Research
To provide resilience, existing materials must be reinforced to cope, and new infrastructure materials must be designed to endure
State-of-the-art Advanced Infrastructure Materials Lab
The Advanced Infrastructure Materials Lab focuses on producing, processing, imaging, analysing and testing infrastructure materials. The aim is to provide advanced techniques that are not readily available to infrastructure materials researchers in the UK.
Find out more about our new Advanced Infrastructure Materials lab
Current Research Themes
Low-carbon sustainable infrastructure:
New cements, 3D printed metals, industrial ecology
Long-term durability and performance:
Concrete durability, fracture mechanics, service-life prediction
Functional and improved materials:
New types of permeable pavement, durable super-hydrophobic surfaces
Circular economy:
Novel thermal insulation materials, new biomaterials, ceramic processing, plastics in the oceans
Postgraduate Research
The Materials section provides a highly stimulating environment for research. If you are interested in applying for a PhD, contact the academic in the list below who works in your area of interest. Specific opportunities are advertised on the Opportunities page.
Members of the Materials Section
Materials Academic and Teaching Staff A-Z
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Craig BuchananSenior Lecturer in Construction, PhDProfessional Institutions Liaison Officer 3D printing, metals, Material testing, Structural testing, Finite element modelling. |
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Nick BuenfeldProfessor of Concrete Structures and Head of Department, PhD, DIC, FICE, FIStructE, FREngConcrete structures; Deterioration mechanisms; Design for durability; Condition assessment and monitoring; Life prediction of new and existing concrete structures. |
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Chris CheesemanProfessor of Materials Resources Engineering, PhD, MCIWMHead of Materials Section Waste management; Beneficial reuse of wastes; Low-carbon materials; Waste encapsulation technologies. |
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Emilio Martínez-PañedaSenior Lecturer in Mechanics of Materials and UKRI Future Leaders Fellow, PhDFracture mechanics; Environmental degradation of materials; Metal plasticity; Rock micromechanics; Computational mechanics. |
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Rupert MyersSenior Lecturer in Sustainable Materials Engineering, PhDIndustrial ecology; Circular economy; Sustainable cities; Beneficial use of wastes/by-products; Cement, minerals, and aquatic chemistry/thermodynamics; Open science. |
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Hong WongProfessor of Concrete Materials, PhD, DICDirector of MSc in Advanced Materials for Sustainable Infrastructure Undergraduate Year 2 Coordinator Cement, concrete, microstructure, petrography, porous media, mass transport properties, durability, sustainability, low-carbon materials. |
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Chao WuSenior Lecturer in Civil Engineering Materials, PhDPolymer and polymer based composites, Fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) composites and structures, Fatigue and fracture mechanics, Engineered cementitious composites (ECC), Structural retrofitting, Timber |
| Materials Academics A-Z | |
Materials Research Staff A-Z
Materials Research Staff A-Z
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Mahmoud AbbaszadehResearch Associate, PhDEmail Mahmoud |
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Chuanjie CuiResearch AssistantEmail Chuanjie |
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Livia Cupertino MalheirosResearch Associate, PhDDeveloping new mechanical and electrochemical experimental protocols to better understand corrosion and hydrogen embrittlement. Email Livia |
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Tim HagemanResearch Associate, PhDMulti-physics simulations to quantify hydrogen ingress in metals. Email Tim |
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Alalea KiaRoyal Academy of Engineering Research Fellow, PhDPermeable concrete; Concrete pavement design; Durability of cement-based materials; Pore structure; Cementitious materials Email Alalea |
Sasa KovacevicResearch Associate, PhDMaterial degradation challenges at the interface between mechanics and chemistry. Email Sasa |
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Sergio LucariniMarie Sklodowska-Curie Individual Fellow, PhDNew multi-physics models for predicting corrosion fatigue Email Sergio |
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Tushar MandalResearch Associate, PhDDeveloping new phase field-based computational tools for predicting hydrogen assisted failures. Email Tushar |
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Andres Montoya SanchaSponsored Researcher (Margarita Salas Fellowship), PhD |
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Izhar ShahResearch Associate, PhDResources sustainability; Low-carbon industries; Economy-environment decoupling; Strategic planning Email Izhar |
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Marcus YioResearch Associate, PhDLaboratory Manager for the new Centre for Infrastructure Materials (CIM) Cementitious materials; Concrete durability; Microstructure; Microscopy; Image analysis Email Marcus |
Materials Research Students A-Z
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Theo ClaytonStarted Oct 2020Advanced fracture mechanics modelling to understand earth-environment interactions Supervised by: Martinez-Paneda, E. Email Theo |
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Tsz Chun (Jack) ChanStarted Feb 2022Machine learning techniques in concrete microstructure and durability Supervised by: Wong, H.S.; Yio, M. Email Jack |
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Kaine ChinwahStarted Dec 2019Novel oil sorption materials produced from waste feathers Supervised by: Cheeseman, C.R. Email Kaine |
