Civil and Architectural Engineering

College of Engineering and Physical Sciences

Education:

• B.S. with High Honors (Magna Cum Laude), Civil Engineering, University of Hawaii (Honolulu, HI), Dec 1983
• M.S. Civil Engineering, University of Hawaii (Honolulu, HI), Dec 1985
• Ph.D. Civil Engineering, University of Washington (Seattle, WA), 1991

Research Interest

My current research interests are in the areas of theoretical fracture mechanics, reinforced concrete, and structural rehabilitation and monitoring.

Theoretical Fracture Mechanics

My work in fracture mechanics stems from my dissertation research and focuses on interfacial cracks and subsurface fatigue cracks. I have two publications in this area and am planning a future paper on the response of a micro-thin layer subjected to a rigid indenter. This future paper would eventually be applied in testing thin-film depositions used to enhance wear characteristics.

Reinforced Concrete

I have done projects on self-compacting concrete, concrete, concrete constitutive parameters, and object-oriented programming for reinforced concrete. I have published one paper on self-compacting concrete and one on an efficient manner of representing concrete constitutive data. Future work includes evaluating the tensile strength, creep, and shrinkage characteristics of self-compacting concrete. I am in the process of developing an object-oriented library for reinforced concrete section analysis. This software development has resulted in two M.S. students. I plan to continue developing this library in the future.

Structural Rehabilitation

Lastly, my work on structural rehabilitation is in two main areas, heat-straightening repair of damaged steel beams and degradation of concrete beams repaired with Fiber Reinforced Plastic (FRP). My collaborating with Richard Avent in the area of heat-straightening repair of damaged steel beams has resulted in nine publications. Future work in this area includes investigation of the effect of heat-straightening on fracture and fatigue properties of the steel. I am also working with a researcher in Mechanical Engineering on Fiber Reinforced Plastic degradation. We have a paper pending on the experimental setup and are finishing a manuscript on analyzing the stiffness degradation of the FRP when subjected to ultraviolet light, heat, and moisture. Future work planned in this area includes developing a rational accelerated testing method for determining the durability of FRP subjected to environmental attack. We would also like to correlate the degradation in FRP strength. These results could then be applied to health monitoring of FRP-retrofit beams.

Academic Experience

• University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, Spring 2021 - Present
  CEAS Associate Dean, Undergraduate Education
• University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, Fall 2005 - Present
  Associate Professor
• University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, Fall 2001 - Fall 2005
  Assistant Professor
• Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, Fall 1995 - Summer 2001
  Assistant Professor
• Department of Natural Resources, Olympia, WA, Winter 1993 - Summer 1995
  Engineer/Project Manager
• Seattle University, Seattle, Fall 1992 - Spring 1993
  Instructor
• University of Washington, Seattle, Fall 1985 - Summer 1992
  TA/Instructor

Courses Taught

• Dynamics
• Mechanics of Materials
• Structural Analysis I (Determinate)
• Structural Analysis II (Indeterminate)
• Principles of Reinforced Concrete
• Principles of Prestressed Concrete
• Structural Masonry Design
• Advanced Mechanics of Materials
• Matrix Structural Analysis
• Advanced Concrete Theory
• Structural Dynamics

List of Recent Publications

Books

1. Avent, R.R. and Mukai, D.J., 1998, "Heat-Straightening Repairs of Damaged Steel Bridges: A Technical Guide and Manual of Practice", Report No. FHWA-SA-99-034, 248 pp.

Refereed Journal Articles

1. Mukai, D.J., 1999, "An Efficient Representation of Concrete Constitutive Data for Moment Capacity Calculations", ACI Structural Journal, Vol. 96, No. 5, pp. 720-727.
2. Avent, R. R., Mukai, D. J., 1999, "Fundamental Concepts of Heat-Straightening Repair for Damaged Steel Bridges No. 99-1130", Transportation Research Record 1680 Preventive Maintenance and Evaluation of Pavements and Structures, TRB, National Research Council, Washington, D.C., pp. 47-54.
3. Avent, R. R., Mukai, D. J., 1999, "Planning, Designing and Implementing Heat-Straightening Repair of Bridges No. 99-1131", Transportation Research Record 1680 Preventive Maintenance and Evaluation of Pavements and Structures, TRB, National Research Council, Washington, D.C., pp. 55-62.
4. Mukai, D.J. 2000, "An Analysis of a Near-Surface Crack Branching Under a Rigid Indenter", ASME Journal of Tribology, Vol. 122, No. 1, pp. 23-29.
5. Avent, R. R, Mukai, D. J., Robinson, 2000, "Effect of Heat Straightening on Material Properties of Steel", ASCE Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, Vol. 12, No. 3, pp. 188-195.
6. Avent, R. R, Mukai, D. J., 2000, "Heat Straightening Damaged Steel Plate Elements", ASCE Journal of Structural Engineering, Vol. 126, No. 7, pp. 747-754.
7. Avent, R. R, Mukai, D. J., 2000, "Heat Straightening Rolled Shapes", ASCE Journal of Structural Engineering, Vol. 126, No. 7, pp. 755-763.
8. Mukai, D.J., Altan, S., Ehrgott, J. Q., 2000, "Early Strength of Self-Compacting Concrete No. 00-1043", Transportation Research Record 1698 Concrete 2000, TRB, National Research Council, Washington, D.C., pp. 61-69.
9. Avent, R. R, Mukai, D. J., Robinson, 2000, "Residual Stresses in Heat Straightened Steel Members", ASCE Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, Tentatively approved (no re-review necessary), required revisions made and re-submitted.
10. Avent, R. R, Mukai, D. J., 2000, "Engineered Heat-Straightening Repairs: A Case Study", ASCE Bridge Engineering, accepted for publication, to appear.
11. Avent, R. R, Mukai, D. J., 2000, What You Should Know About Heat-Straightening Repair of Damaged Steel", AISC Journal, accepted for publication.
12. Avent, R. R., Mukai, D. J., Heymsfield, E., "Repair of Localized Damage in Steel by Heat Straightening",ASCE Journal of Structural Engineering, accepted pending revisions, re-review by editor only.