Jiansong Zhang

Assistant Professor

jiansong-zhang@purdue.edu

765-494-1574

765-496-2246

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jiansong-zhang-5a453636/

Knoy 415

West Lafayette, Indiana 47907

Biography

Dr. Jiansong Zhang earned his Bachelor of Construction Management from Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, China (2009) with top grade in his department, his M.Sc. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University (2010), and Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2015). He worked in the Civil and Construction Engineering Department at Western Michigan University as an Assistant Professor for two years before joining the School of Construction Management Technology at Purdue University as an Assistant Professor in Aug. 2017. Dr. Zhang’s professional experience includes working for Jiuzhou Engineering Consulting company in China and Gaylor Electric. He is a member of American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), Construction Research Congress (CRC), and a member of ASCE Data Sensing and Analysis (DSA) Committee, Visualization, Information Modeling, and Simulation (VIMS) Committee, and Technical Council on Computing and Information Technology (TCCIT) Education Committee. He is the elected Member-at-Large (term started October 2017) of the ASCE DSA committee. He is also a member of the buildingSMART linked data working group and regulatory interoperability working group. He serves as a reviewer of Journal of Computing in Civil Engineering (since 2015), Journal of Construction Engineering and Management (since 2015), Journal of Management in Engineering (since 2017), Journal of Construction Engineering (since 2016), Journal of Automation in Construction (since 2017), Journal of Building and Environment (since 2017), and several international/national conferences (ASCE Earth and Space Conference 2020, i3CE 2019, ISARC 2019, CRC 2016, CRC 2018, CRC 2020, IPC 2019, CIB W78 2018, ICSDEC 2016, ICCCBE 2016, WTC 2017, IWCCE 2017, ASC 2017, ASC 2020). For example, he has been the session chair of Augmented & Virtual Reality session at IWCCE 2017, one of the session chairs of Data Sensing, BIM, Simulation Track, a program committee member of the Automation and Robotics Track, as well as a reviewer in both tracks of CRC 2018, the session chair of Cyber-Human-System Session at CIB-W78 2018, and the session chair of BIM, Ontologies and Semantic Approaches Session at i3CE 2019. He is an active member in Transportation Research Board (TRB) and was the TRB AFH10 2016 Straight-to-Recording Webinar Series panelist and moderator. Some of his honors include receiving the Outstanding Faculty in Discovery (2018-2019) from Purdue University, technology development award (2017) from Western Michigan University, conference travel awards (2012; 2013; 2014) from the University of Illinois, top three paper award (2013) from ASCE International Workshop on Computing in Civil Engineering, Chester P. Siess Award (2012) from the University of Illinois, Pokrajac Fellowship (2011) from the University of Illinois, CEE Department Scholarship (2009) from Carnegie Mellon University, and National Scholarship (2007; 2008) from China. Dr. Zhang has research interests in developing and leveraging advanced technologies to support construction engineering and management, construction automation, and sustainable infrastructure, including building information modeling (BIM), artificial intelligence (AI) [i.e., natural language processing (NLP), machine learning, and automated reasoning], virtual reality (VR), and construction robotics. His research has been supported by Federal and State agencies such as Transportation Research Center for Livable Communities and Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning. He has been awarded two National Science Foundation (NSF) research projects to study BIM interoperability scientifically and develop an interoperable BIM prototype system for automating building code compliance checking and modular construction analysis, respectively, through collaborations with experts in Civil and Construction Engineering, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Engineering Technology, Computer and Information Technology, Construction Management Technology, and industrial partners. Dr. Zhang has served as an NSF panelist for proposal reviews at different programs such as CMMI, IIP, FW-HTF, and DUE.

