Professor HaiJiang Li

Publications

Teaching

Prof. Haijiang Li has been playing the leading role for promoting BIM research, teaching & training in Cardiff since 2006.

BIM has been enabling a revolutionary way of working for the worldwide construction industry since it was first coined in 2003. It now triggers a worldwide tipping point to completely transform the oldest while still with the lowest productivity construction industry. At present, there are urgent demands for BIM graduates at all levels from UK & worldwide in AEC (Architecture, Engineering and Construction) industry. 

In 2018, Prof. Li developed a MSc programme - BIM for Smart Engineering  to welcome master students all over the world who are interested in BIM in Engineering. The programme has put Cardiff into the front tier for BIM training and education in UK and worldwide.

A new research oriented MSc Programme -- Engineering AI is currently under development, and expected to open in 2023/24. if you are interested, please contact Prof. Li via - lih@cardiff.ac.uk 

Module Leader for three BIM core modules:

BIM Computing and Information Processing (ENT516)
Building and Infrastructure Information Modelling (ENT768)
Building and Infrastructure Information Modelling (EN4308)

Other modules involved:

Integrated Building/Infrastructure Design (ENT510 & EN4102)
Engineering Case Study (ENT725)
Dissertation (Civil, Structural, Geo-environmental, Water) (ENT509)

COMPUTATIONAL MECHANICS AND ENGINEERING AI GROUP

I am the Group Head for Computational Mechanics and Engineering AI (CMAI) in Cardiff Engineering School.

CMAI has established their international stands on developing next generation smart computational engineering solutions to enable the digital transformation for built environment. CMAI’s physics and mechanics informed Engineering AI, which is data-driven, enabling smart materials, structure and digital twin development, aligns well with major funding priorities. The research substantializes domain-oriented AI algorithms, to make a breakthrough towards generic, responsible and explainable AI, to enable human-centered digitalization for the built environment.

CMAI focuses on three main areas:  

1. Computational models for advanced smart materials 
2. Computational models for advanced structures and meta-structures 
3. Advanced BIM and Physics informed Digital Twins 

The first one, in short, Smart Materials, involves state of the art topics such as modelling of micro- and nano-structured materials and composites, electroactive materials, biological materials (*), quasicrystals (*) and architected meta-materials (*), which means we can produce bespoke manmade new materials to help achieving net-zero sustainable built environment.  

Regarding the second, in short, Smart Structures, the topics are composite aerospace structures, finite elements method for multiscale problems (*), robust aircraft design optimisation, uncertainty quantification and management in engineering applications (*), smoothed-particle hydrodynamics for modelling flow of particulate composites, modelling of meta-structures for elastic waves (*), structural dynamics (*), dynamical systems, elastic waves propagation and absorption (*), structural optimization, topological mechanics (*), which means we can understand and produce novel and sustainable structural at all scales to help achieving long lasting and sustainable built environment. 

The third area, Digital Twins,  focuses on the pioneering physics informed data driven engineering AI and their applied smart engineering applications,  including Symbolic Mathematics, Game Playing, Neutral Networks, Expert Systems, Fuzzy Logic, Robotics and Natural Language Processing (*); multi-dimensional BIM data, information and knowledge processing (*); Large scale smart engineering computing, data analytics and optimization (*); and Knowledge based / cognitive modelling and artificial intelligence supported holistic decision making (*), which means we can understand super complex engineering issues and produce holistic and systems approach to enable human centred digitalization.  

In all those topics the group is present at a level recognised as at least internationally excellent. Those indicated with the (*) are trendy topics that are attracting most of the attention of the world-leading research centres. 

RESEARCH PROJECTS 

Supervision

OPPORTUNITIES...

There are several research associate / assistant roles and several fully funded PhD scholarships available (from industry / China Scholarship Council) for applications in the area of BIM supported Smart Engineering. If you are interested, email  lih@cardiff.ac.uk, and application link is - click to submit your PhD application

