Associate Professor

Ming Shan Zhao

Associate Professor

PhD (Structural Engineering), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

Cluster:

Engineering

Profile

SIT Appointments

Associate Professor
2025 – Present
Assistant Professor
2022 – 2025
Senior Professional Officer
2021 – 2022
Professional Officer
2017 – 2021

Education

PhD (Structural Engineering)
Nanyang Technological University , Singapore
BEng (Civil Engineering)
Tianjin University , China

Achievements

Sustainable Materials Innovation for Net-zero category for the IOM3 Sustainable Future Awards 2025 (UK)
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) - Environmental Impact Award 2025 (Southeast Asia)
Singapore Concrete Institute Excellence Awards 2025 – Innovators
SIT Fellowship (Applied Research) 2025
The Institution of Engineers Singapore (IES) Prestigious Engineering Achievement Award 2024 – Applied Research and Development
SIT Research Excellence Award, 2024
The Cement & Concrete Research First Prize - Best Paper at the 43rd Annual Cement and Concrete Science Conference, Queen’s University Belfast, 2024

Professional Memberships

Charted Engineer (CEng & MIES), the Institution of Engineers Singapore (IES)
Secretary and M.ASCE, American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Singapore Section

Research

Research Interests

Sustainable construction technologies and materials
Dr Zhao Ming-Shan is an Associate Professor of Civil Engineering at the Singapore Institute of Technology, a Chartered Engineer with the Institution of Engineers, Singapore (IES), and the current Secretary of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Singapore Section. His research focuses on structural optimisation and the decarbonisation of concrete construction, with emphasis on applied, industry-ready solutions. As Principal Investigator, he has secured over S$10.6 million in competitive research funding and has co-authored more than 60 peer-reviewed technical publications. His research has generated multiple intellectual properties, five of which have been successfully implemented in actual construction projects in Singapore. Dr Zhao’s contributions have been recognised through several prestigious awards, including the IES Prestigious Engineering Achievement Award (2024), UK IOM3 Sustainable Future Award (2025), RICS Environmental Impact Award – Southeast Asia (2025), and the Singapore Concrete Institute Excellence Awards (2025).

Current Projects

GRANTS AND PROJECTS

2018 – Present

2026	The Housing and Development Board (HDB) and the National Research Foundation (NRF), Cities of Tomorrow R&D Programme, Scalable and Economically Viable Low-embodied Carbon Concrete: From Lab to Fab, PI, TPV: S$3,497,300
2026	The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and the National Research Foundation (NRF), Cities of Tomorrow R&D Programme, Vierendeel Cabled Frame (VCF) and Tied Arch System (TAS) for Intensification of Land Use, Co-PI, TPV: S$2,498,700
2026	ASTAR Industry Alignment Fund – Industry Collaboration Projects (IAF-ICP), WOH HUP-SIT-ASTAR Consortium for Sustainable Construction Technology, Co-PI, TPV: S$12,123,490
2025	The Ministry of Education (MOE), Translational R&D and Innovation Fund (TIF), Smart System Development for High Performance Pre-engineered Steel-Concrete Composite Beams (HPCB). PI, TPV: S$582,000
2024	SIT ICD Grant: Production of ecological pervious concrete as sustainable substrate for urban greening, Co-PI, TPV: S$130,000
2024	SIT Ignition Grant: AI-assisted Integrated Verification System for Reusable and Alternative Structural Steel, Co-PI, TPV: S$260,000
2024	BCA BETA Catalyst Funding, Carbon Negative Steel Slag Permeable Concrete for Green Urban Infrastructure, PI, TPV: S$710,000
2023	BCA BETA Catalyst Funding, Innovative Design of Blast Door Systems, Co-PI, TPV: S$640,000
2022	SIT, Academic Research Fund Tier 1, Carbon Negative Ecological Concrete for Sustainable Coastal Protection, PI, TPV: S$190,000
2022	BCA BETA Catalyst Funding, Waste Valorisation in Concrete Production via CO2 Sequestration, PI, TPV: S$560,000
2021	JTC, Open Innovation Challenge, High Performance Pre-Engineered Steel Concrete Composite Beams for Sustainable Construction. Co-PI, TPV: S$250,000
2021	BCA BETA Catalyst Funding, Innovative earth retaining & stabilizing structures: post-tensioned waler system. Co-PI, TPV:S$450,000
2021	BCA BETA Catalyst Funding, High performance plunge-in king post for top-down building construction. Co-PI, TPV:S$450,000
2021	BCA BETA, Innovation Capability Grant, Economic corrosion-resistant concrete for deep foundation elements with B600. Co-PI, TPV:S$450,000
2018	SIT Ignition Grant: Innovative high strength steel for economy and productivity (TTJ HISTEEL). Co-PI, TPV: S$200,000

