Mechanical Engineering

College of Engineering and Physical Sciences

Education

• Ph.D., Civil Engineering, Vanderbilt University (2017)
• M.S., Solid Mechanics, Beihang University (in China, 2012)
•  B.S., Engineering Mechanics, Northeastern University (in China, 2009)

Professional Experience

• Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering, University of Wyoming (2019-Present)
• Postdoctoral Research Associate, Aerospace Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2018-2019)
• Postdoctoral Research Associate, Civil Engineering, Vanderbilt University (2017-2018)

Research Interests

My current research efforts focus on multiphysics and multiscale modeling of high-performance materials (including metals and composites) and advanced manufacturing process. My long-term goal for research is to establish the microstructure-processing-performance relationship for material design and manufacturing through the development of advanced computation models and active interactions with experiments. Current projects primary focus on 1) modeling the deformation and damage in metals and fiber-reinforced composites, at both material microscale and structural scale; 2) modeling polymer and polymeric composites manufacturing process with its application in frontal polymerization and 3D printing.

Teaching

• Undergraduate: Introduction to Finite Element Analysis (ME 4040)

• Graduate: Introduction to Finite Element Analysis (ME 5040)

Selected Publications

• Z. Chen, X. Zhang . Modeling of through-thickness FP and VaSC: impact of sacrificial fiber configurations.Composite Science and Technology, 247:110394, 2023. DOI:j.compscitech.2023.110394
• Z. Chen, M. Ziaee, M. Yourdkhani, X. Zhang . Multiphysics Modeling of Frontal Polymerization-Assisted Layer-by-Layer Additive Manufacturing of Thermoset Polymer Components.Additive Manufacturing, 59:103182, 2022. DOI:10.1016/j.addma.2022.103182
• D. BrandyBerry, P. Geubelle and X. Zhang . Multiscale Design of Nonlinear Materials Using Reduced-Order Modeling.Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering, 399:115338, 2022. DOI:10.1111/ffe.13862
• J. Aw, X. Zhang A. Nelson, L. Dean, M. Yourdkhani, R. Ewoldt, P. Geubelle, N. Sottos. Self-Regulative Direct Ink Writing of Frontally Polymerizing Thermoset Polymers.Advanced Materials , 2200230, 2022. DOI: 10.1002/admt.202200230
• X. Zhang , Y. Liu and C. Oskay. Multiscale reduced-order modeling of a titanium skin panel subjected to thermo-mechanical loading.AIAA Journal, 60:302-315, 2021. DOI:10.2514/1.J060497
• D. brandyberry, X. Zhang and P.H. Geubelle. A GFEM-based reduced-order homogenization model for heterogeneous materials under volumetric and interfacial damage.Computer Methods Applied Mechanical Engineering, 377:113690, 2021. DOI:10.1016/j.cma.2021.113690
• M. Garg, J. E. Aw, X. Zhang , P. Centellas, L. Dean, E. Lloyd, I. Robertson, Y. Liu, M. Yourdkhani, J. Moore, P. Geubelle and N. Sottos. Rapid synchronized fabrication of vascularized thermosets and composites.Nature Communications, 12:1-9, 2021. DOI:10.1038/s41467-021-23054-7
• X. Zhang, D. Brandyberry and P. Geubelle. IGFEM-based shape sensitivity analysis of the transverse failure of a composite laminate. Computational Mechanics, 64:1455-1472. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/s00466-019-01726-y
• J.T. Benzing, Y. Liu, X. Zhang, W.E. Luecke, D. Ponge, A. Dutta, C. Oskay, D. Raabe and J.E. Wittig. Experimental and numerical study of multi-phase medium-Mn TWIP-TRIP steel: influences of strain rate and phase constituents. Acta Materialia, 177:250-262, 2019. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actamat.2019.07.036
• X. Zhang and C. Oskay. Sparse and scalable eigenstrain-based reduced order homogenization models for polycrystal plasticity. Computer Methods Applied Mechanical Engineering, 326:241-269, 2017. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cma.2017.07.027
• V. T. Phan, X. Zhang, Y. Li and C. Oskay. Microscale modeling of creep deformation and rupture in Alloy 617 at high temperature. Mechanics of Materials, 114:215-227, 2017. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mechmat.2017.08.008
• X. Zhang, C. Oskay. Polycrystal plasticity modeling of Nickel-based superalloy IN 617 subjected to cyclic loading at high temperature. Modeling and Simulation in Materials Science and Engineering, 24:055009, 2016. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0965-0393/24/5/055009
• X. Zhang and C. Oskay. Eigenstrain-based reduced order homogenization for polycrystalline materials. Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering, 297:408-436, 2015. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cma.2015.09.006

Honors and Awards

• Dolling & Scott Mechanical Engineering Faculty Award for Excellence in Research, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, 2022 
• Travel Award, 15th U.S. National Congress on Computational Mechanics. Austin, TX, 2019 
• Finalist, 28th Robert J. Melosh Medal Competition for the Best Student Paper on Finite Element Analysis. Duke University, Durham, NC, 2017.
• Travel Award, 14th U.S. National Congress on Computational Mechanics. Montreal, Canada, 2017
• Best Paper, Modeling Inelasticity & Multiscale Behavior (MIMB) Committee Student Competition, Engineering Mechanics Institute Conference, Nashville, TN, 2016.
• Best Student Poster, Materials Science and Technology category, ANS Winter Meeting and Nuclear Technology Expositioin, Las Vegas, NV, 2016.
• Best Paper, Peter G. Hoadley Best Student Paper Competition, Department of Civil and Environment Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 2016.

Professional Services

• Peer-reviewer for technical journals: Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering, Computational Mechanics, Modelling and Simulation in Materials Science and Engineering, International Journal for Multiscale Computational Engineering, Acta Mechanica, Mathematics and Mechanics of Solids, Materialia