Lifetime Extension of Reinforced Concrete Slab-on-Beam Structures
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Cambridge
Department Name: Engineering
Abstract
The lifetime extension of existing highway and building reinforced concrete infrastructure is a priority in terms of economic prosperity and a more sustainable future. The ability to reduce disruption, and amortise the embodied energy and the environmental impact of construction over an extended period will lead to direct, tangible and significant savings in energy and resource consumption. As construction typically accounts for up to 10% of the UK's GDP, and half of UK construction activity is associated with refurbishment and repair, it is clear that there is substantial scope to implement efficient technological innovations in the construction sector. In the UK, a major challenge is that, not only is the average age of our infrastructure increasing, but also the loading requirements are becoming more demanding. So the national pool of structures requiring intervention due to deterioration, changes of use, and/or a lack of strength is growing. For reinforced concrete (RC) structures, fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) materials have been used as additional reinforcement to increase, or reinstate, strength capacity. These materials have a high strength-weight ratio, are durable and easy to install. To date, carbon FRP resin bonded strengthening systems have been the most common. The market share of FRP-strengthening applications has resulted in a proliferation of usage across the industry, and indeed continues to grow year on year. However, the development of our understanding has not kept pace with the growth in applications. There are significant gaps in our knowledge when typical large bridge or building structures and practical strengthening configurations are considered. The shear strengthening of RC structures is a particular challenge due to accessibility issues, the brittle nature of shear failures and the complex mechanics of the behaviour. Initial design guidance has played an important role in establishing the basis for the use of FRP systems but this guidance has necessarily drawn upon the results of specific studies which often only encompass a subset of possible parameters and interactions e.g. small-scale rectangular beams. However, there is an increasing body of evidence that suggests that a number of aspects of the fundamental shear behaviour are not captured in existing guidance. Recent studies have highlighted apparent contradictions between the predicted and observed behaviour of FRP strengthened large scale structures and structures with complex geometries. In particular, work at Cambridge University and Bath University have shown that in T-beams, which are considered representative of slab-on-beam structures, the current guidance can be unconservative yet for large scale rectangular beams, overly conservative. These contradictions pose difficulties since large-scale, slab-on-beam structures constitute a large proportion of the infrastructure that surrounds us and represents a target area for the use of FRP strengthening for lifetime extension. In the current project, a comprehensive experimental and analytical programme will be undertaken to understand the fundamental mechanics of beams strengthened in shear using bonded carbon FRP fabric systems. The effect of size will be investigated by considering strengthened T-beams with scales ranging from 'laboratory' scales to realistically sized structures found in practice. These targeted studies will lead to improved design approaches which reflect a comprehensive understanding of the failure mechanisms and the interactions that depend on the geometry and size of the structure. The deliverables will have a significant and timely impact through the provision of practical, safe and durable technological advances to enable the upgrading of existing RC structures to meet the demands of the 21st century.
Planned Impact
Construction accounts for up to 10% of the UK's GDP and about half of all activity in the UK is within the refurbishment market in order to prolong the life of our existing infrastructure. These statistics demonstrate the extraordinary economic importance in ensuring that internationally-leading research underpins major UK building-retrofit and infrastructure life-extension initiatives. Without fundamental research in this field, the UK is in danger of neglecting intellectually one of the largest single-sector contributors to our wealth. The research proposed here represents fundamental research into lifetime extension. By extending the life of our existing RC infrastructure through relying on intelligent, cost-effective and durable structural retrofit capabilities, the construction industry will not needlessly demolish structures across the UK which are presently considered structurally deficient. This therefore has significant economic and sustainability impacts. The Pathways to Economic and Societal Impacts -Enhancing the research capacity, knowledge and skills of public and private sectors: Design guidance for the strengthening of the most common of all horizontal RC construction types, namely slab-on-beam structures, will be formulated for incorporation into future editions of TR55 and inform other national and international guidelines. The attached letters of support from our collaborators testify to the importance and practicality of this project. During the research project, the steering committee members will benefit directly from the results as they are produced. As the research is published in journals, on webpages, at conferences and in design guidelines, a wider set of beneficiaries will emerge including consultants, contractors, FRP manufacturers, clients and code writers. This audience will benefit from UK expertise being seen as internationally leading with the ensuing economic benefits that flow inwards from this standpoint. -Environmental sustainability, protection and impact: This work is unique in that it addresses limitations in our understanding of the shear behaviour of all slab-on-beam structures, such as those found in buildings, bridges and car parks. The robust experimental investigation in conjunction with targeted analytical studies will lead to a fundamental understanding of the strengthened behaviour and identify the most efficient methodologies to strengthen slab-on-beam or T-beam RC structures using FRP materials. The Pathways to Academic Impacts -Training highly skilled researchers Crucially, this project will lead to the education to doctoral level of two researchers in the FRP-strengthening field, a growing area of importance from financial and sustainability standpoints. - Worldwide academic advancement The success of this project will ensure that UK academia is seen as internationally leading in this crucial field. Dissemination routes will include activity of a high-level Steering Committee (which includes all investigators and collaborators on the project), publication in world class journals and seminal conference proceedings, conference presentations, updating of a webpage throughout the project, and involvement with learned societies i.e. NGCC, ICE, IStructE and The Concrete Society. Furthermore, the insight gained will be of significant benefit to a wide constituency of academic researchers across a number of disciplines including investigators working on shear in steel-reinforced concrete, fracture and non-linear material behaviour and analyses. -Improving teaching and learning In the longer run, undergraduate students of civil engineering across the UK and worldwide will be exposed to these research findings, thereby spreading the impact of the work to ensure a lasting legacy from which society at large ultimately benefits. The applicants will also highlight developments in these fields when teaching on outreach programmes for 6th form students.
