• 2018 - Ph.D., Civil Engineering, University of South Carolina-Columbia
• 2017 - M.S., Engineering management, University of South Carolina-Columbia
• 2011 - M.S., Civil Engineering\ Structure, University of Basrah
• 2008 - B.S., Civil Engineering, University of Basrah
Comparative Sustainability Assessment of Proprietary and Non-Proprietary Ultra-High Performance Concrete Mixtures Ali Alsalman, Lateef Assi, Kealy Carter, Mohammed A. Mousa, Canh N. Dang, W. Micah Hale, Ayad Al-Yousuf Infrastructures, 2025 Ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) has greater strength and durability compared to traditional concrete. While these benefits are well established, there are differences in UHPC based on the constituent materials in the mixture. These variations impact the mixtures’ CO2 emissions, efficiency, and cost. Given the contribution of concrete to overall greenhouse gas emissions, it is important to understand the potential impact of UHPC from an environmental standpoint. This study addresses the environmental and economic impact of UHPC by examining five proprietary and five non-proprietary mixtures. The investigation is guided by three research questions, as follows: (1) How do energy consumption, CO2 emissions, and cost compare between proprietary and non-proprietary UHPC mixtures? (2) Which materials are the most influential drivers of these sustainability metrics? (3) Can non-proprietary mixtures provide comparable or better performance in terms of sustainability? Using secondary data from the literature, we calculate and analyze the energy, emissions, and cost of each UHPC constituent. The results indicate that steel fibers account for 53% of the total energy of UHPC. Ordinary Portland cement (OPC) is responsible for 73% of total CO2 emissions. Aggregates, admixtures, and SCMs have a minimal impact on the energy and emissions of the selected mixtures. However, they can affect the cost significantly. To highlight the key findings, non-proprietary mixtures showed substantial sustainability advantages. For example, UHPC-1 achieved up to 65% lower energy consumption, 49% lower CO2 emissions, and 80% lower cost compared to proprietary mixtures. These results highlight the potential of non-proprietary UHPC to serve as an ecologically friendly and cost-effective substitute for infrastructure applications.
The Behavior of Reinforced Concrete Slabs Strengthened by Different Patterns and Percentages of Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) Plate Ayad Al-Yousuf, Yaman Sami Shareef Al-Kamaki, Hanadi Abdulridha Lateef, Yasar Ameer Ali, Lateef N. Assi, Rahman S. Kareem, Hadeel Challoob Dekhn Construction Materials, 2025 The use of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites in retrofitting and strengthening reinforced concrete (RC) slabs has gained substantial attention due to their durability, high strength-to-weight ratio, and ease of application. The objective of this study was to theoretically investigate the flexural behavior of RC slabs strengthened with carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) plates applied in different percentages and patterns using finite element methods (FEMs) in comparison with the experiment outcomes available in the literature using the ABAQUS software (version 2020). This study focused on understanding the influence of the CFRP configuration on the structural behavior, including the load-carrying capacity, flexural performance, crack patterns, and failure modes, under static loading on seventeen RC slabs of 1800 × 1800 mm and 150 mm thickness. A comprehensive program was adopted, where RC slabs were strengthened using CFRP plates with different coverage percentages (0.044, 0.088, 0.133, 0.178, and 0.223) and arrangements (unidirectional, cross-hatched, and grid patterns) to evaluate the slabs’ performance under realistic service conditions. After comparison, the results validate that the percentage and pattern of CFRP plates influence the performance of RC slabs. Higher CFRP plate percentages yielded greater strength enhancement, while optimized patterns guaranteed a uniform stress distribution and delayed crack initiation. This study hypothesizes that the flexural strength, stiffness, and failure behavior of RC slabs are significantly affected by the percentage and arrangement of CFRP strengthening, with certain configurations providing superior structural performance. The use of CFRP cross-hatched plates improved the load–deflection behavior, increasing the ultimate loads by 35% (452 kN) while reducing ultimate deflection, with the cross-hatched CFRP specimen showing the highest deflection among all the CFRP specimens. This study provides engineers and practitioners with valuable information on choosing appropriate strengthening plans for RC slabs using CFRP plates, leading to more cost-effective and ecologically friendly structural rehabilitation methods.
