Dr. Pengfei Zhao

After working for several years in industry, Pengfei Zhao returned to academia to further his commitment to developing innovative solutions to challenges within the field of concrete technology. His research centers on supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), which have been extensively used in concrete to partially replace Portland cement in recent decades. Using SCMs not only enhances the strength and durability of concrete but also helps to reduce CO2 emissions associated with cement manufacturing.

For his PhD in Civil Engineering at the University of Toronto, Dr. Zhao used a mechanical device called an attrition mill to activate illite, a kind of clay, resulting in improved reactivity, workability. and mortar strength.
Dr. Zhao’s postdoctoral research is in the Laboratory of Alternative Binders, part of the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. He aims to optimize activation parameters for clays sourced from Israel, assess the effects of activated clays on fresh concrete properties, and evaluate their influence on strength and durability properties, particularly in real-world applications. He plans to compare energy consumption and efficiency between calcined and mechanochemically activated clays to determine their sustainability potential.

Dr. Zhao hopes to return to Canada to pursue an academic career focused on sustainable concrete technologies and developing low-carbon construction materials, which fits well with Canada’s growing emphasis on sustainability in the construction industry.