Johnson Zhang
Johnson Zhang

Prof Johnson Zhang

Professor

 0131 455 2482

  j.zhang@napier.ac.uk

  

Biography

Professor Zhang is a Professor in Structural Engineering and Head of International for the School of Engineering and the Built Environment at Edinburgh Napier University. Before joining Edinburgh Napier University in 2004, he worked on his PhD project at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology investigating structural performance and developing novel finite elements for transfer plate structures in tall buildings. Prior to his PhD study, he also practised as a structural engineer in China and became a chartered engineer in China in 1999.

Professor Zhang's research focuses on engineered bamboo-timber composite in construction, laminate glass structures, pre-stressed concrete and steel-reinforced concrete structures in complex loading conditions. Currently, he is devoting himself to developing bamboo-timber composite materials for long span and tall building structures with a patent filed in 2020. and his research is featured as a case study by the Royal Academy of Engineering. He has extensive experiences in photogrammetry technology, software development and multiple sensor systems in civil engineering studies. In one of his research projects with the advantages of tailored photogrammetry system, he has been able to give several convincing recommendations on the torsion test method for timber beams which have been adopted by the European standard: EN 408. (EN 408:2010 currently under review and revision). He is also an experienced computer programmer who developed several analyse and design software packages for trusses and scaffolding structures.

Professor Zhang has led several research and knowledge transfer projects funded by the Royal Academy of Engineering, Scottish Founding Council, Innovation UK, British Council, etc. His research has been published widely in both highly ranked civil engineering journals and conference proceedings. He is a member of CEN/TC 124/WG-1 committee for European Standard: EN408 review and revision. He also frequently organised and chaired special sessions, gave keynote speeches and guest lectures in international conferences and other universities.

School

Research Groups

Themes

Research Areas

Esteem

Advisory panels and expert committees or witness

  • Member of CEN/TC 124/WG 1-Test methods committee for European Standard: EN 408 review and revision

 

Conference Organising Activity

  • Invited International Conference Special Session Organiser: "Analysis, Design and Modelling of Structures Using Unconventional Construction Materials", 2020
  • Invited International Conference Special Session Organiser: "Analysis, Modelling and Design of Timber Structures", 2019
  • Invited International Conference Special Session Organiser: "Analysis, Modelling and Design of Timber Structures", 2015
  • Invited International Conference Special Session Organiser: "Analysis, Modelling and Design of Timber Structures", 2013
  • Co-organised International Telford-UKIERI Workshop with The University of Edinburgh, 2013

 

Editorial Activity

  • International Journal of Structural Glass and Advanced Materials Research - Member of Editorial Board (2021-present)
  • Member of Editorial Board - The Fourteenth International Conference on Computational Structures Technology, Palma, Mallorca, Spain, 2020
  • Member of Editorial Board - The Sixteenth International Conference on Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering Computing, Riva del Garda, Italy, 2019
  • American Journal of Civil Engineering - Editorial Panel (2018-2020)
  • Journal of Architectural Research and Development - Member of Editorial Board (2018-2022)
  • Member of Editorial Board - The Fifteenth International Conference on Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering Computing, Prague, Czech Republic, 2015
  • Member of Editorial Board - The Fourteenth International Conference on Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering Computing, Cagliari, Italy, 2013

 

External Examining/Validations

  • External Panel Member for MSc Programme Re-Validation: The University of West London, 2019
  • External Panel Member for MSc Programme Validation: The University of West London, 2014
  • External Examiner for BSc Civil Engineering Programme in University of Abertay Dundee, 2013 - 2017

 

Fellowships and Awards

  • Academic Champion for Royal Academy of Engineering - Visiting Professor in Integrated Civil Engineering Design 2020-2023
  • Royal Academy of Engineering - Industrial Fellowship 2019 - 2020
  • Best Paper award 2017 - 19th International Conference on Wood Science and Engineering, Japan, 2017
  • Queen's Anniversary Prize 2015, Innovation in Timber Engineering and Wood Science.
  • Project shortlisted for Scottish KTP Award 2012 - KTP Diageo Plc (KTP006209)
  • Project shortlisted for Scottish KTP Award 2012 - KTP Action Scaffolding (KTP007069)

 

Invited Speaker

  • Keynote speaker at Civil and Infrastructure World Forum (CivilEnggInfra-2022)
  • Invited Speaker: The Natural Materials Association(NMA) Lunchtime Seminars: Focus on Natural Materials: Bamboo, organised by the Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining (2021)
  • Keynote Talk at Global Summit on Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering (GSCAEE-2021)
  • Invited Speaker at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology 2019

 

Media Activity

  • Research project featured on the website of the Royal Academy of Engineering - Bamboo-Timber composites for construction 2021

 

Research Degree External Examining

  • PhD External Examining 2021 - University of West London, UK
  • PhD External Examining 2019 - The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong
  • PhD External Examining 2019 - Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, India
  • PhD External Examining 2017 - The University of West London

 

Reviewing

  • Book review - Elsevier: Engineered Bamboo: Glubam Structures
  • Computers and Concrete, An International Journal
  • Materials
  • International Journal of Wood Products
  • International Journal of Numerical Methods in Engineering
  • International Journal of Wind and Structures
  • Materials
  • Advances in Concrete Construction
  • Structures
  • International Journal of Structural Engineering and Mechanics
  • Computers and Structures
  • Engineering Structures
  • International Journal for Numerical Methods in Fluids
  • Ocean Engineering
  • Structures
  • Structures
  • Materials and Structures
  • Proceedings Of The Institution Of Civil Engineers - Structures And Buildings
  • International Journal of Structural Engineering and Mechanics
  • Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Management, Procurement and Law
  • Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Structures and Buildings
  • Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Management, Procurement and Law

 

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72 results

Mechanical behavior and constitutive model of sustainable concrete: seawater and sea-sand recycled aggregate concrete

Journal Article
Feng, W., Tang, Y., Yang, Y., Cheng, Y., Qiu, J., Zhang, H., …Namdar, A. (2023)
Mechanical behavior and constitutive model of sustainable concrete: seawater and sea-sand recycled aggregate concrete. Construction and Building Materials, 364, Article 130010. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2022.130010
Resources such as fresh water and river sand have become scarce in some areas around the world because of the considerable increase in infrastructural construction. To overcom...