Organisations
- University of Cambridge (Lead Research Organisation)
- Fyfe Co (Collaboration)
- Department of Transport (Collaboration)
- Concrete Repairs (Collaboration)
- Parsons Brinckerhoff (Collaboration, Project Partner)
- University of Bath (Collaboration)
- Concrete Society (Collaboration, Project Partner)
- Mouchel (United Kingdom) (Collaboration)
- Tony GEE Consultants (Collaboration)
- Queen's University (Collaboration)
- University of Toronto (Collaboration)
- Arup Group (Collaboration)
- Mouchel (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Highways England (Project Partner)
- Concrete Repairs (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Tony Gee and Partners (Project Partner)
- Arup Group (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
Publications
Foster R.M.
(2017)
An upper-bound plastic approach to the capacity of reinforced concrete slab-on-beam structures strengthened in shear with externally bonded CFRP
in Advanced Composites in Construction, ACIC 2017 - Proceedings of the 8th Biennial Conference on Advanced Composites in Construction
Foster R
(2017)
Experimental Investigation of Reinforced Concrete T-Beams Strengthened in Shear with Externally Bonded CFRP Sheets
in Journal of Composites for Construction
Foster R
(2016)
Modified Push-Off Testing of an Inclined Shear Plane in Reinforced Concrete Strengthened with CFRP Fabric
in Journal of Composites for Construction
Foster R
(2017)
Shear Capacity of Reinforced Concrete Subjected to Tension: Experimental Results and Analysis
in Journal of Structural Engineering
Description | The accurate assessment of existing structures relies on a good understanding of structural behaviour. Where behaviour is not well understood, assessors will have little option but to be duly conservative to reflect this underlying uncertainty. The cost of assessing and strengthening deficient bridges structures has been estimated as being in excess of £4 billion for the UK (Middleton 2004) and $140 billion for the US (American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials 2008). In the UK, a major challenge is that, not only is the average age of our infrastructure increasing, but also the loading requirements are becoming more demanding. So the national pool of structures requiring intervention due to deterioration, changes of use, and/or a lack of strength is growing. For reinforced concrete (RC) structures, fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) materials have been used as additional reinforcement to increase, or reinstate, strength capacity. These materials have a high strength-weight ratio, are durable and easy to install. To date, carbon FRP resin bonded strengthening systems have been the most common. A key objective of the research was to investigate the effectiveness of externally bonded CFRP shear strengthening as a method for extending the design life of existing concrete structures. A substantial contribution to our understanding in this area has been made. In collaboration with the University of Bath, a comprehensive series of experimental T-beam specimens were designed to reflect existing slab-on-beam structures. Unstrengthened beams and beams strengthened in shear with carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) fabric were tested to determine how the ultimate strength of the beams might vary with beam size, and the strengthening efficiency of the CFRP reinforcement. It was found that the variability in the behaviour of some concrete T-beams can be rather large making it difficult to ascertain the true underlying strength of a reinforced concrete beam. This has ramifications when isolating any enhancement due to the investigated CFRP strengthening method. A size effect of increasing shear stress capacity with decreasing beam size was observed for the CFRP wrapped beams and for some of the unstrengthened beams. A potential model for determining a sensible upper-limit on the strengthening potential available was also proposed. A further outcome was the development of a new modified push-off approach to elucidate the force transfer on a plane subjected to combined tension and shear. Using this new approach it was demonstrated that the contributions of the concrete, internal steel and CFRP were activated at different stages of loading and were not additive. This has significant implications for the appropriate calculation of the strengthened capacity. |
Exploitation Route | The findings provide direction for future research in this area and an expanded experimental database for the benchmarking of improved computational and analytical models. We have also provided proposals that may be taken forward in the development improved design guidance for practitioners. |
Sectors | Construction Transport |
Description | Journal publications are providing insight into the shear performance of carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) U-wrap strengthening systems when applied to the webs of reinforced concrete T-beams with realistic sizes. This has expanded the knowledge base for clients, designers and asset managers seeking to use CFRP strengthening to extend the life of existing slab-on-beam structures. |
First Year Of Impact | 2017 |
Sector | Construction,Transport |
Impact Types | Societal Economic |
Title | DATA SUPPORTING - SHEAR CAPACITY OF REINFORCED CONCRETE SUBJECTED TO TENSION: EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS AND ANALYSIS |
Description | Experimental results and analysis |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2017 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Title | Dataset - Experimental investigation of reinforced concrete T-beams strengthened in shear with externally bonded CFRP sheets |
Description | Dataset supporting the journal publication 'Experimental investigation of reinforced concrete T-beams strengthened in shear with externally bonded CFRP sheets' published in the ASCE Journal of Composites for Construction |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2016 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | Evidence supporting experimental findings on T-beams strengthened with CFRP sheets |