Education:

Ph.D. in Civil Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA, 2015

M.Sc. in Civil and Environmental Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA, 2010

B.Mgt. in Construction Management, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China, 2009

Purdue, Outstanding Faculty in Discovery, 2018-2019
ASCE, Outstanding Reviewer, 2017
WMU, Technology Development Award, 2016
UIUC, Conference Travel Awards for Graduate Students, 2014
UIUC, CSSA, Honorary Bachelor of Services, 2014
UIUC, CEE Professional Development Award, 2014
UIUC, Conference Travel Awards for Graduate Students, 2013
ASCE, Top Three Paper, International Workshop on Computing in Civil Engineering, 2013
UIUC, Chester P. Siess Award, 2012
UIUC, Conference Travel Awards for Graduate Students, 2012
UIUC, CSSA, Outstanding Leadership Award, 2012
UIUC, CSSA, CSSA Award, 2011
UIUC, University Fellowship, 2010-2011
UIUC, Pokrajac Fellowship, 2010-2011
CMU, CEE Department Scholarship, 2009
HUST, Summa Cum Laude, 2009
CHINA, National Scholarship, 2008
CHINA, National Scholarship, 2007
HUST, Academic Excellency Scholarship, 2008
HUST, SCEM, Outstanding Academic Performance, 2008
HUST, Specially Excellent Academic Performance Honor of Undergraduate Student, 2008
HUST, Model Merit Student Candidate, 2008
HUST, Merit Student, 2008
HUST, Excellent Chairman of Students' Organization, 2008
HUST, Model Merit Student Candidate, 2007
HUST, Merit Student, 2007
HUST, Specially Excellent Academic Performance Honor of Undergraduate Student, 2007
HUST, Diligency Scholarship, 2007
HUST, Academic Excellency Scholarship, 2007
HUST, Excellent Chairman of Students' Organization, 2007
HUST, Merit Student, 2006
HUST, Active Undergraduate Student in Scientific Innovation, 2006
HUST, Student Activity Scholarship, 2006
HUST, Academic Excellency Scholarship, 2006
City of Zunhua (population 0.73 million), 1st Place in High School Entrance Exam, 2002
CHINA, First Prize in the National Physics Olympiad Competition (junior group), 2002

