Nishant Garg
Primary Research Area
- Construction Materials
Research Areas
- Construction Materials
- Energy-Water-Environment Sustainability
- Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure Systems
For more information
Biography
Nishant Garg is an Assistant Professor in the CEE department working on the chemistry and characterization of construction materials.
Previously, he was a Lecturer and Postdoctoral Researcher at Princeton University where he applied X-ray and neutron scattering to characterize novel and sustainable cements. He obtained his Ph.D. in Nanoscience at Aarhus University, Denmark in 2015 where he used solid-state NMR to study cements and clay minerals. With his multi-disciplinary background in chemistry, materials science, and civil engineering he has spent his research career in developing a fundamental understanding of sustainable, durable, and environment-friendly cement-based materials.
Education
- Ph.D. in Nanoscience at Aarhus University, 2015
- M.S. in Civil Engineering Materials at Iowa State University, 2012
- B.E. in Civil Engineering at Thapar University, 2010
Academic Positions
- Assistant Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, 10/2018 - Present
- Lecturer, Princeton Institute for the Science and Technology of Materials, Princeton University, 01/2018 - 06/2018
- Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment, Princeton University, 01/2016 - 10/2018
Professional Societies
- Member, American Concrete Institute, 2019 - Present
- Member, American Ceramic Society, 2016 - Present
Service on Department Committees
- Member, NSEL Advisory Committee (2020 - 2022)
- Member, CEE Advisory Committee (2020 - 2022)
Research Interests
- Development of Low-CO2 and Sustainable Cements
- Solid Waste Management and Sustainability
- Impact of Nuclear Radiation on Concrete Microstructure
- Nano- and Atomic-scale Characterization of Cement-based Materials
Research Statement
Prof. Garg's research revolves around the fundamental and nanoscale characterization of cement-based materials using various spectroscopic and scattering techniques. His research goal is to gain a thorough understanding of novel, sustainable cements using a multi-disciplinary, materials science approach.
Graduate Research Opportunities
I'm actively looking for multiple graduate students (MS & Ph.D.) to join my research group. If you're interested, please apply online and mention your interest to work with me in your formal application.
Primary Research Area
- Construction Materials
Research Areas
- Construction Materials
- Energy-Water-Environment Sustainability
- Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure Systems
For more information
Selected Articles in Journals
- Garg, N.; Özçelik, V. O.; Skibsted, J.; White, C. E. “Nanoscale Ordering and Depolymerization of Calcium Silicate Hydrates in the Presence of Alkalis.” Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 123 (40), 24873–24883, 2019.
- Garg, N.; and Skibsted, J.; “Dissolution Kinetics of Calcined Kaolinite and Montmorillonite in Alkaline Conditions: Evidence for Reactive Al(V) Sites.” Journal of the American Ceramic Society, 102 (0), 7720–7734, 2019
- Özçelik, V. O.; Garg, N.; and White, C. E. "Symmetry induced stability in alkali doped calcium-silicate-hydrate." Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 123, 22, 14081-14088, 2019.
- White, C. E.; Garg, N.; Olds, D. P.; Vocaturo, J.; Everett, M.; Page, K.; “A uniaxial load frame for performing in situ neutron studies of stress-induced changes in cementitious materials and related systems” Review of Scientific Instruments 89, 092903, 2018.
- Yang, K.; Özcȩlik, V. O.; Garg, N.; Gong, K.; and White, C. E.; “Drying-induced atomic structural rearrangements in sodium-based calcium-alumino-silicate-hydrate gel and the mitigating effects of ZrO2 nanoparticles” Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics 20 (13), 8593-8606, 2018.
- Garg, N.; White, C. E.; “Mechanism of zinc oxide retardation in alkali-activated materials: an in situ X-ray pair distribution function investigation” Journal of Materials Chemistry A, 5, 11794–11804, 2017.
- Garg, N.; Skibsted, J.; “Pozzolanic reactivity of a calcined interstratified illite/smectite (70/30) clay” Cement and Concrete Research, 79, 101-111, 2016.
- Garg, N.; Wang, K.; “Estimating efficiency of fly ashes: an alternative definition of k values” Journal of Sustainable Cement Based Materials, 4, 25-33, 2015.
- Garg, N.; Skibsted, J.; “Thermal activation of a pure montmorillonite clay and its reactivity in cementitious systems” Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 118:21, 11464-11477, 2014.
- Wang, X., Wang, K., Li, J., Garg, N., & Shah, S. P. “Properties of self-consolidating concrete containing high-volume supplementary cementitious materials and nano-limestone” Journal of Sustainable Cement-Based Materials, 3 (3-4), 245–255, 2014.
- Garg, N.; Wang, K.; Martin, S.W. “A Raman spectroscopic study of the evolution of sulfates and hydroxides in cement–fly ash pastes” Cement and Concrete Research, 53, 91-103, 2013.
- Garg, N.; Wang, K.; “Comparing performance of different clays on fly ash modified mortars” Journal of Sustainable Cement Based Materials, 1:3, 111-125, 2012.
Other Publications
- More details on Google Scholar.
Teaching Honors
- "Collins Scholar", Academy for Excellence in Engineering Education, 2018-2019
- Princeton “Writing in Science & Engineering” Teaching Fellowship, 2017
Research Honors
- Journal of European Ceramic Society (JECS) Trust Grant, 2018