A Digital Image Correlation Technique for Laboratory Structural Tests and Applications: A Systematic Literature Review Mohammed Abbas Mousa, Mustafasanie M. Yussof, Thulfiqar S. Hussein, Lateef N. Assi, SeyedAli Ghahari Sensors, 2023 Digital image correlation (DIC) is an optical technique used to measure surface displacements and strains in materials and structures. This technique has demonstrated significant utility in structural examination and monitoring. This manuscript offers a comprehensive review of the contemporary research and applications that have leveraged the DIC technique in laboratory-based structural tests. The reviewed works encompass a broad spectrum of structural components, such as concrete beams, columns, pillars, masonry walls, infills, composite materials, structural joints, steel beams, slabs, and other structural elements. These investigations have underscored the efficacy of DIC as a metrological instrument for the precise quantification of surface deformation and strain in these structural components. Moreover, the constraints of the DIC technique have been highlighted, especially in scenarios involving extensive or complex test configurations. Notwithstanding these constraints, the effectiveness of the DIC methodology has been validated as a strain measurement instrument, offering numerous benefits such as non-invasive operation, full-field measurement capability, high precision, real-time surveillance, and compatibility with integration into other measurement instruments and methodologies.
Numerical Investigation on Effect of Opening Ratio on Structural Performance of Reinforced Concrete Deep Beam Reinforced with CFRP Enhancements Yasar Ameer Ali, Lateef Najeh Assi, Hussein Abas, Hussein R. Taresh, Canh N. Dang, SeyedAli Ghahari Infrastructures, 2023 Reinforced concrete deep beams are a vital member of infrastructures such as bridges, shear walls, and foundation pile caps. Thousands of dollars and human lives are seriously threatened due to shear failure, which have developed in deep beams containing web openings. This paper investigates numerically the overall behavior of simply supported concrete deep beams reinforced with carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) sheets through forty specimens grouped in four groups. The numerical analysis results agreed well with the experimental results in the literature, particularly the visual failure initiation with a failure load difference of nearly 7%. Finite element analyses indicated that the presence of an opening with considerable width reduced the failure load by about 71% compared to the corresponding solid specimens. In addition, the reinforced concrete deep beam samples started to behave differently when the (b/h) ratio increased more than (2.0). The findings showed that the compression stress strut pathway had been disrupted by the web opening leading to stress redistribution, and the structure will behave as two separate members. Thus, the upper web-opening part sustained the most stress, while the part under the web-opening did not show any stress concentration. The numerical stress distribution results showed that the attributed reason is that rebars and openings helped redirect the stresses to the compression strut. Using CFRP sheets with a width of more than 160 mm significantly improved the reinforced concrete deep beam with web-opening due to the increasing confinement to the upper part of the reinforced concrete deep beams with the opening.
Energy-saving materials Lateef N. Assi, Ali Alsalman, Kealy Carter, Paul Ziehl Handbook of Sustainable Concrete and Industrial Waste Management Recycled and Artificial Aggregate Innovative Eco Friendly Binders and Life Cycle Assessment, 2021
The Future of Hydrogen Fueling Systems for Fully Automated Vehicles SeyedAli Ghahari, Lateef Assi, Kealy Carter, Shabnam Ghotbi International Conference on Transportation and Development 2019 Innovation and Sustainability in Smart Mobility and Smart Cities Selected Papers from the International Conference on Transportation and Development 2019, 2019
Effect of partial portland cement replacement on geopolymerization process and mechanical properties of fly ash-based geopolymer concrete Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies, 2019
Investigation of early geopolymerization process of fly Ash-based geopolymer paste using acoustic emission technique Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies, 2016
RECENT SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Effect of X-Cable Bracing on the Optimized Weight of Planar Steel Frames Under Wind Load: A Parametric Study M Al-Bazoon, SJ Al-Rubaye, FI Mussa, AA Jaafer, L Assi, MM Abdulazeez Construction Materials 6 (26), 1-17 , 2026 2026