Akanbi, T., Zhang, J., and Lee, Y.C. (2020). “Data-driven reverse engineering algorithm development (D-READ) method for developing interoperable quantity takeoff algorithms using IFC-based BIM.” J. Comput. in Civ. Eng., 34(5), 04020036.
Xue, X., and Zhang, J. (2020). “Error-driven transformational rule-based part-of-speech tagging performance improvement method for domain-specific textual data.” J. Comput. in Civ. Eng., 34(5), 04020035.
Wu, J., Sadraddin, H.L., Ren, R., Zhang, J., and Shao, X. (2020). “Invariant signatures of architecture, engineering, and construction objects to support BIM interoperability between architectural design and structural analysis.” J. Constr. Eng. Manage., accepted.
Wu, J., and Zhang, J. (2019). “New automated BIM object classification method to support BIM interoperability.” J. Comput. Civ. Eng., 33(5), 04019033. [Download Draft]
Kwayu, K.M., Kwigizile, V., Zhang, J., and Oh, S. (2019). "Semantic n-gram feature analysis and machine learning-based classification of drivers’ hazardous actions at signal-controlled intersections." J. Comput. Civ. Eng., 34(4), 04020015.
Baker, C.A., Rapp, R.R., Elwakil, E., and Zhang, J. (2019). “Infrastructure assessment post-disaster: Remotely sensing bridge structural damage by unmanned aerial vehicle in low-light conditions.” J. Emerg. Manag., 18(1), 27-41.
He, R., Huang, X., Zhang, J., Geng, Y., and Guo, H. (2019). “Preparation and evaluation of exhaust-purifying cement concrete employing titanium dioxide.” Materials, 12(13), 2182.
Debs, L., Chen, Y., and Zhang, J. (2020). “Engaging high-school students in building prefabrication (resource exchange).” Proc., 2020 ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, ASEE, Washington DC, https://peer.asee.org/32634.
Wong Chong, O., Baker, C., Afsari, K., Zhang, J. and Roach, M. (2020). “Integration of BIM processes in architectural design, structural analysis, and detailing: current status and limitations.” Proc., ASCE Construction Research Congress, ASCE, Reston, VA, accepted.
Lee, Y.C., Ghannad, P., Dimyadi, J., Lee, J.K., Solihin, W., and Zhang, J. (2020). “A comparative analysis of five rule-based model checking platforms.” Proc., ASCE Construction Research Congress, ASCE, Reston, VA, accepted.
Wang, J., Mu, L., Zhang, J., Zhou, X., and Li, J. (2020). “On intelligent fire drawings review based on building information modeling and knowledge graph.” Proc., ASCE Construction Research Congress, ASCE, Reston, VA, accepted.
Akanbi, T., and Zhang, J. (2020). “Automated design information extraction from construction specifications to support wood construction cost estimation.” Proc., ASCE Construction Research Congress, ASCE, Reston, VA, accepted.
Ren, R., and Zhang, J. (2020). “Comparison of BIM interoperability applications at different structural analysis stages.” Proc., ASCE Construction Research Congress, ASCE, Reston, VA, accepted.
Ren, R., Zhang, J., and Chen, Y. (2020). “An automated grading method for activity-on-node calculations to support construction management education.” Proc., ASCE Construction Research Congress, ASCE, Reston, VA, accepted.
Xue, X., and Zhang, J. (2020). “Evaluation of seven part-of-speech taggers in tagging building codes: identifying the best performing tagger and common sources of errors.” Proc., ASCE Construction Research Congress, ASCE, Reston, VA, accepted.
Li, M., Li, D., Zhang, J., Cheng, J.C.P., and Gan, V.J.L. (2019). “3D printing in modular construction: opportunities and challenges.” Proc., 8th International Conference on Construction Engineering and Project Management, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China, accepted.
Zhang, J., Chen, Y., Liu, R., and Debs, L. (2019). “Cartesian points visualization in game simulation for analyzing geometric representations of AEC objects in IFC.” Proc., 36th Intl. Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction (ISARC 2019), I.A.A.R.C., iaarc.org.
Wu, J., and Zhang, J. (2019). “Introducing geometric signatures of architecture, engineering, and construction objects and a new BIM dataset.” Proc., 2019 ASCE International Conference on Computing in Civil Engineering, ASCE, Reston, VA, 264-271.
Wong Chong, O., and Zhang, J. (2019). “Game simulation to support construction automation in modular construction using BIM and robotics technology – Stage I.” Proc., 2019 ASCE International Conference on Computing in Civil Engineering, ASCE, Reston, VA, 376-383.
Akanbi, T., Zhang, J., and Lee, Y.C. (2019). “Automated item matching and pricing (IMP) for wood building elements to support bim-based wood construction cost estimation.” Proc., 2019 ASCE International Conference on Computing in Civil Engineering, ASCE, Reston, VA, 402-409.
Ren, R., and Zhang, J. (2019). “Model information checking to support interoperable BIM usage in structural analysis.” Proc., 2019 ASCE International Conference on Computing in Civil Engineering, ASCE, Reston, VA, 361-368.
