Dr. Liang Cao is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Mississippi, specializing in structural engineering and resilient infrastructure.
Research Interests
Dr. Liang Cao’s research focuses on structural vibration control, smart damping technologies, real-time hybrid simulation, and data-driven modeling for civil infrastructure subjected to earthquakes, strong winds, and other multi-hazard conditions. His work combines experimental testing, numerical simulation, and emerging computational methods to advance the safety and resilience of structures.
Dr. Liang Cao’s group focuses on developing smart and resilient civil infrastructure systems under extreme conditions such as earthquakes, strong winds, and ocean environments. Current topics include:
- Structural vibration control (reducing motion in structures)
- Metamaterial-based smart damping
- Innovative structural design under multi-hazard loading (wind, earthquake, ocean)
- AI-driven modeling and data-informed mechanics
Biography
Dr. Liang Cao is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Mississippi, where he specializes in structural engineering and resilient infrastructure. Before joining the University of Mississippi, Dr. Cao was a Research Scientist and Senior Researcher at the Lehigh University ATLSS Engineering Research Center, where he conducted research on advanced structural testing, vibration control, and real-time hybrid simulation. He contributed to the development of the Lehigh multi-directional shake table and participated in research activities under the NSF Natural Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure (NHERI) program. He also served as a mentor for the NHERI Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program, mentoring undergraduate students in natural hazards engineering and structural research.
Dr. Cao received his Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from Iowa State University, with a specialization in Structural Engineering and a minor in Electrical Engineering, Systems, and Controls. He received his M.Sc. in Civil Engineering from the University at Buffalo and his B.Sc. in Civil Engineering from Huazhong University of Science and Technology. His research has resulted in peer-reviewed publications in structural engineering and earthquake engineering journals and has involved collaborations on projects supported by the National Science Foundation and other federal agencies. His current research seeks to advance next-generation technologies for smart, adaptive, and resilient civil infrastructure.
Education
Ph.D. Civil Engineering, Iowa State University
Bachelor's Civil Engineering, Huazhong University of Science & Technology
Master's Civil Engineering, The State University of New York at Buffalo