Civil Engineering

School of Engineering and Design

Civil Engineering Sustainable Civil Engineering Research Group (SusCERG) is a multidisciplinary research hub at Brunel University. SusCERG brings together our strengths in engineering and environmental sciences to address real-life problems in a way that advances fundamental scientific knowledge and understanding, and improves efficiency in industry and built environment.

Main research divisions include:

Current activities

Innovative Materials and Sustainable Construction:

Highly Efficient Production of Aerogel Insulation Materials and Their Integrated Composites and Systems (ICECLAY)

Nano-cellulose and engineering bio-composites; Nano aerogel materials and integrated composites; timber and reengineered timber products; ultra-functional and long life materials; advanced cement-based materials; low carbon materials; lightweight construction; modern method construction (MMC); innovative construction design; codes and standards.

Geo-technical and Water Engineering: Site investigation; characteristics and stability of soils and sediments; coastal and floodplain; seismic impact on soil characteristics; mechanics of dissolution-impacted soils and rocks; surface water and wastewater generation and reuse; flood protection and alleviation; water supply and distribution network modelling; drainage collection system.

ICECLAY is to generate new, alternative, lightweight and costeffective nanostructured aerogel solutions, specially designed for energy efficiency goals and able to provide superior thermal insulation for new build, building retrofit and advanced HVAC systems. While common aerogels are generally unaffordable expensive and based on hazardous production processes, the ICECLAY solution will be made by a versatile and environmentallybenign novel process, using only harmless and inexpensive raw materials for the production of novel materials and composites.

Advanced Structures: Analysis of reinforced concrete beams; cohesive-zone modelling of delamination and crack; nonlinear structural mechanics; nonlinear analysis of reinforced-concrete structures; silo structures; monitoring bridges; concrete and composite structures; timber engineering; biomimicry in structural design; seismic analysis.

Procurement and Construction: Sustainable procurement; risk and contract; health and safety; planning and control; change and claims; delay and disruption analysis; lean construction.

Resources Efficiency and Sustainability: Waste management; waste treatment of huge mass structural materials; reuse and recycling of house hold, commercial, refurbishment and demolition wastes; performance in use; LCA.

www.brunel.ac.uk/about/acad/sed/sedsub/civil/


Nano-Cellulose and High Strength Natural Fibre Composites for Structural Applications The aim of this research programme is to develop strong civil engineering products from natural resources, to be used in building construction and potentially the automotive and aerospace industries. The originalities are in the novel process of natural raw materials and application of innovatively processed natural resources (from nano to macro). The developed materials are to be tested in combination with nano-modified thermo-setting matrices through a number of forming processes such as compression moulding. Some of the projects in the research programme include:

Value Added Construction Materials from Wastes The aim of this research programme is to find a solution or uses for wastes as materials production and construction produce over 150 million tonnes per annum or 35% of UK total waste, and thus so will the problem with wastes. The principle objective is to develop and provide [industry with] a series of viable, environmentally, user friendly and low cost innovative construction products made from wastes. Research projects/activities in the programme include:

Project: Nano Cellulose and Applications (TSB Co-funded)

Project: Waste Management (BRE Co-funded)

Project: High Strength Straw Composites and their Use in Construction (DEFRA Co-funded)

Project: Research into Wood Wastes and Used Tyres for Innovative Construction Products (EU Co-funded)

Project: Efficient Production of High Strength Natural Fibres and their Engineering Products (TSB Co-funded)

Project: Research into Using Recycled Waste Paper Residues in Construction Products (WRAP)

Advanced Cement Based Materials The aim of this programme is to develop cement-based and nanotechnology-enhanced materials and new methodologies for modelling and experimental processes. The research programme also investigates the performance of the developed materials and their building components, such as roof tiles and sidings. Some of the research projects in this programme include:

Project: Shrinkage Cracking of Hardening Concrete (EPSRC)

Project: Converting Low Value Raw Materials into High Value-added Construction Products (Nigeria) Innovative Timber Glullam and Beam Timber Glullam and I-beam are major wood-based composites that are used increasingly for structural or semi structural applications in construction. Products continue to take a larger share of the engineering component market from timber, steel and other products. The structure and orientation of constituents to the stresses applied in construction are crucial. This research programme includes research projects on modelling and manufacturing and design technologies to develop the optimum structure with the dedicated performance, and on the reuse of reclaimed timber beams in the construction industry.