Publication

Journal Papers

Peer-reviewed international journal papers published in the last 5 years
Z. He, A. S. Elsemeen, T. Li, M. S. Zhao, S. P. Chiew, Axial compression behavior of cruciform steel reinforced concrete composite stub columns with high-strength concrete and Q690 steel, Steel and Composite Structures, Volume 58, Number 6, March 25 2026, pages 785-808, DOI: https://doi.org/10.12989/scs.2026.58.6.785
A. S. Elsemeen, M. A. Al-Dhabyani, Z. Song, T. Li, M.S. Zhao, S.P. Chiew, Axial compression behavior of CFRP confined UHPC encased Q690 steel stub columns, Structures, Volume 86, 2026, 111402, ISSN 2352-0124, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2026.111402
P. Liu, Y. Gu, J. Zhong, J. Kuang, X. Huang, F. Jin, M.S. Zhao, L. Mo, Carbonated steel slag powder in cement: Retardation mechanism and triethanolamine-enhanced hydration strategy, Construction and Building Materials, Volume 492, 2025, 142881, ISSN 0950-0618, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.142881. Z.
T. Li, A. S. Elsemeen, M. A. Al-Dhabyani, M.S. Zhao, S.P. Chiew, Axial Compression Behavior of UHPC-Q690 Concrete Encased Steel Stub Columns, Structures, Volume 79, 2025, 109663, ISSN 2352-0124, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2025.109663.
Z. Zhang, X. Li, M.S. Zhao, X. Zhang, Mechanical performance of timber structures in tropical climate, Wood Material Science & Engineering, (2024). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/17480272.2024.2426783
F. Jin, M.S. Zhao, X. Mao and L. Mo, Maximising the benefits of calcium carbonate in sustainable cements: opportunities and challenges associated with alkaline waste carbonation, NPJ Materials Sustainability, 2, 1 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44296-024-00005-z.
M. Ding, L. Shen, Y.Q. Ge, B. Yang, M.S. Zhao, C.H. Ran, S.P. Chiew, Experimental study on the post-fire cyclic behavior of Q960E ultra-high-strength structural steel, Thin-Walled Structures, Volume 191, 2023, 111078, ISSN 0263-231, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tws.2023.111078.
Zhao M.S., Ding M, Chiew S.P. Bar continuity and strain compatibility for high-strength steel reinforcement in reinforced concrete structures. Advances in Structural Engineering. 2023;0(0). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/13694332231184321
W. Qiao, Y. Wang, R. Zhu, R. Li, M.S. Zhao. Experimental study on the axial bearing capacity of built-up cold-formed thin-walled steel multi-limb-section columns, Steel and Composite Structures, 2021, 40(6), pp. 781–794. DOI: https://doi.org/10.12989/scs.2021.40.6.781
C. Chen, S.P. Chiew, M.S. Zhao, C.K. Lee and T.C. Fung, Experimental study of welding effects on grade S690Q high strength steel butt joint, Steel and Composite Structures, vol. 39, No.4, 401-417, 2021. DOI: https://doi.org/10.12989/scs.2021.39.4.401
Chiew, S.P., Chen, C., Zhao, M.S., Lee, C.K., Fung, T.C., Post-welding behaviour of S690Q high strength steel butt joints, Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2021, 43(1), pp. 64–71. DOI: https://doi.org/10.11835/j.issn.2096-6717.2020.014
C. Chen, SP Chiew, M.S. Zhao, C.K. Lee, T.C. Fung, Influence of cooling rate on tensile behaviour of S690Q high strength steel butt joint, Journal of Constructional Steel Research, Vol. 173, 106258, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcsr.2020.106258

