Ying Hei Chui, PhD

Area of Study / Keywords

Timber Engineering Structural Engineering

About

Dr. Chui is NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Engineered Wood and Building Systems, 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 Standing Committee of the National Building Code of Canada, and a number of CSA technical committees on design of timber structures and wood products. He is Vice-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

2017 – Present NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Engineered Wood and Building Systems

2016 – Present Professor, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta

1993 - 2016 Assistant Professor, Associate Professor and Professor, Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Management, University of New Brunswick

2015 - 2016 New Brunswick Innovation Research Chair in Advanced Wood Products, University of New Brunswick

1997 -2008 & 2011 - 2016 Director, Wood Science and Technology Centre, University of New Brunswick

2009 - 2015 Scientific Director, NSERC Strategic Network on Innovative Wood Products and Building Systems

1997 - 1999 Assistant Dean, Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Management, University of New Brunswick

1990 - 1993 Research Associate, Wood Science and Technology Centre, University of New Brunswick

1988 - 1990 NSERC Post-doctoral Fellow, Faculty of Forestry, University of New Brunswick

Professional Affiliations

Fellow   Canadian Academy of Engineering

Fellow   International Academy of Wood Science

Member Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta

Member American Society of Testing and Materials

Technical Committees

Vice Chair  ASTM Technical Committee D07 'Wood'

Chair  ISO Technical Committee 165 ‘Timber Structures’

Vice Chair  CSA A370 Technical Committee ‘Lumber and Engineered Wood Products’

Subcommittee Member  CSA O86 Technical Committee "Engineering Design in Wood"

