Chenxi Yuan

Chenxi Yuan Profile Picture
IGP:
Computational Science & Engineering

Mentor / Lab:
Dr. Hubo Cai, Laboratory of Computer Integrated Infrastructure Informatics (LCIII)

Specific Research Area / Project:
Mapping Underground Utilities With Complex Spatial Configuration Using Ground Penetrating Radar

Undergraduate Institution:
Central South University, China


Lab / Personal work-related websites:
Lab Webpage

Personal Webpage

Research Profile:

Chenxi’s research interests include object detection and tracking, underground utilities mapping, geo-spatial information management, e-Construction and Mixed Reality. The focus of his PhD research efforts includes the development of methodologies and algorithms to automate the mapping process of underground utilities with complex spatial configuration using Ground Penetrating Radar. The overarching goal is to design a novel approach to fully automate the whole process of detecting, locating, characterizing, and mapping underground utilities from multiple transformed signatures using GPR system.

The importance of fulfilling these objectives is acknowledged in a wide range of fields, including the Mapping the Underworld initiative in the United Kingdom and the Subsurface Utility Engineering practice in the United States. With accurate utility locations and dimensions, 22% of the excavation-related incidents and a significant number of dry holes (i.e., excavations failed to find utilities) could be avoided. It helps realize enormous cost savings, reduce potential hazards to citizens, improve the sustainability of urban communities, and reduce life-cycle costs of underground infrastructure. By engaging the general public with the devised technologies, this application will raise awareness of underground utility infrastructure that has long been neglected due to their invisibility, and improve public scientific literacy that in turn, can help to engage the public in all life cycle stages of underground utility infrastructure. Thus, the proposed research is not only expected to vertically drive the field of underground mapping and labeling, but also to have broad and highly positive societal impacts.


About Me:

Chenxi Yuan About Me Picture

Since my undergraduate study in Central South University (CSU) in China, I attended an inter-disciplinary program which offered rigorous training in both science and technology. I was very excited in its teaching style which explained the whole story behind each theory or finding, but tired of the repetitive assignments to make each student to be a proficient "memory machine". Computer seemed to be able to let human focus on more creative ideas. Therefore, I continued my master study in computer and civil engineering interdisciplinary program in Tongji University in China. After graduate, I worked at ARUP consultant company for two years. Based on both my academic and industrial experiences, I continued my graduate study in Prof. Hubo Cai's Laboratory in the school of Civil Engineering, and joined the CS&E program since my first semester. I benefit a lot from such program and glad to be a supporter or promoter of interdisciplinary program.

• Vice President in Computational Interdisciplinary Graduate Student Organization 05/2016-08/2017

• Invited Instructor (04/2017) in campus-wide Python workshop (~100 students/faculties attended): I gave a three-hours lecture. The problem-based learning method was applied. After the workshop, students completed a coding project and understand the data type by discussing the problem, questions, and solutions during the class.

I will graduate in August 2018 and become an assistant Professor in Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in August 16, 2018. My future research plan aims to develop a construction decision making platform to enable a safe, smart, sustainable built environment. Specifically, it contains four sub-systems: multi-sensor system for data collection, data analytical system for data processing, data mining and reasoning, information modeling and simulation systems, and visualization system for communication.

Awards:

  • 2018 Best Poster Award, First Place, awarded by TRB Committee on Construction Management.

Publications:

  • Yuan, C., Li, S., Cai, H., and Kamat, V.R. (2018). GPR Signature Detection and Decomposition for Mapping Buried Utilities with Complex Spatial Configuration. Journal of Computing in Civil Engineering. 32(4), 04018026.
  • Yuan, C., Park, J., Xu, X., Cai, H., Abraham, D.M., and Bowman, M. (2018). Risk-based Prioritization of Construction Inspection. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board. No. 18-01615.
  • Yuan, C., McClure, T., Cai, H., and Dunston, P. S. (2017). Life-Cycle Approach to Collecting, Managing, and Sharing Transportation Infrastructure Asset Data. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 143(6), 04017001.
  • Yuan, C., McClure, T., Dunston, P., and Cai, H. (2016). Leveraging construction inspection and documentation for asset inventory and life cycle asset management. Journal of Information Technology in Construction (ITcon), 21(5), 72-85.
  • Yuan, C., Li, S., and Cai, H. (2016). Vision-Based Excavator Detection and Tracking Using Hybrid Kinematic Shapes and Key Nodes. Journal of Computing in Civil Engineering, 31(1), 04016038.
  • Li, S., Yuan, C., Liu, D., and Cai, H. (2016). Integrated processing of image and GPR data for automated pothole detection. Journal of computing in civil engineering, 30(6), 04016015.
  • Park, J., Yuan, C., and Cai, H. (2015). Life-Cycle Cost–Based Decision Framework for Failed Portland Cement Concrete Pavement Materials in Indiana. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, (2524), 33-41.
  • Su, X., Li, S., Yuan, C., Cai, H., and Kamat, V. R. (2014). Enhanced Boundary Condition–Based Approach for Construction Location Sensing Using RFID and RTK GPS. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 140(10), 04014048. Articles in refereed journals: Work in Progress
  • Yuan, C., Cai, H. Automated Adaptive Trajectory Planning in GPR Survey. In preparation.
  • Yuan, C., Cai, H. Causal Relationship Between Utility Spatial Configuration and GPR Signatures. In preparation.
  • Yuan, C., Cai, H. Web-based Augmented Reality for Mapping and Managing Underground Utilities. In preparation. Peer-reviewed conference proceedings: Published
  • Yuan, C., Cai, H. (2014). Automatic Detection of Pavement Surface Defects Using Consumer Depth Camera, Construction Research Congress (CRC), Atlanta, GA, USA
  • Yuan, C., McClure, T., Dunston, P. S., and Cai, H. (2016). Survey on the Practice Hurdles in Collecting, Managing, and Sharing Transportation Infrastructure Asset Data. Construction Research Congress, 1648-1657. Poster presentation in Transportation Research Board 97th Annual Meeting

Presentations:

  • Yuan, C., Park, J., Xu, X., Cai, H., Abraham, D.M., and Bowman, M. Risk-based Prioritization of Construction Inspection. 2018 Best Poster Award, First Place, awarded by TRB Committee on Construction Management. PhD Poster presentation in Construction Research Congress 2018
  • Yuan, C. and Cai, H. Mapping Underground Utilities with Complex Spatial Configuration Using GPR. In Construction Research Congress 2018.

Leadership:

  • Journal Reviewer in the Journal of Computing in Civil Engineering (ASCE) - 04/2015-present
  • Building Committee Member in Greater Lafayette Chinese Alliance Church - 07/2014-10/2015
  • President in Purdue Chinese Christian Fellowship - 06/2015-08/2017
  • Vice President in Computational Interdisciplinary Graduate Student Organization - 05/2016-08/2017
  • Volunteer in Big Ten+ Grad Expo - 09/2016
  • Computational Interdisciplinary Graduate Program
  • Chenxi Yuan

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