Peng, C., Jiang, Y., and Zhang, J. (2019). "A study of FLC application for robot manipulator suspended from crane hoist model." Proc., 14th International Workshop on Advanced Smart Materials and Smart Structures Technology, Sapienza University of Rome and the Asian-Pacific Network of Centers for Research in Smart Structure Technology (ANCRiSST), Rome, Italy, 221-224.
Lee, Y.C., Ghannad, P., Shariatfar, M., Zhang, J., and Lee, J.K. (2019). “Entity-based MVD concept module generation for development of new BIM data exchange standards.” Proc., 2019 ASCE International Conference on Computing in Civil Engineering, ASCE, Reston, VA, 464-472.
Tian, C., Chen, Y., Zhang, J., and Cox, R.F. (2019). "Global Building Information Modeling maturity." Proc., Innovative Construction Project Management and Construction Industrialization, ICCREM, Harbin, China, 82-92.
Tian, C., Guo, X., Chen, Y., Debs, L., and Zhang, J. (2019). "The change of BIM maturity in the last five years." Proc., The International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction (CIB) World Building Congress 2019 – Constructing Smart Cities, Hong Kong, China, accepted.
Chen, Y., Zhang, J., and Min, B.C. (2019). "Applications of BIM and UAV to construction safety." Proc., CSCE Annual Conference, CSCE, Laval, QC, Canada, CON254.
Debs, L., Chen, Y., and Zhang, J. (2019). "Developing a request for qualifications activity to integrate construction topics at the sophomore level." Proc., the 126th ASEE Annual Conference, ASEE, Washington, DC., 24757.
Zhang, J. (2018). "Towards systematic understanding of geometric representations in BIM standard: an empirical data-driven approach." Proc., ASCE Construction Research Congress, ASCE, Reston, VA, 96-105. [Download Draft]
Wu, J., and Zhang, J. (2018). "Automated BIM object classification to support BIM interoperability." Proc., ASCE Construction Research Congress, ASCE, Reston, VA, 706-715. [Download Draft]
Bucarelli, N., Zhang, J., and Wang, C. (2018). "Maintainability assessment of light design using game simulation, virtual reality and brain sensing technologies." Proc., ASCE Construction Research Congress, ASCE, Reston, VA, 378-387.
Ren, R., Zhang, J., and Dib, H.N. (2018). "BIM interoperability for structural analysis." Proc., ASCE Construction Research Congress, ASCE, Reston, VA, 470-479. [Download Draft]
Zhang, J., and Laddipeerla, S. (2018). "A feasibility study of IFC-based BIM 4D simulation using commercial systems to support construction planning in the U.S." Proc., 54th ASC Annual International Conference, ASC, Fort Collins, CO, 441-448.
Park, H., Liu, R., and Zhang, J. (2018). "Ontology modeling for construction safety knowledge management." Proc., 17th International Conference on Computing in Civil and Building Engineering, The International Society for Computing in Civil and Building Engineering (ISCCBE), Tampere, Finland.
Aldegeily, M., Zhang, J., Hu, Y., and Shao, X. (2018). "From architectural design to structural analysis: a data-driven approach to study building information modeling (BIM) interoperability." Proc., 54th ASC Annual International Conference, ASC, Fort Collins, CO, 537-545.
buildingSMART. (2017). "Regulation Interoperability." White Paper.
Aldafaay, M., Zhang, J., and Oh, J. (2017). "Visualizing the constructability of a steel structure using building information modeling and game simulation." International Conference on Maintenance and Rehabilitation of Constructed Infrastructure Facilities (2017 MAIREINFRA), South Korea, in press.
Yu, Y., Zhang, J., and Guo, H. (2017). "Investigation of the relationship between construction workers' psychological states and their unsafe behaviors using virtual environment-based testing." Proc., 2017 ASCE Intl. Workshop on Comput. in Civ. Eng., ASCE, Reston, VA, 417-424.
Akanbi, T., and Zhang, J. (2017). "Automated wood construction cost estimation." Proc., 2017 ASCE Intl. Workshop on Comput. in Civ. Eng., ASCE, Reston, VA, 141-148.
Howsawi, A., and Zhang, J. (2017). "An ontology to support the move towards sustainable construction in Saudi Arabia." Proc., 2017 ASCE Intl. Workshop on Comput. in Civ. Eng., ASCE, Reston, VA, 296-303.
Mastali, M., and Zhang, J. (2017). "Interactive highway construction simulation using game engine and virtual reality for education and training purpose." Proc., 2017 ASCE Intl. Workshop on Comput. in Civ. Eng., ASCE, Reston, VA, 399-406.
Alghamdi, A., Sulaiman, M., Alghamdi, A., Alhosan, M., Mastali, M., and Zhang, J. (2017). "Building accessibility code compliance verification using game simulations in virtual reality." Proc., 2017 ASCE Intl. Workshop on Comput. in Civ. Eng., ASCE, Reston, VA, 262-270.
Zhang, J. (2017). "A logic-based representation and tree-based visualization method for building regulatory requirements." Vis. Eng., (Invited), 5(2).
