Laura Elizabeth Dalton

Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Professor Dalton joined Duke University in August 2022 after obtaining her PhD from North Carolina State University, MS and BS from West Virginia University. Dr. Dalton is an experimentalist and her research interests include studying and understanding reactive, multiphase transport in porous media. She is particularly interested in understanding and manipulating chemical and physical processes that occur during reactive, multiphase transport in both engineered (cementitious) and natural (geological) porous materials. To this end, she uses quantitative imaging approaches such as X-ray computed tomography (CT), neutron tomography, and electrical imaging modalities including electrical capacitance tomography (ECT). She is interested in using hybrid and simultaneous imaging modalities because complementary and temporal information can be obtained using these approaches to better understand complex processes such as developing innovative methods to sequester CO2. 

Appointments and Affiliations

  • Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Contact Information

  • Office Location: Ciemas 2469, Durham, NC 27708
  • Office Phone: +1 919 660 5421
  • Email Address: laura.dalton@duke.edu
  • Websites:

Education

  • B.A. West Virginia Wesleyan College, 2012
  • B.S. West Virginia University, 2015
  • M.Sc.Eng. West Virginia University, 2016
  • Ph.D. North Carolina State University, 2022

Research Interests

4D Imaging; Carbon sequestration in porous materials; sustainable material development; structural integrity of carbon capture and storage wells; reactive transport in porous materials

Courses Taught

  • EGR 201L: Mechanics of Solids
  • CEE 702: Graduate Colloquium
  • CEE 691: Independent Study: Advanced Topics in Civil and Environmental Engineering
  • CEE 690: Advanced Topics in Civil and Environmental Engineering
  • CEE 494: Research Independent Study in Civil and Environmental Engineering
  • CEE 493: Research Independent Study in Civil and Environmental Engineering

In the News

Representative Publications

  • Choi, H., L. E. Dalton, I. Peszlen, and M. Pourghaz. “The impacts of CaCO3 deposition in natural wood on its viscoelastic properties.” Composites Part B: Engineering 275 (April 15, 2024). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesb.2024.111324.
  • Dalton, L. E., M. Räsänen, A. Voss, A. Seppänen, and M. Pourghaz. “Investigating the use of electrical capacitance tomography to image rapid transient moisture flow through cracks in concrete.” Cement and Concrete Composites 140 (July 1, 2023). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2023.105070.
  • Wang, H., L. Dalton, R. Guo, J. McClure, D. Crandall, and C. Chen. “Application of unsupervised deep learning to image segmentation and in-situ contact angle measurements in a CO2-water-rock system.” Advances in Water Resources 173 (March 1, 2023). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.advwatres.2023.104385.
  • Wang, H., L. Dalton, M. Fan, R. Guo, J. McClure, D. Crandall, and C. Chen. “Corrigendum to “Deep-learning-based workflow for boundary and small target segmentation in digital rock images using UNet++ and IK-EBM” [215 (2022) 110596](S0920410522004715)(10.1016/j.petrol.2022.110596).” Geoenergy Science and Engineering 221 (February 1, 2023). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petrol.2022.111306.
  • Dalton, L. E., J. M. LaManna, S. Jones, and M. Pour-Ghaz. “Does ITZ Influence Moisture Transport in Concrete?” Transport in Porous Media 144, no. 3 (September 1, 2022): 623–39. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11242-022-01826-z.