Advantages and Challenges of 3D Geopolymer-Based Concrete in Construction LN Assi, A Alsalman, RS Kareem, K Carter Sustainable Materials for the Built Environment 352, 253-266 , 2025 2025
Comparative Sustainability Assessment of Proprietary and Non-Proprietary Ultra-High Performance Concrete Mixtures A Alsalman, L Assi, K Carter, MA Mousa, CN Dang, WM Hale, A Al-Yousuf Infrastructures 202 (10), 30 , 2025 2025 Citations: 2
The Behavior of Reinforced Concrete Slabs Strengthened by Different Patterns and Percentages of Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) Plate A Al-Yousuf, YSS Al-Kamaki, HA Lateef, YA Ali, LN Assi, RS Kareem, ... Construction Materials 5 (25), 21 , 2025 2025 Citations: 14
Investigation of Early Geopolymerization Process of Fly Ash-Based Geopolymer Paste Using Pattern Recognition LN Assi Journal of Civil Engineering and Architecture 19, 339-348 , 2025 2025
Municipal solid waste incineration fly ash in pervious concrete J Khatib, LW ElKhatib, L Assi, A Alsalman, A Elkordi Pervious Concrete Pavements Design, Performance, and Applications 1, 470 , 2025 2025 Citations: 4
Performance of a Pervious Concrete Pavement Containing Municipal Solid Waste Incineration Bottom Ash: A Lebanese Case Study Z Nasser Eddine, J Khatib, A El Kordi, L Assi International Journal of Pavement Research and Technology 17 (6), 1572-1585 , 2024 2024
Why sustainable concrete cannot penetrate concrete markets LN Assi, A Alsalman, RS Kareem, K Carter, P Ziehl, Y Alhamadani Journal of Building Engineering 91 (109487), 14 , 2024 2024 Citations: 4
Sponsors: 3rd International Conference on Engineering and Science ARH Al-Manea, DMH AL-Hasnawi, AK Ibadi, ZF Saeed, LN Assi AIP Conference Proceedings 3051 (1), 010002 , 2024 2024
Preface: 3rd International Conference on Engineering and Science ARH Al-Manea, DMH AL-Hasnawi, AK Ibadi, ZF Saeed, LN Assi AIP Conference Proceedings 3051 (1), 010001 , 2024 2024
Mechanical and durability properties of sustainable geopolymer concrete LN Assi, A Alsalman, RS Kareem, K Carter, J Khatib Sustainable Concrete Materials and Structures, 69-91 , 2024 2024 Citations: 1
A Digital Image Correlation Technique for Laboratory Structural Tests and Applications: A Systematic Literature Review MA Mousa, MM Yussof, TS Hussein, LN Assi, SA Ghahari sensors 23 (9362), 31 , 2023 2023 Citations: 67
Coordinating stakeholders along the construction value chain toward sustainability C De Wolf, K Carter, L Assi, A Adesina, LM Ottosen, A Quesada-Román, ... One Earth 6 (11), 1417-1420 , 2023 2023
Performance of a Pervious Concrete Pavement Containing Municipal Solid Waste Incineration Bottom Ash: A Lebanese Case Study ZN Eddine, J Khatib, AE Kordi, L Assi International Journal of Pavement Research and Technology 17, 1572–1585 , 2023 2023 Citations: 4
Numerical Investigation on Effect of Opening Ratio on Structural Performance of Reinforced Concrete Deep Beam Reinforced with CFRP Enhancements YA Ali, LN Assi, H Abas, HR Taresh, CN Dang, SA Ghahari Infrastructures 8 (2), 20 , 2023 2023 Citations: 9
A pre-process enhanced digital image correlation approach for smart structure monitoring MA Mousa, MM Yussof, LN Assi, SA Ghahari Infrastructures 7 (10), 141 , 2022 2022 Citations: 7
Effect of Sintering Temperature on the Properties of CuAlO2 Synthesized from Nanosized Precursors for Application in Smart Infrastructure Systems S Ghotbi, A Mousa, LN Assi, SA Ghahari Infrastructures 7 (7), 11 , 2022 2022
WQ assessment of water treatment plants using environmental and statistical indicators within Baghdad City YAJ Al-Hamadani, AM Salal, Z Bahaa, LN Assi, AS Resheq Periodicals of Engineering and Natural Sciences 10 (2), 427-435 , 2022 2022 Citations: 5
Examining Mechanical Properties of Recycled Aggregate Concrete AA Alsalman, J Khudair, RS Kareem, L Assi, CN Dang, M Vargas 2nd International Multi-Disciplinary Conference Theme: Integrated Sciences … , 2022 2022 Citations: 5
A Pre-Process Enhanced Digital Image Correlation Approach for Smart Structure Monitoring. Infrastructures 2022, 7, 141 MA Mousa, MM Yussof, LN Assi, S Ghahari s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published … , 2022 2022 Citations: 1
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Review of availability of source materials for geopolymer/sustainable concrete LN Assi, K Carter, E Deaver, P Ziehl Journal of Cleaner Production 263, 121477 , 2020 2020 Citations: 447