Project: Re-engineered Timber Products and their Construction (Industry) Project: Re-Use of Reclaimed Timber Beams

Project: Nanotechnology Enhanced Extruded Cement Based Sandwich Material for Building Applications (EU Co-funded) Modelling Structure Failure at Elevated Temperatures The aims of the research programme are to 1) develop a meshindependent layered procedure to model localised crack initiation and growth in plain concrete slabs subjected to out-of-plane loading and temperature distribution, and to integrate the layered plain concrete slab element with existing reinforcing steel bar and bond-link elements for modelling of reinforced concrete floor slabs in fire; 2) to perform detailed studies on the influence of support conditions, bond characteristics, and reinforcement details; 3) to investigate in detail the localized integrity failure of the interface zones between highly deflected composite floors and reinforced concrete core walls; and 4) to postulate an initial set of design recommendations for composite buildings for a performance-based structural fire engineering philosophy.

Project: Modelling Localized Fracture in Composite Floors (EPSRC)



Optimum Method of Procurement for a Given Construction Project (Libya) The aim of the research is to develop a new procurement selection mode/framework and some recommend practice that will aid clients’ decision-making on the optimum procurement method to use for any given project. Achievement of this aim will entail pursuing the objectives of reviewing critically the different types of procurement methods currently in use in construction projects; demonstrating the applications of the various procurement methods and their suitability of use in practice; reviewing critically project performance criteria and factors affecting success of projects in the light of procurement methods characteristics; reviewing and developing an appropriate model for the selection of optimum procurement method for any given project; testing and validating the developed model to ensure its applicability in practice.

Fire Characterisation of Innovative Structural Building Products (BRE Co-funded) The aim of the project is to develop effective building systems made from natural materials and wastes, in particular, the innovative products from biodegradable municipal waste (BMW) (from bin liners) through assessing high temperature performance characteristics of the materials and optimising performance levels to meet a certain assembly of components or end uses of products.

high-resolution stratigraphy of deformed soils, detailed characterisation of soils and radiometric dating, including 210Pb analyses. Recently published work on the Düzce Fault in western Turkey (surface rupturing earthquake: Mw7.2, November 1999) was part of the EU-funded RELIEF project).

Digital Elevation Model of eastern Turkey and adjoining countries, developed to provide the regional tectonic stress and drainage contexts for work at Pasinler (highlighted ‘P’)

Research work and PhD projects Civil Engineering has a number of PhD projects on nano-materials and engineered composites, low carbon materials, wastes and reuses, construction and management, soil engineering; innovative design, processing, fire engineering and product performance. The research work is supported by grants from the EPSRC, TSB, DEFRA, the EU FP7, EU Life+, EU Eco-Innovation and industry.

Research facilities Civil Engineering (CE) has the state of the art facilities and equipment for both teaching and research projects. CE has the assigned building laboratories, Joseph Bazalgette Laboratories, which house some of the latest technology for innovative materials development (from nano to macro) and engineering, testing a variety of construction methods, innovative structural designs, small and medium and large scale analysis of engineered materials, and water engineering.

Earthquake impacts and ground deformation

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Earthquakes present a major hazard to society and an understanding of their likely re-occurrence and their impact on ground conditions is essential. Recent research at Brunel University has been focussed upon the recognition of past earthquakes from soil and sediment sequences. To date work has been included sites in Turkey, Italy and Scotland, with a variety of partners including the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia in Rome. The approach is multi-disciplinary, employing a variety of field and laboratory techniques including

For further information please contact: Professor Mizi Fan

+44 (0)1895 266466

[email protected]
