Zhong Hu

Title

Professor and Graduate Coordinator

Office Building

Crothers Engineering Hall

Office

222

Mailing Address

Crothers Engineering Hall 222
Mechanical Engineering-Box 2219
University Station
Brookings, SD 57007

Social Media Links

• LinkedIn

Education

• Ph.D. in mechanical engineering | Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
• B.S. with honor in Mechanical Engineering | Tsinghua University, Beijing, China

Academic Interests

• Multi-scale material modeling and characterization (subatomic scale-quantum mechanics, atomic scale-molecular dynamics and micro-macro scale-finite element analysis and computational fluid dynamics)
• Design of composites and nanocomposites
• Characterization of materials/composites/nanostructured thin films and coatings
• Mechanical strength evaluation and failure prediction
• Metal forming processing design/testing/modeling/optimization
• Thick-walled cylinder and pressure vessel autofrettage process design and optimization.
• Solid Mechanics
• Experimental and computational modeling
• Materials characterization
• Metal forming process

Academic Responsibilities

• ME 214 Engineering Materials
• EM 215 Dynamics
• ME 321 Fundamentals of Machine Design
• ME 440/540 Numerical Method for Engineering Design
• ME 451 Automatic Controls
• ME 417/517/L Computer-Aided Engineering/FEA
• ME 741 Advanced Stress Analysis
• ME 745 Advanced Machine Design
• ME 792 SpTp-Applications and Properties of Composite Materials
• ME 792 SpTp-Frontiers of Materials

Committees and Professional Memberships

Member of:

• ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers)
• IACSIT (International Association of Computer Science and Information Technology)
• NDIA
• SME
• MRS
• ASEE

Areas of Research

• Multi-scale modeling of materials and composite materials by quantum mechanics (QM)/molecular dynamics (MD)/finite element analysis (FEA) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD)
• Experimental and numerical characterization of materials, composite materials, biomimetic materials, nanostructured materials and thin-films and coatings
• Topology design and optimization of porous structured materials and bio-inspired materials/biomaterials
• Mechanical strength evaluation and failure prediction by computer modeling and nondestructive engineering
• Metal forming processing design/testing/modeling/optimization
• Design of swage autofrettage process of thick-walled cylinder
• Design of lightweight high-strength porous structure

