Hojat Hematabadi | Fracture and Damage Mechanics | Editorial Board Member

Dr. Hojat Hematabadi | Fracture and Damage Mechanics | Editorial Board Member

Research Assistant at Department of Environmental Civil Engineering | United States

Dr. Hojat Hematabadi is a timber engineering and wood–biocomposite specialist whose research spans structural performance, micromechanics, computational modeling, and sustainable biomaterials, drawing on his background as a research scholar at Virginia Tech University in the Department of Sustainable Biomaterials and his earlier academic roles as a graduate researcher in Gorgan University and lecturer in the Department of Wood Science and Technology in Kerman, supported by foundational studies at Tarbiat Modares University and the University of Zabol, and strengthened through significant practical experience such as managing particleboard production in Bam; his scientific contributions include influential publications on bending strength, hybrid cross-laminated timber behavior, comparative shear and bending test methodologies, mechanical properties of poplar-based CLT panels, damage reduction in wood composites, and indoor air-quality improvement through urea treatment, complemented by nationally recognized inventions including methods to reduce formaldehyde emissions from wood-based composites, rapid weathering-test machinery for wood materials, and industrial wood-plastic composites derived from pistachio pruning residues; he has also led multiple research and engineering projects involving FRP-reinforced CLT, fatigue analysis of engineered wood, and advanced 3D damage modeling using ABAQUS UMAT, while maintaining strong expertise in finite element modeling, Python scripting, RFEM for timber design, Simapro-based life cycle assessment, and advanced statistical tools; additionally, he contributes to the global scientific community as an editorial board member for journals such as Insight – Civil Engineering, Architecture and Design Review, Materials Physics and Chemistry, and Sustainable Forestry, and his work has been consistently acknowledged through academic honors and competitive rankings that highlight his standing as a top young researcher in the field of engineered wood products and sustainable structural materials.

Profile:  Scopus | Orcid 

Featured Publications:

Hematabadi, H., McDonald, A. G., & Ibrahim, A. A. (2025). Shear performance of PrinTimber composite beams for sustainable 3D-printing structures. Materials and Structures.

Rostampour Haftkhani, A., & Hematabadi, H. (2022). Effect of layer arrangement on bending strength of cross-laminated timber (CLT) manufactured from Poplar (Populus deltoides L.). Buildings.

Hematabadi, H., Madhoushi, M., Khazaeian, A., & Ebrahimi, G. (2021). Structural performance of hybrid Poplar–Beech cross-laminated timber (CLT). Journal of Building Engineering.

Hematabadi, H., & Hindman, D. P. (2021). Comparison of test methodologies for computing bending and shear stiffness of cross-laminated timber. Journal of Testing and Evaluation.

Gabriela Draghici | Material Behavior | Best Faculty Award

Mrs. Gabriela Draghici | Material Behavior | Best Faculty Award

Lecturer | Ovidius University of Constanta, Faculty of Civil Engineering | Romania

Drăghici Gabriela, lecturer and PhD engineer at “Ovidius” University of Constanta, Faculty of Civil Engineering, is an accomplished expert in civil and industrial constructions, specializing in the modernization of industrial buildings through the use of composite materials, structural rehabilitation, geotechnical analysis, and consolidation of historical monuments; she completed her engineering degree at the Polytechnic Institute “Gh. Asachi” Iaşi and obtained her PhD with a thesis on the modernization of industrial constructions, subsequently earning certifications as a construction site supervisor in multiple domains including buildings, industrial structures, agricultural constructions, pipelines for petroleum transport, and restoration of historical monuments; her research portfolio includes high-impact publications such as risk analysis in special rehabilitation operations for airport runways and platforms, technological design methodologies for constructions under special conditions, performance and post-utilization behavior of civil constructions, comparative studies of traditional and industrialized roof structures, and the geotechnical properties of water-sensitive soils such as loess, contributing to sustainable civil infrastructure development; she has actively participated in international conferences and authored multiple papers in journals like Ovidius University Annals Series: Civil Engineering, Buletinul AGIR, and proceedings of GeoChina International Conference, demonstrating a commitment to advancing civil engineering practice through applied research, structural innovation, and material science, making her a strong candidate for the Best Researcher Award in civil and structural engineering innovation.

Featured Publications: