Associate professor showcases innovative concrete curing research at transportation meeting in nation’s capital

Dr. Danny Xiao, a visiting scholar at Hochschule Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences, Germany, attended the Transportation Research Board 2025 Annual Meeting in Washington D.C.
Dr. Danny Xiao, a visiting scholar at Hochschule Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences, Germany, attended the Transportation Research Board 2025 Annual Meeting in Washington D.C.
Dr. Danny Xiao and collaborator, UW-Platteville alumnus, Dr. John Kevern presented their research at the Transportation Research Board 2025 Annual Meeting in Washington D.C.
Dr. Danny Xiao and collaborator, UW-Platteville alumnus, Dr. John Kevern presented their research at the Transportation Research Board 2025 Annual Meeting in Washington D.C.
The Transportation Research Board 2025 Annual Meeting is the largest global gathering of transportation professionals and researchers with a focus on innovative solutions for all modes of transportation.
The Transportation Research Board 2025 Annual Meeting is the largest global gathering of transportation professionals and researchers with a focus on innovative solutions for all modes of transportation.
Dr. Danny Xiao conducting concrete testing at Hochschule Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences during his sabbatical in Spring 2024 in Germany.
Dr. Danny Xiao conducting concrete testing at Hochschule Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences during his sabbatical in Spring 2024 in Germany.

On Jan. 8, Dr. Danny Xiao, P.E., ENV SP, associate professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, presented research results at the 104th Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. The research centered on the applicability of capillary pressure sensors on Wisconsin concrete.

Xiao’s research is titled Effectiveness of Curing on Fresh Concrete Using Capillary Pressure Sensors. His collaborator, Dr. Markus Schmidt—one of the inventors of the capillary pressure sensor system—worked with him to conduct a series of laboratory tests. In addition, the team utilized the sensor to evaluate the effectiveness of curing on concrete. Concrete, the most widely used construction materials in the world, relies on the hydration of cement to form strength and durability. The traditional method of curing is only descriptive without objective measurement. Xiao and Schmidt’s study proved the value of the capillary pressure sensor system in visualizing the curing process. Quantitatively, fully cured concrete is about 40% less evaporation than uncured concrete.  

The work was conducted when Xiao was a visiting scholar at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Hochschule Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences, Germany during the spring semester of 2024. Besides research, during his visit to Hochschule Darmstadt, Xiao also attended lectures, gave guest lectures, discussed with students and took part in several field trips. The exchange of experiences in higher education between the USA and Germany was particularly important to him. 

Coming to UW-Platteville:

Based on his time in Germany, Xiao, in collaboration with Dr. Madelon Kohler-Busch, associate professor of German at UW-Platteville, developed a short-term faculty-led program, Castles, Cars, and Craftsmanship: History and Engineering in Germany. This course, available in summer 2025, will be offered to all UW-Platteville students, particularly freshman and sophomore students who are curious about the world and the fame of German engineering. The trip will visit historical castles, modern architecture, renowned manufacture plants, and hands-on projects at Hochschule Darmstadt. A focal point is how engineering shaped such changes along the way. Xiao believes this study-abroad program will prepare students for a globalized world by exposing them to diverse perspectives, cultures, and ideas, and foster global collaborations in research and academic exchange between USA and Germany. 

About the Transportation Research Board:

The Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting typically attracts over 10,000 attendees and is the largest global gathering of transportation professionals and researchers with a focus on innovative solutions for all modes of transportation. The 2025 annual meeting offered more than 4,000 presentations and 600 workshops and sessions to policy makers, administrators, practitioners, researchers, and representatives of government, industry, and academic institutions from across the globe.