Publications

1. Najmi L. and Hu Z. Molecular dynamics simulations of effects of geometric parameters and temperature on mechanical properties of single-walled carbon nanotubes. Journal of Composites Science 2024 (under review).
2. Hu Z. and Parker AP. Residual stress analysis of re-autofrettage of a swage-autofrettaged tube by computer modeling incorporating accurate material representation. Journal of Materials Engineering and Performance, 2024.
3. Najmi L. and Hu Z. Effects of topological parameters on thermal properties of carbon nanotubes via molecular dynamics simulation. Journal of Composites Science, 8(2024)37.
4. Nawaz T., Gu L., Gibbons J., Hu Z. and Zhou R. Bridging nature and engineering: protein-derived materials for bio-inspired applications. Biomimetics, 9(2024)373.
5. Hu Z. and Zhou R. Review on some important research progresses in biodegradable plastics/polymers. Recent Progress in Materials, 6(2)(2024) (40 pages).
6. Wang H., Tian X., Hong H., Li H., Liu Y., Li X., Da Y., Liu Q., Yao B., Lou D., Mao M., Hu Z. Chapter 4 Construction of Thermal Conductivity Network and Performance Optimization of Polymer Substrate. In book: Thermal management Materials for Electronic Packaging: Preparation, Characterization, and Devices (ed: Tian X.), published by Wiley-VCH GmbH, 2024, pp.77-116.
7. Hu Z. and Hong H. Review on material performance of carbon nanotube-modified polymeric nanocomposites. Recent Progress in Materials, 5(3) (2023) 23030031 (43 pages).
8. Hu Z. Biomimetic design and topology optimization of discontinuous carbon fiber-reinforced composite lattice structures. Biomimetics, 8 (2023), 148 (16 pages).
9. Najmi L. and Hu Z. Effects of carbon nanotubes on thermal behavior of epoxy resin composites. Journal of Composites Science, 7 (2023), 313 (15 pages).
10. Najmi L. and Hu Z. Review on molecular dynamics simulations of effects of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on electrical and thermal conductivities of CNT-modified polymeric composites. Journal of Composites Science, 7(2023), 165 (19 pages).
11. Hu Z. and Wei L. Review on characterization of biochar derived from biomass pyrolysis via reactive molecular dynamics simulations. Journal of Composites Science, 7(2023), 354 (21 pages).
12. Hu Z. Book Chapter 2: The Effect of Poisson's Ratio on Nanoindentation Response through Numerical Analysis, in Advanced in Engineering Research, Volume 53 (Victoria M. Petrova Editor, pp. 53-87, published by Nova Science Publishers, Inc., New York, NY, USA, 2023.
13. Hu Z. and Parker AP. Fluid end blocks: numerical analysis of autofrettage and reautofrettage based upon a true material model, ASME Journal of Pressure Vessel Technology, 145 (2023): 021504 (8 pages).
14. Chen Y. and Hu Z. Review on cooling systems in lithium battery thermal management systems. International Journal of Mechanical and Production Engineering, 11(6), 2023 (6 pages).
15. Bednarcyk BA, Ricks TM, Pineda EJ, Murthy PLN, Mital SK, Hu Z., and Gustafson PA. Thermal conductivity of 3D woven composite thermal protection system materials via multiscale recursive micromechanics, pp.21, AIAA 2022-2280, Session: 3D Woven Composite Materials and Structures II, January 3-7, 2022, San Diego, CA, USA. 
16. Bednarcyk B., Ricks T., Pineda E., Mital S., Murthy P., and Hu Z. Multiscale thermal conductivity modeling of 3D woven composite thermal protection system materials, 6th World Congress on Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME 2022), Session: Multi-Scale Modeling I, April 24-28, 2022, Incline Village, Nevada, USA.
17. Hu Z. and Parker AP. Use of a true material constitutive model for stress analysis of a swage autofrettaged tube including ASME code comparison, ASME Journal of Pressure Vessel Technology, 144(2) 2022: 024502 (6 pages).
18. Hu Z. and Kanagaraj J. Chapter 17: Characterization of Functional Magnetic Nanoparticles Modified Polymeric Composites by Computer Modeling, in “Analytical Applications of Functionalized Magnetic nanoparticles", Edited by C. M. Hussain, published by Royal Society of Chemistry, 2021, ISBN:978-1-83916-210-7, DOI: 10.1039/9781839162756-00429.
19. Hu Z. and Parker AP. Swage autofrettage FEA incorporating a user function to model actual Bauschinger effect, International Journal of Pressure Vessels and Piping,191(2021)104372 (8 pages), DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpvp.2021.104372.
20. Hu Z. and Parker AP. Implementation and validation of true material constitutive model for accurate modeling of thick-walled cylinder swage autofrettage, International Journal of Pressure Vessels and Piping, 191(2021)104378 (10 pages).
21. Hu Z. and Hu Y. Understanding the effects of material properties on nanoindentation responses through data analysis, Micro and Nanosystems, 13(2)(2021)158-169. DOI : 10.2174/1876402912999200507130155.
22. Baule N., Kim YS, Zeuner AT, Haubold L., Kuhne R., Eryilmaz O., Erdemir A., Hu Z., Zimmermann M., Schuelke T. and Fan QH. Boride-carbon hybrid technology for ultra-wear and corrosive conditions, Coatings, 11(4)(2021)475 (15 pages).
23. Hu Z., Kanagaraj J., Hong H., Yang K., Ji X., Fan QH, and Kharel P. Characterization of ferrite magnetic nanoparticle modified polymeric composites by modeling, Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials, 493(2020)165735 (9 pages).