Use of Cement Mortar Incorporating Superabsorbent Polymer as a Passive Fire -Protective Layer

Journal Article
Jamnam, S., Sua-iam, G., Maho, B., Pianfuengfoo, S., Sappakittipakorn, M., Zhang, H., …Sukontasukkul, P. (2022)
Use of Cement Mortar Incorporating Superabsorbent Polymer as a Passive Fire-Protective Layer. Polymers, 14(23), Article 5266. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14235266
Concrete structures, when exposed to fire or high temperatures for a certain time, could suffer partial damage or complete structural failure. Passive fire-protective coating ...

Real-Time Vibration Measurement and Inverse Analysis for Dynamic Properties of an Axisymmetric Masonry Structure

Journal Article
Buachart, C., Hansapinyo, C., Tantisukumal, N., Miyamoto, M., Matsushima, M., Imjai, T., & Zhang, H. (in press)
Real-Time Vibration Measurement and Inverse Analysis for Dynamic Properties of an Axisymmetric Masonry Structure. Journal of Asian Architecture and Building Engineering, https://doi.org/10.1080/13467581.2022.2145212
Historic buildings are public symbols, standing as a sacred reminders. Many of them have been recognized as World Heritage Sites. In this study, real-time vibration measuremen...

Numerical Study on Elastic Parameter Identification of Large-Span Steel Truss Structures Based on Strain Test Data

Journal Article
Zhang, Y., Zhang, A., Xu, H., & Zhang, H. (2022)
Numerical Study on Elastic Parameter Identification of Large-Span Steel Truss Structures Based on Strain Test Data. Buildings, 12(11), Article 1861. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings12111861
Large-span steel trusses are widely used in public buildings such as large-span factory buildings, exhibition halls, gymnasiums, and bridges because of their fast construction...

Novel visual crack width measurement based on backbone double-scale features for improved detection automation

Journal Article
Tang, Y., Huang, Z., Chen, Z., Chen, M., Zhou, H., Zhang, H., & Sun, J. (2023)
Novel visual crack width measurement based on backbone double-scale features for improved detection automation. Engineering Structures, 274, Article 115158. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2022.115158
State-of-the-art machine-vision systems have limitations associated with crack width measurements. The sample points used to describe the crack width are often subjectively de...

A three-stage criterion method for extracting local vibration modes of tensioned cables in beam string structures

Journal Article
Zhang, T., Zhang, Y., & Zhang, H. (2022)
A three-stage criterion method for extracting local vibration modes of tensioned cables in beam string structures. Frontiers in Materials, 9, Article 1055635. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmats.2022.1055635
As a light and efficient large-span space structure, beam string structures have been widely used since the 1980s. Among them, cables are the main force-bearing components, th...

An experimental investigation and machine learning-based prediction for seismic performance of steel tubular column filled with recycled aggregate concrete

Journal Article
Tang, Y., Wang, Y., Wu, D., Zhang, H., Zhu, M., Chen, Z., …Wang, X. (in press)
An experimental investigation and machine learning-based prediction for seismic performance of steel tubular column filled with recycled aggregate concrete. Reviews on Advanced Materials Science, https://doi.org/10.1515/rams-2022-0274
This paper presents the design and application of a low-cycle reciprocating loading test on 23 recycled aggregate concrete-filled steel tube columns (RACSTC) and 3 ordinary co...

Nonlinear response of RC columns subjected to equal energy-double impact loads

Journal Article
Tantrapongsaton, W., Hansapinyo, C., Limkatanyu, S., Zhang, H., & Vimonsatit, V. (2022)
Nonlinear response of RC columns subjected to equal energy-double impact loads. Buildings, 12(9), Article 1420. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings12091420
Defining the damage and deflection from the impact by using only the impact energy could be misleading due to the effect of the impact momentum. In addition, reinforced concre...

Analysis of colliding index on impact behavior of RC columns under repeated impact loading

Journal Article
Tantrapongsaton, W., Hansapinyo, C., Wongmatar, P., Limkatanyu, S., Zhang, H., & Charatpangoon, B. (2022)
Analysis of colliding index on impact behavior of RC columns under repeated impact loading. Computers and Concrete, 30(1), 19-32. https://doi.org/10.12989/cac.2022.30.1.019
This paper presents an investigation into the failure of RC columns under impact loadings. A numerical simulation of 19 identical RC columns subjected to single and repeated i...

Effect of graphene oxide nanoparticles on blast load resistance of steel fiber reinforced concrete

Journal Article
Jamnam, S., Maho, B., Techaphatthanakon, A., Ruttanapun, C., Aemlaor, P., Zhang, H., & Sukontasukkul, P. (2022)
Effect of graphene oxide nanoparticles on blast load resistance of steel fiber reinforced concrete. Construction and Building Materials, 343, Article 128139. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2022.128139
Concrete structures may occasionally be subjected to both intentional or unintentional explosions which could cause casualties and damage to properties. Advance research on pr...

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