Honors, Awards, DISTINCTIONS

• Thomas J.R. Hughes Fellowship, U.S. National Committee on Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (USNC/TAM), 2022
• Third place, American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Mid-Pacific Steel Bridge Competition, 2014

Research interests

Dr. Li’s research focuses on the mechanics and physics of complex material systems, especially those involving multi-body contact, friction, and fracture. We explore fundamental questions such as: What role does frictional contact play in controlling the macroscopic behavior of granular media? How does a fast crack behave in the presence of material heterogeneity? Our overarching goal is to quantitatively characterize the macroscopic behaviors, understand the underlying small-scale processes, and harness this knowledge for innovative engineering applications that enhance the resilience and sustainability of our built environment. To achieve this, our lab develops and applies novel computational and experimental approaches that integrate concepts from computational solid/granular mechanics, soft matter physics, machine learning, optical sensing, and high-speed instrumentation. Our current research areas include (i) the physics of nonlocality in disordered granular media, (ii) the mechanics and design of granularity-inspired metamaterials, and (iii) the multi-modal characterization of dynamic brittle fracture in civil infrastructure materials.