West Virginia University professor H. L. Chen has been named a Fellow of the American Society of Nondestructive Testing (ASNT), the worlds largest technical society for nondestructive testing professionals.
Chen, a professor in the WVU College of Engineering and Mineral Resources Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, received the award Oct. 25 at ASNT s conference in Houston.
The award is among ASNT s highest honors for outstanding professional distinction.
Chen, a WVU faculty member since 1989, has been extensively involved in research in the fields of structural dynamics, nondestructive evaluation (NDE), wave propagation and dynamic soil-structure interaction.
He has led the advancement and development of applying acoustic emission and other NDE techniques to concrete, composites, timber and ceramic materials.
The WVU professor is currently conducting research in the areas of rigid concrete pavement, dynamic characterization of damaged structures, acoustic emission of steel bridges, radar detection of deteriorated concrete bridge decks and pavements, laser vibration sensor and NDE of ceramic candle filters.
He has published more than 100 technical articles, including 40 refereed papers.
In addition to ASNT , Chen is a member of the American Concrete Institute and the American Society of Civil Engineers.
Chen received his undergraduate civil engineering education from National Taipei Institute of Technology, Taiwan, and obtained his masters degree and and doctorate in structural engineering from Northwestern University in 1985 and 1989, respectively. He received the Young Researcher of the Year Award in 1992 and the Outstanding Researcher Award in 2001, both from the WVU College of Engineering and Mineral Resources.
As an ASNT Fellow, Chen is recognized for outstanding professional distinction and ongoing significant contributions to the advancement of nondestructive testing.
Nondestructive testing comprises a wide variety of technologies used to determine the integrity of materials and structures without impairing their future usefulness.
The field has become increasingly important in research, development, design, and manufacturing. Nondestructive tests are used to measure variations in structure, minute changes in surface finish, the presence of cracks, the thickness of materials and coatings, and other characteristics of industrial products.
For more information, contact Susan Case, 304-293-4821 ext. 2213.