Hossein Kabir

 

Ultra Rapid Reactivity Test for Real-time Quality Control of Calcined Clays

 

  • I developed an ultra-rapid reactivity framework for real-time quality control of calcined clays. By combining accelerated dissolution testing with low-cost colorimetric imaging, the method predicts pozzolanic reactivity in just minutes rather than days. This enables fast, reliable, and scalable assessment of supplementary cementitious materials, supporting more efficient deployment of low-carbon cement and concrete technologies. Link to project page.

 

 

Computer Vision for Sorptivity Measurement of Infrastructure Materials

 

  • I developed an automated computer vision framework for real-time sorptivity measurement in cementitious and infrastructure materials. By integrating low-cost dual-camera imaging with machine learning, the method detects water penetration continuously and predicts both initial and secondary sorptivity with high accuracy. This creates a reliable, efficient, and scalable approach for evaluating moisture transport and durability in construction materials. Link to project page.

 

 

Wettability Based Sorptivity Assessment of Infrastructure Materials

 

  • I developed a rapid surface wettability framework for predicting the initial sorptivity of cementitious and infrastructure materials. By connecting contact angle measurements and droplet spreading behavior with capillary absorption, this approach captures durability-relevant transport behavior in a matter of minutes rather than hours. The method offers a low-cost, reliable, and efficient route for evaluating liquid ingress and long-term performance in construction materials. Link to project page.

 

 

Machine Learning for Surface Wettability Analysis of Infrastructure Materials

 

  • I developed a machine learning enabled goniometry framework for accurate and automated contact angle measurement, advancing surface wettability analysis of construction materials. By combining orthogonal imaging with convolutional neural networks, the method characterizes drop geometry more robustly than traditional curve-fitting approaches, especially under challenging imaging conditions. This enables low-cost, high-reliability wettability measurements for complex material surfaces and dynamic liquid-solid interactions. Link to project page.

 

 

Rethinking Autoclave Expansion for Cement Soundness Assessment

 

  • I investigated cement soundness through a multi-scale experimental framework spanning paste, mortar, and concrete specimens. By combining long-term expansion measurements with microstructural and chemical analyses, this work showed that the ASTM autoclave expansion test can substantially misrepresent the true long-term volume stability of cements containing periclase. The study provided a more realistic basis for evaluating cement soundness and served as a main technical input to the rationale for removing autoclave expansion measurement requirements from ASTM C150 and C595 cement specifications. Link to paper.