Zhang, J., and Akanmu, A. (2016). "Intelligent construction case study illustration system using natural language processing and image searching." Proc., CIB W78, Conseil International du Bâtiment (CIB), Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Mandava, B., and Zhang, J. (2016). "A new automated quantity takeoff method for BIM-based bridge designs." Proc., CIB W78, Conseil International du Bâtiment (CIB), Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Zhang, J., and El-Gohary, N. (2017). "Integrating semantic NLP and logic reasoning into a unified system for fully-automated code checking." Automation in Construction, 73, 45-57.
Akanmu, A., and Zhang, J. (2016). "An adaptive automated monitoring of construction activities using swarm nodes." Proc., 33rd International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction, I.A.A.R.C., iaarc.org.
Zhang, J., and El-Gohary, N. (2016). "A prototype system for fully automated code checking." 16th International Conference on Computing in Civil and Building Engineering, Osaka, Japan, 535-542.
Zhang, J., and El-Gohary, N. (2016). "An automated relationship classification to support semi-automated IFC extension." Proc., ASCE Construction Research Congress, ASCE, Reston, VA, 829-838.
Zhang, J., Kwigizile, V., and Oh, S. (2016). "Automated hazardous action category classification using natural language processing and machine learning techniques." 16th COTA International Conference of Transportation Professionals, Shanghai, China, 1579-1590. [Download Draft]
Zhang, J. and El-Gohary, N. (2016). "Semantic-based logic representation and reasoning for automated regulatory compliance checking." J. Comput. Civ. Eng., 10.1061/(ASCE)CP.1943-5487.0000583, 04016037. [Download Draft]
Zhang, J., and El-Gohary, N. (2016). "Extending building information models semi-automatically using natural language processing techniques." J. Comput. in Civ. Eng., 30(5), (Invited), 30(5), C4016004. [Download Draft]
Zhang, J., and El-Gohary, N. (2015). "Automated information transformation for automated regulatory compliance checking in construction." J. Comput. in Civ. Eng., 29(4)(SP2013IWCCE), (Invited), B4015001. [Download Draft]
Zhang, J., and El-Gohary, N. (2015). "Automated extraction of information from building information models into a semantic logic-based representation." Proc., 2015 ASCE Intl. Workshop on Comput. in Civ. Eng., ASCE, Reston, VA, 173-180. [[Download ZE_BIM_FOL_Converter.zip]] [Download Draft]
Zhang, J., and El-Gohary, N. (2015). "A semantic similarity-based method for semi-automated IFC extension." ICSC 2015 - The CSCE International Specialty Conference, CSCE, Montreal, Canada.
Zhang, J., and El-Gohary, N. (2014). "Extending building information models automatically using semantic natural language processing techniques." Proc., Comput. in Civ. and Build. Eng. (2014), ASCE, Reston, VA, 2246-2253.
Zhang, J., and El-Gohary, N. (2014). "Automated reasoning for regulatory compliance checking in the construction domain." Proc., ASCE Construction Research Congress, ASCE, Reston, VA, 907-916.
Zhang, J., and El-Gohary, N. (2013). "Semantic NLP-based information extraction from construction regulatory documents for automated compliance checking." J. Comput. in Civ. Eng., 30(2), (Invited), 04015014. [Download Draft]
Zhang, J., and El-Gohary, N. (2013). "Handling sentence complexity in information extraction for automated compliance checking in construction." Proc., CIB W78 2013, Conseil International du Bâtiment (CIB), Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Zhang, J., and El-Gohary, N. (2013). "Information transformation and automated reasoning for automated compliance checking in construction." Proc., 2013 ASCE Intl. Workshop on Comput. in Civ. Eng., ASCE, Reston, VA, 701-708. Top Three Papers. General Session Presentation. [Download Draft]
Zhang, J., and El-Gohary, N. (2012). "Extraction of construction regulatory requirements from textual documents using natural language processing techniques." Proc., 2012 ASCE Intl. Conf. Comput. in Civ. Eng., ASCE, Reston, VA, 453-460.
Zhang, J., and El-Gohary, N. (2012). "Automated regulatory information extraction from building codes leveraging syntactic and semantic information." Proc., ASCE Construction Research Congress, ASCE, Reston, VA, 622-632.
Zhang, J., and El-Gohary, N. (2011). "Automated information extraction from construction-related regulatory documents for automated compliance checking." Proc. CIB W78-W102, Conseil International du Bâtiment (CIB), Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Atasoy, G., Tang, P., Zhang, J., and Akinci, B. (2010). "Visualizing laser scanner data for bridge inspection." 27th Intl. Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction (ISARC 2010), I.A.A.R.C., iaarc.org.