Ying Hei Chui, PhD

Area of Study / Keywords

Professor Engineering Department Executive Timber Engineering Structural Engineering U of A Engineering Research Chair Cross-Disciplinary Engineering

About

Dr. Chui is Nasseri Senior University of Alberta Engineering Research Chair in Advanced Wood Construction and Director of Nasseri School of Building Science and Engineering.

Dr. Chui obtained his BSc degree in Civil Engineering from Southampton University, and his Doctorate degree in Timber Engineering from University of Brighton, in the UK. He is one of Canada's leading researchers in the field of timber engineering and engineered wood products. Prior to joining the University of Alberta, he was New Brunswick Innovation Research Chair in Advanced Wood Products and Director of the Wood Science and Technology Centre at the University of New Brunswick. Dr. Chui was Scientific Director of the highly successful NSERC Strategic Research Network, NEWBuildS. NEWBuildS consisted of 23 professors from 13 Canadian universities and operated between 2010 and 2015. Dr. Chui's expertise is in structural and dynamic performance of timber building systems, timber connections, non-destructive evaluation of timber members and engineered wood products. He has over 30 years of research experience and published over 200 articles in refereed journals and conference proceedings in these disciplines. Dr. Chui is actively engaged in building code and design standard development in North America and at the international level. He is currently member of a National Model Code Committee on Climate Change Adaptation, and a number of CSA technical committees on design of timber structures and wood products. He is Chair of ASTM Technical Committee D.07 'Wood', and Chair of ISO TC 165 Technical Committee 'Timber structures'.

Education

• Ph.D. 1987 Timber Engineering, University of Brighton, United Kingdom
• B.Sc. 1976 Civil Engineering, Southampton University, United Kingdom

Professional Experience

NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Engineered Wood and Building Systems

Professor, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta

Assistant Professor, Associate Professor and Professor, Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Management, University of New Brunswick

New Brunswick Innovation Research Chair in Advanced Wood Products, University of New Brunswick

Director, Wood Science and Technology Centre, University of New Brunswick

Scientific Director, NSERC Strategic Network on Innovative Wood Products and Building Systems

Assistant Dean, Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Management, University of New Brunswick

Research Associate, Wood Science and Technology Centre, University of New Brunswick

Post-doctoral Fellow, Faculty of Forestry, University of New Brunswick

Professional Affiliations

  Canadian Academy of Engineering

  International Academy of Wood Science

Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta

American Society of Testing and Materials

Technical Committees

 ASTM Technical Committee D07 'Wood'

 ISO Technical Committee 165 ‘Timber Structures’

 CSA A370 Technical Committee ‘Lumber and Engineered Wood Products’

 CSA O86 Technical Committee "Engineering Design in Wood"

 Standing Committee on Structural Design, Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes (CCBFC)

Canadian Lumber Standards Accreditation Board

Research

Research Interests

• Timber – steel hybrid lateral load resisting system
• Timber-concrete floor systems
• Timber connections
• Engineered wood products and composites
• Wood quality and lumber properties
• Non-destructive evaluation
• Structural dynamics