Energy and CO2 emission assessments of alkali-activated concrete and Ordinary Portland Cement concrete: A comparative analysis of different grades of concrete A Alsalman, LN Assi, RS Kareem, K Carter, P Ziehl Cleaner Environmental Systems 3, 100047 , 2021 2021 Citations: 420
Sustainable concrete: Building a greener future L Assi, K Carter, EE Deaver, R Anay, P Ziehl Journal of Cleaner Production 198, 1641-1651 , 2018 2018 Citations: 338
Effect of source and particle size distribution on the mechanical and microstructural properties of fly Ash-Based geopolymer concrete LN Assi, EE Deaver, P Ziehl Construction and Building Materials 167, 372-380 , 2018 2018 Citations: 285
Investigation of early compressive strength of fly ash-based geopolymer concrete LN Assi, EE Deaver, MK ElBatanouny, P Ziehl Construction and Building Materials 112, 807-815 , 2016 2016 Citations: 248
Improvement of the early and final compressive strength of fly ash-based geopolymer concrete at ambient conditions L Assi, SA Ghahari, EE Deaver, D Leaphart, P Ziehl Construction and Building Materials 123, 806-813 , 2016 2016 Citations: 155
Using sucrose for improvement of initial and final setting times of silica fume-based activating solution of fly ash geopolymer concrete LN Assi, EE Deaver, P Ziehl Construction and Building Materials 191, 47-55 , 2018 2018 Citations: 119
Application of Digital Image Correlation in Structural Health Monitoring of Bridge Infrastructures: A Review MA Mousa, MM Yussof, UJ Udi, FM Nazri, MK Kamarudin, GAR Parke, ... Infrastructures 6 (176), 18 , 2021 2021 Citations: 103
Fracture Properties Evaluation of Cellulose Nanocrystals Cement Paste SA Ghahari, LN Assi, A Alsalman, KE Alyamaç Materials 13 (11), 2507 , 2020 2020 Citations: 99
Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs) Dispersion & Mechanical Effects in OPC Mortar & Paste: A review L Assi, A Alsalman, D Bianco, P Ziehl, J El-Khatib, M Bayat, FH Hussein Journal of Building Engineering 43, 102512 , 2021 2021 Citations: 71
A Digital Image Correlation Technique for Laboratory Structural Tests and Applications: A Systematic Literature Review MA Mousa, MM Yussof, TS Hussein, LN Assi, SA Ghahari sensors 23 (9362), 31 , 2023 2023 Citations: 67
Identification of damage mechanisms in cement paste based on acoustic emission R Anay, V Soltangharaei, L Assi, T DeVol, P Ziehl Construction and Building Materials 164, 286-296 , 2018 2018 Citations: 64
Unsupervised and supervised pattern recognition of acoustic emission signals during early hydration of Portland cement paste L Assi, V Soltangharaei, R Anay, P Ziehl, F Matta Cement and Concrete Research 103, 216-225 , 2018 2018 Citations: 60
Users, Planners, and Governments Perspectives: A Public Survey on Autonomous Vehicles Future Advancements A Alsalman, LN Assi, S Ghotbi, SA Ghahari, A Shubbar Transportation Engineering Volume , March 2021, 3 (100044), 14 , 2021 2021 Citations: 58
Sonocatalytic removal of ibuprofen and sulfamethoxazole in the presence of different fly ash sources YAJ Al-Hamadani, CM Park, LN Assi, KH Chu, S Hoque, M Jang, Y Yoon, ... Ultrasonics sonochemistry 39, 354-362 , 2017 2017 Citations: 51
Properties of Cement-Based Materials Containing Cathode-Ray Tube (CRT) Glass Waste as Fine Aggregates—A Review J Bawab, J Khatib, H El-Hassan, L Assi, MS Kırgız Sustainability 13 (11529), 24 , 2021 2021 Citations: 42
Damage mechanism evaluation of large-scale concrete structures affected by alkali-silica reaction using acoustic emission V Soltangharaei, R Anay, NW Hayes, L Assi, Y Le Pape, ZJ Ma, P Ziehl Applied Sciences 8 (11), 2148 , 2018 2018 Citations: 41
Analyzing acoustic emission data to identify cracking modes in cement paste using an artificial neural network V Soltangharaei, R Anay, L Assi, M Bayat, JR Rose, P Ziehl Construction and Building Materials 267, 121047 , 2021 2021 Citations: 39
Handbook of sustainable concrete and industrial waste management: recycled and artificial aggregate, innovative eco-friendly binders, and life cycle assessment F Colangelo, R Cioffi, I Farina Woodhead Publishing , 2021 2021 Citations: 29
Pore structure of cementitious material enhanced by graphitic nanomaterial: a critical review SA Ghahari, E Ghafari, L Assi Frontiers of Structural and Civil Engineering, 1-11 , 2017 2017 Citations: 22
INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE
• 2022 - Present: Department Head, Department of Civil Engineering, Mazaya University College, Iraq
• 2021 - Present: Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Mazaya University College, Iraq
• 2019 - 2022: Research Affiliate, Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of South Carolina-Columbia, USA
• 2019 - 2021: Assistant Professor, Al-Mustaqbal University College, Iraq
