Professional Documents
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Advanced Construction Materials
Advanced Construction Materials
Civil engineers are often responsible for specifying, designing and manufacturing the materials
with which they build their structures. Studies in construction materials are intended to make
structural, transportation and foundation engineers aware of the fundamental properties of the
materials they use.
Construction Materials have long been strength of civil engineering structures. The research
interests of the Construction Materials faculty include:
composition and performance of cementitious materials
microstructure and nanostructure of cementitious materials
shrinkage, creep and thermal change of concrete
non-destructive testing, sensing and imaging for construction materials and structures
performance of alternative binders
durability and sustainability of construction materials
rheological properties of fresh mixtures
Civil Engineering : Production, structure and properties of engineering materials; ferrous alloys,
treatments, welding, special steels, cast iron; ceramic materials; polymers; composite materials;
concrete, admixtures, structure, creep, shrinkage; asphalt and asphaltic materials; clay materials
and bricks; impact of environment on material response, durability, quality assessment and
control, industrial specifications; recent advances.
The modern civil engineer needs to deal with traditional construction materials as well as
advanced materials. Traditional construction materials, such as timber, steel, asphalt and Portland
cement concrete are often used in many construction projects. Modern materials, such as
polymers and composites are making headway into the construction industry. Significant
research on these materials has led to better understanding of these materials and improved their
strength and durability performance. The traditional materials used today are far superior to those
of the past, and new materials are being specially developed to satisfy the needs of civil
engineering applications.
To a civil engineer the performance of materials in structures and their ability to resist various
stresses are of prime importance. This laboratory experimental work is intended to help students
in civil engineering to understand the physical and structural properties of common construction
materials. This involves the study of Portland cement concrete and concrete making materials
(cement, aggregates, etc.), asphalt concrete, steel and timber, with minor reference to other
advanced materials.
Modern Building Materials
The construction industry consumes more natural resources than any other industry. With
increasing public awareness of the needs and demands of sustainable development and
environmental conservation, no other industry is called on as much as the country's construction
and building industry to evolve their practices to satisfy the needs of our current generation,
without curtailing the resources of future generations to meet theirs. For example, concrete is by
far the most important building material, with billions of tons produced each year worldwide,
and without which the nation's infrastructure is unthinkable. Considerable progress and
breakthroughs have been made in recent years in concrete technology, which have largely gone
unnoticed by the public at large.
It has been said that more progress has been made in the last 25 years than in the previous 150
years since Portland cement was invented. Modern cement composites can now be engineered to
have strengths approaching those of steel, energy dissipation capacities of body armor, and
durability properties that can make products last basically indefinitely, and be as decorative and
aesthetically pleasing as natural stone, yet with superior mechanical properties. Fiber-reinforced
composites permeated the aerospace and automotive industries decades ago and are now slowly
finding their way into civil engineering structures. Smart materials, defined as those materials
that can change their properties in response to external conditions, are also being introduced into
civil infrastructure systems, and so are new developments in metals, with new high-strength steel
alloys and non-corrosive steels that are changing engineering practice. All of these advanced
materials are essential for an efficient renewal and maintenance of our infrastructure and offer
exciting prospects for vibrant research areas. Yet, all of these research efforts should be guided
by the overarching goal of reducing the construction industrys footprint on planet Earth.
One important series of research projects completed under the direction of Professor Meyer
resulted in the successful use of recycled glass as aggregate for concrete products such as floor
tiles, wall panels, table counter tops, etc. Several other projects dealing with the beneficial use of
recycled materials are briefly described on his Web site as well.
Modern Building Materials
The construction industry consumes more natural resources than any other industry. With
increasing public awareness of the needs and demands of sustainable development and
environmental conservation, no other industry is called on as much as the country's construction
and building industry to evolve their practices to satisfy the needs of our current generation,
without curtailing the resources of future generations to meet theirs. For example, concrete is by
far the most important building material, with billions of tons produced each year worldwide,
and without which the nation's infrastructure is unthinkable. Considerable progress and
breakthroughs have been made in recent years in concrete technology, which have largely gone
unnoticed by the public at large.
It has been said that more progress has been made in the last 25 years than in the previous 150
years since Portland cement was invented. Modern cement composites can now be engineered to
have strengths approaching those of steel, energy dissipation capacities of body armor, and
durability properties that can make products last basically indefinitely, and be as decorative and
aesthetically pleasing as natural stone, yet with superior mechanical properties. Fiber-reinforced
composites permeated the aerospace and automotive industries decades ago and are now slowly
finding their way into civil engineering structures. Smart materials, defined as those materials
that can change their properties in response to external conditions, are also being introduced into
civil infrastructure systems, and so are new developments in metals, with new high-strength steel
alloys and non-corrosive steels that are changing engineering practice. All of these advanced
materials are essential for an efficient renewal and maintenance of our infrastructure and offer
exciting prospects for vibrant research areas. Yet, all of these research efforts should be guided
by the overarching goal of reducing the construction industrys footprint on planet Earth.
One important series of research projects completed under the direction of Professor Meyer
resulted in the successful use of recycled glass as aggregate for concrete products such as floor
tiles, wall panels, table counter tops, etc. Several other projects dealing with the beneficial use of
recycled materials are briefly described on his Web site as well.
Recent years have seen enormous advances in the technology of concrete as a material, through
which its strength, compactness and ductility can reach levels never dreamed of before. Thanks
to these improved material properties, the strength and durability of concrete structures is greatly
improved, their weight and dimensions reduced, the scope of concrete as a structural material is
widened and despite the higher material costs overall economy is possible, with positive