Refereed Journal Publications

1. S. Z. Sarothi*, H. D. Nguyen*, Q. Mei and Y. H. Chui. 2025. Monte Carlo tree search for mass timber building design optimization.  Computer-Aided Civil and Infrastructure Engineering. 
2. J. Cisneros-Gonzalez*, J. Cárdenas-Castañeda, P. Martinez, R. Ahmad and Y. H. Chui. 2025. Flexible manufacturing of robotic cross-laminated timber panel machining operations. Construction Robotics. 9:28 https://doi.org/10.1007/s41693-025-00170-0
3. H. D. Nguyen*, Q. Mei and Y. H. Chui. 2025. A genetic algorithm-based calibration procedure for hysteresis loops in timber structures. Engineering Structures. 346: 121622 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2025.121622
4. H. Xie*, Q. Mei and Y. H. Chui. 2025. AI Applications for Structural Design Automation. Automation in Construction. 176: 106496
5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106496
6. K. Gholamizoj*, A. Salenikovich, Y. H. Chui, H. Zhu, M. Bezabeh. 2025. Structural Performance of Dowel Connections with Slotted-in Steel Plates for Mass-Timber Braced Frames. J. of Building Engineering. 112:113959.   https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2025.113959
7. M. Aqib, M. Hamza, Q. Mei and Y. H. Chui. 2025. Fine-tuning large language models and evaluating retrieval methods for improved question answering on building codes. Smart Construction. 2025(3):0021. https://doi.org/10.55092/sc20250021
8. H. Xie*, Q. Mei, Y. H. Chui and H. Yu. 2025. A transformer-based approach for similar layout retrieval and difference detection in architectural drawings of wood frame buildings. J. of Building Engineering. 111:113438.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2025.113438
9. H. Daneshvar*, N. Cheshmehkaboodi*, B. Qi* and Y. H. Chui. 2025. Enhanced particle swarm optimization technique for parametrizing of hysteresis response of timber dowel-type connections. Structures. 79:109312. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2025.109312
10. Y. Ahmed*, H. Daneshvar*, T. Tannert, Y. H. Chui and C. Dickof. 2025. Responses of perforated steel plates in timber connections to different reversed cyclic loading protocols. Construction and Building Materials. 488:142131.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.142131
11. S. Zhang* and Y. H. Chui. 2025. Quantifying the effect of end support restraints on vibration serviceability of mass timber floor systems: Analysis and design approach. Engineering Structures. 339:12063 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2025.120643
12. F. B. T. Imamura*, Y. Chen, L. Deng and Y. H. Chui. 2025. Methodological Approach to the In-situ Monitoring System of Cross-Laminated Timber Basement Walls. J. of Civil Structural Health Monitoring. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13349-025-01010-z
13. Z. Huang*, D. S. Huang, Y. Shen* and Y. H. Chui. 2025. A simplified method to determine the load-bearing capacity of CLT panels under the axially compressive load parallel to the longitudinal laminations. Structures. 77:109165  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2025.109165
14. F. B. T. Imamura*, Y. Chen, L. Deng, and Y. H. Chui. 2025. Dimensional changes of cross-laminated timber basement walls under ambient humidity variation. Bioresources. BioResources 20(2), 4568–4589. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2025.119919
15. M. T. Khan*, S. Keypoursangsari*, C. Ni, Y. H. Chui and Z. Chen. 2025. An analytical model for predicting the axial stress distribution of self-tapping screws due to axial load and moisture-swelling of mass timber products. Buildings. 15(8), 1297. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15081297
16. D. Wang*, M. Zhang*, M. Gong and Y. H. Chui. 2025. Evaluation of bending performance in full-scale cross-laminated timber made from trembling aspen lumber. European J. of Wood and Wood Products. 83:100   https://doi.org/10.1007/s00107-025-02251-x
17. Y. Ahmed*, H. Daneshvar*, T. Tannert, Y. H. Chui and C. Dickof. 2025. Behaviour of steel perforated plate seismic fuses in timber end brace connections. J. of Building Eng. 107: 112644. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2025.112644
18. I. Joffe, G. Felobes, Y. Elgouhari, M. Talebi-Kalale, Q. Mei and Y. H. Chui. 2025. The framework and implementation of using large language models to answer questions about building codes and standards. ASCE J. of Computing in Civil Engineering. 39(4): 05025004-1. https://doi.org/10.1061/JCCEE5.CPENG-6037
19. C. Guo*, J. Zhou* and Y. H. Chui. 2025. Experimental and numerical investigations on vibration performance of mass timber slab floors with floating concrete toppings. Engineering Structures. 300: 119919.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2025.119919
20. T. Joyce* and Y. H. Chui. 2025. A systems approach to evaluating group effect factors with simulated inclined self-tapping screw connections. Canadian J. of Civil Eng. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjce-2024-0354