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

Member 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. H. Daneshvar*, J. Niederwestberg*, C. Dickof and Y. H. Chui. 2021. Structural Behaviour of Deep CLT Lintels Subjected to Concentric and Eccentric Loading. Journal of Building Engineering. 43: 103101 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2021.103101
2. S. Zhang*, J. Zhou* and Y. H. Chui. 2021. Simultaneous evaluation of bending and shear stiffness of wood I-joists by transverse vibration tests. Engineering Structures. 243:112643 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2021.112643
3. M. T. Khan*, Y. H. Chui and D. Huang. 2021. A review of the methods for predicting the effective in-plane shear modulus of cross-laminated timber (CLT). Advances in Civil Engineering. Special Issue on Bamboo/Wood Composite Structures. 2021: 6616559 (Open Access). https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/6616559
4. M. Spasojevic*, H. Daneshvar*, J. Niederwestberg*, Y. Chen, Y. H. Chui and M. Gong. 2021. Structural performance of light wood shear walls built with insulated sheathing panels. Engineering Structures. 241: 112449 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2021.112449
5. M. A. H. Mirdad*, Y. H. Chui, D. Tomlinson and Y. Chen. 2021. Bending stiffness and load-deflection response prediction of mass timber panel-concrete composite floor system with mechanical connectors. ASCE J. of Performance of Constructed Facilities. 35(5): 04021052 https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)CF.1943-5509.0001620
6. M. A. H. Mirdad*, H. Daneshvar*, T. Joyce* and Y. H. Chui. 2021. Sustainability design considerations for timber-concrete composite (TCC) floor systems. Advances in Civil Engineering. Special Issue on Bamboo/Wood Composite Structures. Vol. 2021: 6688076 (Open Access) https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/6688076
7. W. Zhu*, L. Li, M. Gong, Y. H. Chui and J. Zhou*. 2021. On-site monitoring of the moisture content of bridge decks made of nail-laminated timbers. ASCE J. of Struct. Eng. 147(25):04721005 https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)ST.1943-541X.0003046
8. M. Spasojevic*, H. Daneshvar*, Y. Chen and Y. H. Chui. 2021. Lateral resistance of sheathing-to-framing nailed joints with an intermediate insulation layer. ASCE J. of Struct. Eng. 147(6):04021071 https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)ST.1943-541X.0003026
9. J. Niederwestberg*, H. Daneshvar*, Y. H. Chui and Z. Chen. 2021. Contribution of partition walls in lateral load resisting systems of low-rise light wood frame buildings. ASCE J. Struct. Eng., 147(4):04021010 https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)ST.1943-541X.0002960
10. C. Dong, S. Zhang, J. Wang and Y. H. Chui. 2021. Static bending creep properties of furfurylated poplar wood. Construction & Building Materials, 269, 121308. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2020.121308
11. J. Niederwestberg*, J. Zhou*, Y. H. Chui and D. Huang. 2021. Shear and normal strain distributions in multi-layer composite laminated panels under out-of-plane bending. Advances in Civil Engineering. Special Issue on Bamboo/Wood Composite Structures, vol. 2021: 6637853, 15 pages (Open Access) https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/6637853.
12. R. Khan*, J. Niederwestberg* and Y. H. Chui. 2021. Influence of insertion angle, diameter and thread on embedment properties of self-tapping screws. European Journal of Wood and Wood Products. 79:707–718 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00107-020-01651-5.
13. L. Zhang*, S. Zhang* and Y. H. Chui. 2021. Analytical evaluation to the timber-concrete composite beam connected with notched connections. Engineering Structures, Vol 227: 111466.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2020.111466
14. W. Zhu*, G. Meng, Y. H. Chui and L. Li. 2021. Improved fastening designs for bridge decks made of mechanically-laminated timber. Construction & Building Materials, 266, 121166.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2020.121166.
15. M. A. H. Mirdad*, Y. H. Chui and D. Tomlinson. 2021. Capacity and failure mode prediction of mass timber panel–concrete composite floor system with mechanical connectors. ASCE J. of Struct. Eng. 147(2):04020338 https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)ST.1943-541X.0002909
16. S. Zhang*, Y. H. Chui and D. Joo. 2020. Lateral load performance of panelized wood I-joist floor systems. Forest Products Journal, 70(4):428–438. https://doi.org/10.13073/FPJ-D-20-00029 (Best paper award - L.J. Markwardt Wood Engineering Award)
17. S. Zhang* and Y. H. Chui. 2020. Characterizing flexural behaviour of panel-to-panel connections in cross-laminated timber floor systems. Structures, 28, 2044–2055.
18. C. Huang*, Y. H. Chui, M. Gong and F. Chan. 2020. Mechanical behaviour of wood compressed in radial direction—Part II: Influence of temperature and moisture content. J. of BioResources and BioProducts, 5, 266-275.
19. J. Zhou*, Y. H. Chui, J. Niederwestberg* and M. Gong. 2020. Effective bending and shear stiffness of cross-laminated timber by modal testing: Method development and application. Composites Part B, 198: 108225.
20. S. Zhang*, H. Daneshvar* and Y. H. Chui. 2020. Comparison of lateral load performance of light wood diaphragms built with sawn lumber and wood I-joists. J. of Materials in Civil Engineering, 33(1):04020422.
21. C. Huang*, M. Gong, Y. H. Chui and F. Chan. 2020. Mechanical behaviour of wood compressed in radial direction—Part I: New method of determining the yield stress of wood on the stress-strain curve. J. of Bioresources and Bioproducts, 5(3), 186–195.