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Tiejun DingStarted Feb 2020Development of circular concrete through indirect carbonation of waste concrete Supervised by: Cheeseman, C.R.; Wong, H.S. Email Tiejin |
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Sam DraperStarted Oct 2017Microstructure and durability of concrete prepared using new multi-component cements Supervised by: Wong, H.S.; Cheeseman, C.R.; Buenfeld, N.R.; Email Sam |
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Meng GaoStarted Nov 2020System-performance based design of durable low-carbon concrete Supervised by: Myers, RJ.; Wong, H.S. Email Meng |
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Xiangdong GengStarted Oct 2022Durability prediction of fiber reinforced polymer composite using machine learning Supervised by: Wu, C. Email Xiangdong |
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Maria GeorgiadesStarted Nov 2020Environmental sustainability assessment to guide the development of cements produced from bauxite residue and other high-volume industrial by-products Supervised by: Myers, RJ., Cheeseman, C.R Email Maria |
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Theo GlashierStarted Mar 2021Short and long-term structural behaviour of metal 3D printed structures Supervised by: Buchanan, C. Email Theo |
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Mehrdad IsfandbodStarted Oct 2019Modelling and characterization of hydrogen embrittlement of austenitic steels Supervised by: Martinez-Paneda, E. Email Mehrdad |
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Evzen KorecStarted Sep 2020Electro-chemo-mechanical models for predicting stress corrosion cracking Supervised by: Martinez-Paneda, E. Email Evzen |
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Alexander Kumi-LarbiStarted July 2018The use of waste plastic composites as an alternative low-cost construction material Supervised by: Cheeseman, C.R.; Wilson, D.C. Email Alexander |
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Jia Xiang LiewStarted Oct 2018Concrete structures with smart reinforcements Supervised by: Buenfeld, N.R.; Wong, H.S. Email Jia |
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Yu LuanStarted Mar 2022Carbonation-induced corrosion in low CO2 emission concrete Supervised by: Wong, H.S.; Yio, M.; Myers, RJ. Email Yu |
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Adam MasonStarted Oct 2019Characterising global material cycles for natural and anthropogenic wellbeing Supervised by: Myers, RJ. Email Adam |
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John Obuobi Ofosu-AppeahStarted Apr 2021Engineered mycelium products Supervised by: Cheeseman, C.R. Email John |
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Pei Boon OngStarted 01 Oct 2022Low carbon cements from magnesium silicates Supervised by: Wong, H.S.;; Cheeseman, C.R. Email Pei |
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Nick ReynardStarted Oct 2018Carbon dioxide sequestration through iron fertilization and potential for harvest of calcium carbonate from marine organisms As part of the CDT in Sustainable Civil Engineering Supervised by: Mashayek, A; Cheeseman, C.R. Email Nick |
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Javier Sanchez FernandezStarted Oct 2022A new generation of physically-based models for predicting ice-sheet fracture and sea level rise Supervised by: Martinez-Paneda, E.; Hageman, T. Email Javier |
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Barnaby ShanksStarted Oct 2018Investigating new low-carbon cements based on MgO/silica components of olivine Supervised by: Cheeseman, C.R.; Wong, H.S. Email Barney |
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Yang TuStarted Oct 2020Multiphysics modelling of battery degradation Supervised by: Martinez-Paneda, E.; Wu, B. Email Yang |
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Terry UgamaStarted Apr 2019New low carbon cement for sustainable infrastructure development manufactured from olivine Supervised by: Wong, H.S.; Cheeseman, C.R. Email Terry |
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Runzi WangStarted Apr 2020Chemomechanical fracture Supervised by: Martínez-Pañeda, E. Email Runzi |
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Amy WilsonStarted Oct 2018Reducing the impact of nanoparticle emissions during concrete production and recycling Supervised by: Stettler, MEJ.; Wong, H.S.; Fowler, G.D.; Cheeseman, C.R. Email Amy |
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Minggen ZhangStarted Sep 2022Understanding the chemistry of alkali ferro(alumino)silicate gel Supervised by: Myers, RJ.; Cheeseman, C.R. Email Minggen |
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Yixiu ZhugeStarted Jan 2022Concrete carbonation chemistry and product development under forced carbonation conditions Supervised by: Myers, RJ.; Wong, H.S. Email Yixiu |
| Materials Research Students A-Z | |
Technical and Administrative Staff (A-Z)
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Post VacantAdministrator, MaterialsRoom 243, +44 (0)207 594 5869 |
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Andrew MorrisLaboratory Technician, StructuresRoom 236, +44 (0)207 594 5954, Email Andrew |
| Materials Technical and Administrative Staff | |
Recently completed PhD research
Materials 2023
2023
| Name | Title and supervisor |
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| Zheng, Shiying | Cement-based materials with hydrophobic micro-textured surface Supervised by: Wong, H.S. |
2022
| Name | Title and supervisor |
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| Chen, Xi | Enhancing the spacer-concrete interface for durable structures Supervised by: Wong, H.S.; Buenfeld, N. |
| Zhang, Kai | Assessing long-term carbonation resistance of blended concretes from short-term natural exposure Supervised by: Wong, H.S.; Buenfeld, N. |