PhD Researchers  

1. Graph driven Digital Twin in support of dynamic tunnel design and maintenance, Sicheng Zhao  
2. Micro-services based Digital Twin supporting smart bridge maintenance, Chengzhang Chai 
3. Connected Digital Twins And Explainable Ai Supporting Collaborative Emergency Response, Kehong Chen 
4. Machine learning supproted self-compact concrete performance prediction, Tianyi Cui
5. MetaBIM – smart BIM compliance Checking and supporting platform development, ZHU Xiaofeng
6. Theoretical framework on Information Processing, AN Yi
7. IoTs for Digital bridge Infrastructure surveying, XIONG Guanyu
8. BIM & Digital Twins for smart bridge asset management, GAO Yan
9. BIM4QA - Governance Framework Supporting Multi-facet Project and Organization Quality Assurance RAWDIN Alan
10. Machine learning and Knowledge engineering in support of comprehensive comfort building design, BIE Sisi
11. Mechanics informed Digital Twins for bridge design and maintenance, SONG Honghong
12. Ontological BIM supporting smart bridge design and analysis, JIANG Yali 
13. Overheating risk reduction in UK buildings, Mousa Alrasheed 
14. BIM data fusion engine in support of holistic building design, XIANG Lini 
15. Damage identification and maintenance decision optimization of bridges based on Digital Twin, YANG Siyao
16. BIM4H&E: Using BIM to enhance construction safety GAO Shang
17. BIMChain - BIM & Blockchain, ARTHUR Steven
18. Infrastructure-BIM: A Contractor’s perspective of Infrastructure Information Modelling, BRADLEY Alex 
19. BIM Supported Smart Manufacturing for Construction Digitalization, SU Tengxiang 2018-2022
20. Holistic design based on knowledge processing and surrogate modelling, KHUDHAIR Ali 2018-2022
21. Knowledge-based AI to supporting parametric railway tunnel design and optimization, LING Jiaxin 2021-2022 
22. Ontology modelling for road maintenance, ZHANG Rujie, 2019-2020
23. Holistic design for Pile system, MENG Kun, 2019-2020
24. Resilient and sustainable urban infrastructures CERE Giulia, 2016-2020
25. Zero carbon housing in Iraq SHALLAL Balsam Alwan, 2015-2019
26. Govern-BIM: BIM execution governance across lifecycle and supply chains, GOONETILLAKE Jaliya, 2015-2019
27. BIM based Collective Decision Support for Value for money evaluation in PPP, REN Guoqian,2015-2019
28. BIM supported Sustainable Structure Design, ZHANG Jisong, 2017-2018  
29. Knowledge mining for holistic design decision making by leveraging information models for crowd behaviour analysis, BOJE Calin, 2014-2018 
30. Ontological representations for integrated smart cities modelling & data analytics HOWELL Shaun, 2013-17
31. The Development of Urban Sustainability Assessment Framework for Iraqi cities AMEEN Raed, 2013-17
32. A Proposed Framework for Resilience to Biological Disasters; The Case of Mers-COV Threat in Transient Mass Gathering Event ALSHEHRI Saud, 2012-2016
33. BIM based combined optimization and reasoning for smart building and district energy management JAYAN Bejay, 2012-2016
34. A Consensus-based Framework for The Sustainable Urban Planning Development of The City of Riyadh ALI Alqahtany, 2011-2015
35. End User Oriented BIM Enabled Multi-Functional Virtual Environment Supporting Building Emergency Planning and Evacuation WANG Bin, 2011-2015
36. BIM-Based Smart Compliance Checking to Enhance Environmental Sustainability KASIM Tala, 2011-2014
37. A Strategic Decision-Making Framework for Organisational BIM Implementation CHEN keyu, 2011-2015
38. BIM based holistic approach for multi-objective integrated design using ontology HOU Shangjie, 2011-2015
39. HPC / Cloud computing based engineering optimization YANG Chunfeng, 2012-2014
40. Dynamic Cloud computing platform development for engineering optimization LI Zhaojun, 2013-2014
41. Managing Innovation in Public Research and Development Organisations Using A Combined Delphi And Analytical Hierarchy Process Approach MEESAPAWONG Pawadee, 2009-2013
42. A Comparative Study of Operating Theatre Management Systems, AL OJAIMI Abdulkarim, 2009-2012
43. Digital building - From conceptual design through to life-long management DIBLEY Michael, 2007-2011
44. Governance and assessment framework for BIM based highway asset management, LAMB Simon
45. Data governance network for life cycle BIM execution, Mohamed Binesmael
46. BIM for structural Engineering, Scott Knight

Research Assisstants / Associates / Fellows   

1. Kai Zhao - Physics-informed AI Digital Twins supported Smart Bridge Structural Safety 
2. Guanyu Xiong - BIM and Digital Twins in support of Smart Bridge Structural Surveying
3. Ali Khudihair - Smart Structural Health Minitoring for critical structures
4. Alex Bradley - IFC Ports & Waterways Standard and Platform Development 
5. Tom Bower - MetaBIM - Smart BIM Certification (automation) Project
6. Guoqian Ren - Digital Twins - for Cities and Harbours Project
7. Alan Rawdin - AutoBIM - BIM processes automation
8. Ioan Petri - SCRIPT & SPORTE2 Projects (completed)
9. Baris Yuce - SPORTE2 Project (completed)
10. Tom Beach - REGBIM Project (completed)
11. Jean-Laurent Hippolyte - RESILIENT Project (completed)
12. Yang Liu - WANDA Project (completed)
13. Wanqing Zhao - REACH Project (completed)
14. Michael Dibley- KNOWHOIEM Project (completed)
15. Ian Wilson - SCRIPT Project (completed)

Past projects