22. J. Sun, J. Niederwestberg*, F. Cheng, Y. H. Chui. 2020. Frequencies predictions of laminated timber plates using ANN approach. J. of Renewable Materials, 8(3), 319–328.
23. M. A. Mirdad* and Y. H. Chui. 2020. Strength prediction of mass timber panel-concrete (MTPC) composite connection with inclined screws and a gap. ASCE J. of Struct. Eng. 146(8):04020140 https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)ST.1943-541X.0002678
24. M. A. Mirdad* and Y. H. Chui. 2020. Stiffness prediction of mass timber panel-concrete (MTPC) composite connection with inclined screws and a gap. Engineering Structures, 207, 110215.
25. L. Zhang*, Y. H. Chui and D. Tomlinson. 2020. Experimental investigation on the shear properties of notched connections in mass timber panel-concrete composite floors. Construction and Building Materials, 234, 117375.
26. B. Sheng, Y. Bian, Y. Liu, Y. H. Chui and A. Zhou. 2019. Experimental study of the uniaxial stress-strain relationships of parallel strand bamboo in the longitudinal direction. BioRes., 14(4), 9645–9657.
27. O. Ogunrinde*, M. Gong, L. Li* and Y. H. Chui. 2019. Flexural properties of downscaled nail-/dowel-laminated timber. Int. J. of Scientific Research in Multidisciplinary Studies, (5)11, 98–104.
28. Y. Shen, D. Huang, Y. H. Chui and C. Dai. 2019. Fracture of parallel strand bamboo composite under mode I loading: DCB test investigation. Special Issue–Cumulation of Failure and Crack Growth in Materials, Advances in Materials Science and Engineering, Article ID 7657234, 10 pages
29. X. Wang, A. Zhou, L. Zhao and Y. H. Chui. 2019. Mechanical properties of wood columns with rectangular hollow cross section made of Spruce-Pine-Fir lumber under compression. Construction & Building Materials, 214, 133–142.
30. M. A. Mirdad* and Y. H. Chui. 2019. Load-slip performance of mass timber panel-concrete (MTPC) composite connection with self-tapping screws and insulation layer. Construction & Building Materials, 213, 696–708.
31. Z. Huang, D. Huang, Y. H. Chui and Z. Chen. 2019. A bi-linear cohesive law-based model for Mode II fracture analysis: Application to ENF test for unidirectional fibrous composites. Engineering Fracture Mechanics, 213, 131–141.
32. Z. Huang, Z. Chen, D. Huang and Y. H. Chui. 2019. Cyclic loading behavior of an innovative engineered bamboo-steel hybrid connection. J. of Building Eng, 24, 100754.
33. S. Zhang*, J. Zhou*, J. Niederwestberg* and Y. H. Chui. 2019. Effect of end support restraints on vibration performance of cross laminated timber floors: An analytical approach. Engineering Structures, 189, 186–194.
34. M. Gong, L. Li* and Y. H. Chui. 2019. Evaluation of bond strength of cross-laminated LSL specimens under short-span bending test. Holzforschung, 73(8), 789–795.
35. A. Khokhar*, Y. H. Chui and I. Smith. 2019. Influence of between-joists bridging elements on static and dynamic response of wood joisted floors. Engineering Structures, 188, 362–368.
36. L. Zhou*, Y. H. Chui and C. Ni. 2019. Numerical study on seismic force modification factors of hybrid light wood frame structures connected to a stiff core. Engineering Structures, 183, 874–882.
37. J. Niederwestberg*, J. Zhou* and Y. H. Chui. 2018. Comparison of Theoretical and Laboratory Out-of-Plane Shear Stiffness Values of Cross Laminated Timber Panels. Buildings, 8(10), 146 (Open Access).
38. J. Niederwestberg*, J. Zhou* and Y. H. Chui. 2018. Mechanical properties of innovative multi-layer composite laminated panels. Buildings, 8(10), 142 (Open Access).
39. D. Huang, B. Sheng, Y. Shen and Y. H. Chui. 2018. An analytical solution for double cantilever beam based on elastic-plastic bilinear cohesive law: Analysis for mode I fracture of fibrous composites. Engineering Fracture Mechanics, 193, 66–76.
40. L. Zhou*, Y. H. Chui and C. Ni. 2018. Influence of middle member thickness on properties of double-shear nail joints. ASCE J. of Struct. Eng., 144(8), 04018109.

*HQP supervised by Dr. Chui

Teaching

CIV E 479 Structural Design III (Winter)

CIV E 779 Advanced Topics in Structural Engineering - Structural Timber Design (Fall)

CIV E 479 - Structural Design III

Detailed design of a structure which requires students, working in teams, to exercise creativity, to make design assumptions and to complete the structural design based on a synthesis of technical knowledge acquired in this and other structural engineering courses. Course lectures focus on seismic load calculation; design of concrete, reinforced masonry and timber elements; bridge design; and advanced structural steel design. Prerequisite: CIV E 474. Note: Restricted to fourth-year traditional and fifth-year co-op engineering students.

CIV E 662 - Structural Timber Design

The objective of this course is to provide students with a solid understanding of wood as a structural material and an in-depth review of design provisions in Canadian timber design standards for selected members, connections and assemblies. The topics covered include basic wood characteristics, physical and mechanical properties of wood, a review of traditional and modern engineered wood products, and design of timber members subjected to bending and axial loads, connections and lateral load resisting systems. This course will help prepare students for graduate thesis research in a timber engineering topic and for performing structural design of timber structures. Prerequisite: Structural engineering background at BSc level.

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