Conferences

International conference papers published in the last 5 years
M.S. Zhao, T. Li, A.S. Elsemeen, M.A. Al-Dhabyani, E. Somasundaram, S.P. Chiew, Behaviour of UHPC-S690 concrete encased steel stub columns with tuhular-shaped steel skeleton, the 19th International Symposium on Tubular Structures (ISTS 19), Hong Kong, China, December 2025
Y. Xu, G.F. Chua, M.S. Zhao, L. Mo, F. Jin, Synthesis and use of different CaCO3 in Portland Cement, the 1st RILEM Youth Symposium (RYS2025), 20-21 October 2025
Y. Zhang, P. Liu, N. Saravanan, M.S. Zhao, Composition transformation of calcium silicate and RO phase in BOF steel slag during carbonation, 2024 ASEAN Iron and Steel Forum – Sustainable Steel and Green Construction, Bangkok, Thailand, Nov 2024.
Y.J. Chong, M.S. Zhao, G.F. Chua, C. Yip, S.B. Daneti, et al., Enhancing concrete early strength and durability by aqueous carbon sequestration approach, 43rd Annual Cement & Concrete Science Conference, Queens University Belfast, Belfast, UK, Sep 2024.
G.F. Chua, M.S. Zhao, J Chong, T.Y. Yeo, S. Daneti, C. Yip, Y.W. Xu and F. Jin, Workability of Hybrid Cement with Carbonated Mixing Water, 43rd Annual Cement & Concrete Science Conference, Queens University Belfast, Belfast, UK, Sep 2024.
Jamie Y. Chong, G.F. Chua, M.S. Zhao, Colin Yip, Daneti. S. B, F. Jin, Aqueous CO2 sequestration for low-carbon ready-mix concrete, the 26th International Scientific Conference on Civil Engineering, Juniorstav 2024, Bruno University, Brno, Czech Republic, January 2024.
M. Ding, L. Huang, B. Yang, Y. Deng, M.S. Zhao, Experimental study on bending behavir of high performance steel concrete composite beam, The 11th International Conference on Advances in Steel Structures (ICASS 2023), Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia, Dec 2023
S.P. Chiew, G.F. Chua, M.S. Zhao, M. Ding, Y. Yang, Z. Cong and Y.H. Ng, High-Performance Steel-Concrete Beam System for Sustainable Construction – Mechanical Behaviour of the Full-Scale Beams, XIV Conference on Steel and Composite Construction, Coimbra, Portugal, November 2023.
M.S. Zhao, G.F. Chua, M. Ding, S. P. Chiew, Y. Yang, Z. Cong, Y.H. Ng, High-performance pre-engineered steel-concrete composite beams for sustainable construction – mechanical behaviour of the full-scale beams, Eurosteel 2023, 11-14 September, 2023, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
G.F. Chua, M.S. Zhao, Z. Cong, Y. Yang, Y.H. Ng, S.P. Chiew, High Performance Steel-Concrete Composite Beam System for Sustainable Construction, Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Sustainable Civil Engineering and Architecture, Spinger Nature Singapore, 2023
S.P. Chiew, M.S. Zhao. Strain compatibility in high strength reinforced concrete structures. 2020 SEAISI E-Forum on Sustainable Construction Sector

Books

M.S. Zhao, S.P. Chiew, G.F. Chua, M. Ding, Y. Yang and Z. Cong, Design of High-performance Pre-engineered Steel Concrete Composite Beams for Sustainable Construction, 1st edition, CRC Press, 2024. DOI:10.1201/9781032626932

Teaching

Teaching Modules

Civil Engineering, BEng (Hons)

CVE2321 - Design of Steel and Concrete Structures

Master of Science in Civil Engineering

CVE6004 - Advanced Material Technology

University Modules

UDE1001 - Introduction to Design Innovation

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