21. S. Zhang*, J. Zhou* and Y. H. Chui. 2025. Deflection Criteria for Controlling Timber Floor Vibrations: A 200-Year Evolution. Engineering Structures. 326: 119370. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2024.119370
22. S. Esmaeildoust*, D. Tomlinson, Y. H. Chui. 2024. Performance of timber-concrete composite (TCC) systems connected with inclined screws: A literature review. Special Issue on Research on Sustainable Cement-Based Composites, J. of Composites Science. 9(1),13. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcs9010013
23. H. Xie*, X. Ma, Q. Mei and Y. H. Chui. 2024. A semi-supervised transformer network for building wall layout segmentation with small datasets. Computer-Aided Civil and Infrastructure Engineering. 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1111/mice.13397
24. S. Zhang*, Y. H. Chui and D. Joo. 2024. Withdrawal Capacity of a Novel Rigging Device for Prefabricated Wood I-Joist Floor Panels. Buildings. 14, 2484. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14082484
25. D. Wang*, M. Zhang*, M. Gong and Y. H. Chui. 2024. Evaluation of Major Physical and Mechanical Properties of Trembling Aspen Lumber. Materials, 17(12), 2952. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17122952
26. A. Mowafy*, A. Imanpour, Y. H. Chui, and H. Daneshvar*. 2024. Development and Experimental Validation of a Hybrid Timber-Steel Beam-to-Column Connection with Replaceable U-Shaped Fuses. ASCE J. of Struct Eng. 150(11).  https://doi.org/10.1061/JSENDH.STENG-13342
27. M. Fakhrzarei*, H. Daneshvar* and Y. H. Chui. 2024. Numerical Parametric Study of Cross-laminated Timber Diaphragms under In-plane Loading. Construction and Building Materials. 429, 136387. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2024.136387
28. F. B. T. Imamura*, Y. Chen, L. Deng and Y. H. Chui. 2024. Moisture and mould growth risk of cross-laminated timber basement walls: laboratory and field investigation. Construction and Building Materials. 428, 136150.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2024.136150
29. J. Dourado, L. Deng, Y. Chen and Y. H. Chui. 2024. Review of the State-of-Art Practice of Foundation Engineering in Northern Canada. Geotechnics. 4(1),285-308 https://doi.org/10.3390/geotechnics4010015
30. A. Mowafy*, A. Imanpour, Y. H. Chui and H. Daneshvar*. 2024. Experimental evaluation of a U-shaped steel plate as a seismic fuse. Journal of Constructional Steel Research. 215, 108525. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcsr.2024.108525
31. A. Mowafy*, A. Imanpour and Y. H. Chui. 2024. A new hybrid steel-timber rocking seismic force resisting system equipped with U-shaped fuse connections. Can J. of Civil Eng. 51(7):769-783. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjce-2023-0319
32. M. S. Islam* and Y. H. Chui. 2024. Finite element analysis of a light-frame wood panelized gable roof. Engineering Structures. 302, 117333. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2023.117333
33. S. Zhang* and Y. H. Chui. 2024. Quantifying the effect of end support restraints on vibration serviceability of mass timber panel floors: Testing. Engineering Structures. 301, 117189 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2023.117189
34. M. S. Islam*, Y. H. Chui and M.S. Altaf. 2023. Novel panelized roof design for offsite fabrication of light-frame wood residential homes. ASCE Practice Periodical on Structural Design and Construction. 9(2):04023071. https://doi.org/10.1061/PPSCFX.SCENG-1405
35. H. Daneshvar*, Y. H. Chui, C. Dickof and T. Tannert. 2023. Experimental parametric study of perforated steel plate fuses for mass timber seismic force resisting systems. J. of Building Engineering. 73, 106772. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2023.106772&nbsp
36. Z. Huang*, D. Huang, Y. H. Chui and Z. Chen. 2023. A layered beam-based model for analyzing the stress of rolling shear for the cross-laminated timber panels under out-of-plane bending. Engineering Structures. 289, 116290  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2023.116290
37. M. T. Khan*, C. Ni, J. Wang and Y. H. Chui. 2023. Numerical Investigation of the Axial Stress Distribution of Self-Tapping Screws in Mass Timber Products during Wetting or Drying. Buildings, 13(3), 623. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13030623
38. L. Qi*, L. Zhang*, M. C. Zhao and Y. H. Chui. 2023. Low-cost Design of Vibration Inspection Equipment for Timber Beam. J. of Vibration Engineering & Technologies. 12:481-493 https://doi.org/10.1007/s42417-023-00854-3
39. M. Fakhrzarei*, H. Daneshvar* and Y. H. Chui. 2023. Analytical model development for CLT diaphragms loaded perpendicular to the length of panels. ASCE J. of Struct. Eng. 149(6): 04023059. https://doi.org/10.1061/JSENDH.STENG-11727
40. Y. Shen*, Z. Huang*, H. Daneshvar*, Y. H. Chui and D. Huang. 2023. Experimental study of CLT panels under combined out-of-plane bending and compression. Engineering Structures. 275, 115262 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2022.115262

*HQP supervised by Dr. Chui

Teaching

CIV E 479 Structural Design III (Winter)

CIV E 662 Structural Timber Design (Fall)