subsurface urban heat islands
Faculty
- Giorgia Chinazzo
- Federico Ciardo
- Pablo Durango-Cohen
- Kimberly Gray
- Hani Mahmassani
- Aaron Packman
- Alessandro Rotta Loria
- John Rudnicki
- George Wells
Resource Recovery & Reuse
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Research Topics
Underground thermal energy recovery & storage systems • nutrient (N&P) recovery • biogas/bioenergy systems • microbial electrochemical systems • input-output models for design & lifecycle assessment • management & recovery of subsurface fluids • biorefinery • lignin valorization • recycled aggregate concrete • micro- & nano-plastics • drinking water treatment residuals • metals recovery
Faculty
- Ludmilla Aristilde
- Giuseppe Buscarnera
- Pablo Durango-Cohen
- Jean-François Gaillard
- Kimberly Gray
- Aaron Packman
- Alessandro Rotta Loria
- George Wells
Climate Mitigation, Adaptation & Resilience
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Research Topics
Geological sequestration of CO2 • geohazard assessment • mobility decision-making during no-notice & planned emergencies, disruptions, & evacuations • nature-based infrastructure • urban vulnerability & resilience to extreme weather • resilience & adaptive design • uncertainty in design & decision making
Faculty
- Zdeněk Bažant
- Giuseppe Buscarnera
- Federico Ciardo
- Jean-François Gaillard
- Kimberly Gray
- Luisa Marcelino
- Aaron Packman
- John Rudnicki
- Joseph Schofer
- Amanda Stathopoulos
- Lucia Stein-Montalvo
- George Wells
Circular Water Systems
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Research Topics
Bioprocesses for water & wastewater treatment, nutrient removal & recovery • ecological engineering • wetland structure & function • polyelectrolyte complex membranes for fouling control • advanced oxidation & disinfection • molecular design of nanofiltration & RO membranes • safe water reuse • community-centered resilience solutions • equitable climate vulnerability and climate justice • urban flooding controls • metal contaminants
Faculty
Structure & Infrastructure
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Research Topics
Energy geostructures & geosystems • tall buildings • structural health monitoring • statistical performance modeling • maintenance optimization • finance & economics (e.g. privatization) • tough cements • connected systems • urban micromobility • urban aerial mobility • last mile logistics • adaptive retrofits • multi-functional optimization • stormwater control infrastructure
Faculty
- Zdeněk Bažant
- Oluwaseyi Balogun
- Jian Cao
- Gianluca Cusatis
- Pablo Durango-Cohen
- Hani Mahmassani
- Marco Nie
- Aaron Packman
- Alessandro Rotta Loria
- Amanda Stathopoulos
- Lucia Stein-Montalvo
Automation
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Research Topics
Autonomous vehicles • construction robotics • large-scale additive manufacturing • automated design • control • sensors • image analysis • structural health monitoring • process design • profess optimization • automation business models and adoption • shared and electrified automation
Faculty
Geosystems
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Research Topics
Geoenergy harvesting • subsurface treatments & storage • organic-rich geosystems • geochemical fluid-rock interaction • geohazard mitigation • induced seismicity • soil-machine interaction • soil-structure interaction • urban subsurface heat islands • earthquake mechanics • urban surface-groundwater interactions