24. Hu Z. and Hassan MM. Effect of Poisson’s ratio on material property characterization by nanoindentation with a cylindrical flat-tip indenter, Journal of Materials Research, 34(14)(2019)2482-2491. DOI: 10.1557/jmr.2019.160.
25. Hu Z .and Parker AP. Swage autofrettage analysis - current status and future prospects, International Journal of Pressure Vessels and Piping, 171(2019)233-241.
26. Hu Z. Design of two-pass swage autofrettage processes of thick-walled cylinders by computer modeling, Proc IMechE Part C: J Mechanical Engineering Science, 233(4)(2019)1312-1333.
27. Hu Z., Gadipudi VK and Salem DR. Topology optimization of lightweight lattice structural composites inspired by cuttlefish bone, Journal of Applied Composites, 26(2019)15-27.
28. Rahman KM, Hu Z. and Letcher T. In-plane stiffness of additively manufactured hierarchical honeycomb metamaterials with defects, Journal of Manufacturing Science and Engineering, 140(1)(2018)011007-1-11. 
29. Hu Z. Chapter 6: Characterization of Materials, Nanomaterials, and Thin Films by Nanoindentation, in “Microscopy Methods in Nanomaterials Characterization" (Volume 1, pp.165-240) by S. Thomas,R. Thomas,  A. K. Zachariah, and R. K. Mishra (Editors), Elsevier, 2017, ISBN:978-0-323-46141-2.
30. Hu Z., Thiyagarajan K., Bhusal A., Letcher T., Fan QH, Liu Q. and Salem D. Design of ultra-lightweight and high-strength cellular structural composites inspired by biomimetics, Composites Part B: Engineering, 121(2017)108-121.
31. Liu Q., Xu X., Ma J., Hu Z. and Hui D. Energy absorption of bio-inspired multi-cell CFRP and aluminum square, Composites Part B: Engineering, 121(2017)134-144.
32. Shahjahan NB and Hu Z. Effects of angular misalignment on material property characterization by nanoindentation with a cylindrical flat-tip indenter, Journal of Materials Research, 32(8)(2017)1456-1465.
33. Hu Z., Shrestha M. and Fan QH. Nanomechanical characterization of porous anodic aluminum oxide films by nanoindentation, Thin Solid Films, 598(2016)131-140.
34. Hu Z., Lynne K. and Delfanian F. Characterization of materials’ elasticity and yield strength through micro-/nano-indentation testing with a cylindrical flat-tip indenter, Journal of Materials Research, 30(4)(2015)578-591.
35. Li Y., Hu Z. and Yan X. One-pot and one-step synthesis of copper and copper/copper oxide hybrid nano-fluids, Journal of Nanofluids, 4(1)(2015)1-6.
36. Jiang Y., Opoku M., Hu Z,. Hong H., Puszynski JA, and Yan X.. Synthesis and characterization of spinel ferrite based nanofluids, Journal of Nanofluids, 4(2)(2015) 1-7.
37. Hu Z., Farahikia M. and Delfanian F. Fiber bias effect on characterization of carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites by nanoindentation testing and modeling, Journal of Composite Materials, 49(27)(2015)3359-3372.
38. Hu Z., Karki R. Prediction of mechanical properties of three-dimensional fabric composites reinforced by transversely isotropic carbon fibers, Journal of Composite Materials, 49(12)(2015)1513-1524.
39. Hu Z. and Lu X. Book Chapter 8: Mechanical Properties of Carbon Nanotubes and Graphene. In: K. Tanaka and S. Iijima, editors: Carbon Nanotubes and Graphene, 2nd Edition. Oxford: Elsevier; 2014, p. 165-200. ISBN:978-0-08-098232-8.
40. Hu Z., Arefin MRH, Yan X. and Fan QH. Mechanical property characterization of carbon nanotube modified polymeric nanocomposites by computer modeling, Composites B: Engineering, 56(2014)100-108.
41. Hu Z. and Penumarthy C. Computer modeling and optimization of swage autofrettage process of a thick-walled cylinder implicating Bauschinger effect, American Transaction on Engineering & Applied Sciences, 3(1)(2014)31-63.
42. Hu Z., Lynne K., Markondapatnaikuni S. and Delfanian F. Material elastic-plastic property characterization by micro-indentation testing coupled with computer modeling, Materials Science and Engineering A, 587(2013)268-282.
43. Hu Z. and Hossan MR. Strength evaluation and failure prediction of short carbon fiber reinforced nylon spur gears by finite element modeling, Applied Composite Materials, 20(3)(2013)315-330.
44. Yan XZ, Jiang YF, Jiang ML, Hu Z. and Hong HP. ZnO nanorod based nanofluids, Journal of Nanofluids, 2(1)(2013)1-6.
45. Hu Z, Yan XZ, Wu J, and Manzo M. Characterization of mechanical, thermal and electrical properties of carbon fiber polymer composites by modeling, American Transaction on Engineering & Applied Sciences, 2(2)(2013) 133-148.
46. Lu X. and Hu Z. Mechanical property evaluation of single-walled carbon nanotubes by finite element modeling, Composites B: engineering, 43(3)(2012)1902-1913.
47. Hu Z., Khadka VS, Wang W., Galipeau D. and Yan XZ. Theoretical study of two-photon absorption properties and up-conversion efficiency of new symmetric organic π-conjugated molecules for photovoltaic devices, Journal of Molecular Modeling, 18(8)(2012)3657-3667.
48. Hu Z. and Puttagunta S. Computer modeling of internal pressure autofrettage process of a thick-walled cylinder with the Bauschinger effect, American Transactions on Engineering & Applied Science, 1(2) (2012) 143-161.
49. Hu Z., Wang W., Khadka VS, Galipeau D. and Yan XZ. Quantum mechanical modeling and calculation of two-photon absorption properties of new class “Delta” shaped conjugated molecules, Molecular Simulation, 37(6)(2011)431-439.