Title | Dataset - Modified Push-Off Testing of an Inclined Shear Plane in Reinforced Concrete Strengthened with CFRP Fabric |
Description | Dataset supporting the journal publication, Modified Push-Off Testing of an Inclined Shear Plane in Reinforced Concrete Strengthened with CFRP Fabric published in the ASCE Journal of Composites for Construction |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2015 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | Evidence of load-sharing behaviour between concrete, steel and CFRP sheets under combined tension and shear conditions. |
URL | https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/249023 |
Description | Arup |
Organisation | Arup Group |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Knowledge transfer, delivery of research advances and sharing of research findings |
Collaborator Contribution | Membership of steering committee for EPSRC funded project, Lifetime Extension of Reinforced Concrete Slab-on-Beam Structures (EP/I018972/1). |
Impact | Knowledge transfer, incorporation of research findings into design guidance and Industry practice |
Start Year | 2011 |
Description | Concrete repairs |
Organisation | Concrete Repairs |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Knowledge transfer |
Collaborator Contribution | Membership of steering committee for EPSRC funded project, Lifetime Extension of Reinforced Concrete Slab-on-Beam Structures (EP/I018972/1). |
Impact | Knowledge transfer, incorporation of research findings into design guidance and Industry practice |
Start Year | 2011 |
Description | Fyfe |
Organisation | Fyfe Co |
Country | United States |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Knowledge transfer |
Collaborator Contribution | Membership of steering committee for EPSRC funded project, Lifetime Extension of Reinforced Concrete Slab-on-Beam Structures (EP/I018972/1), technical advice regarding installation of CFRP sheets |
Impact | Knowledge transfer, incorporation of research findings into design guidance and Industry practice |
Start Year | 2011 |
Description | Highways England |
Organisation | Department of Transport |
Department | Highways Agency |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Knowledge transfer, delivery of research advances and sharing of research findings |
Collaborator Contribution | Highways England have supported a number of funded EPSRC projects including (EP/K016148, GR/S55101/01, EP/I018972/1 and EP/J002887/1). This support has included technical guidance, access to data relating to reinforced concrete infrastructure, sharing of experience in managing the strategic road network in the UK and guidance regarding the main challenges faced on the network. This has ensured the long-term relevance of our research and extensive knowledge exchange. |
Impact | Knowledge transfer, revision of design guidance, formulation of research proposals for funding, improved understanding of reinforced concrete infrastructure assets |
Start Year | 2006 |
Description | Knowledge exchange between the University of Cambridge and Queen's University |
Organisation | Queen's University |
Country | Canada |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | As a result of Dr Janet Lees' overseas travel award for research visits to Canada (EP/J002887/1), Dr Lees and Professor Hoult from Queen's University strengthened existing collaborations and forged new collaborations. They collaborated on an MSc student project at Queen's University which was based on research conducted at Cambridge investigating crack propagation. This resulted in a joint publication. Dr Lees has provided strategic technical guidance through her membership of the Steering Committee of a Canadian NSERC Strategic grant led by Professor Hoult in collaboration with the University of Toronto and the University of Ottawa. |
Collaborator Contribution | Professor Hoult and his team have provided fibre optic sensor and digital image correlation expertise which has helped to validate models developed at Cambridge. Professor Hoult was a member of the International Steering Committee for our Cambridge-based EPSRC funded research project (EP/K016148/1) to investigate reinforced concrete half joints and is collaborating with Professor Lees on EPSRC Established Career Fellowship Tailored Reinforced Concrete Infrastructure project (EP/N017668/1). During regular visits to Cambridge Professor Hoult has been working with the project team on collaborative aspects. We also collaborate through SKYPE meetings. |
Impact | Additional research funding, international research collaboration, knowledge transfer, student training |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | Knowledge exchange between the University of Cambridge and University of Bath |
Organisation | University of Bath |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | The University of Cambridge worked with the University of Bath on a joint EPSRC research project to investigate the lifetime extension of existing reinforced concrete structures (EP/I018972/1). We collaborated on an integrated programme of research between our two Universities. |
Collaborator Contribution | The University of Cambridge worked with the University of Bath on a joint EPSRC research project to investigate the lifetime extension of existing reinforced concrete structures (EP/I018972/1). We collaborated on an integrated programme of research between our two Universities. |
Impact | Knowledge transfer, delivery of a complementary research agenda to inform stakeholders about inherent size effects in reinforced concrete and the effectiveness of CFRP strengthening to extend the lifetime of existing structures, research collaboration, student training, research dissemination |
Start Year | 2011 |
Description | Knowledge exchange between the University of Cambridge and University of Toronto |
Organisation | University of Toronto |
Department | Civil and Mineral Engineering |
Country | Canada |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | As a result of Dr Janet Lees' overseas travel award for collaborative research visits to Canada (EP/J002887/1), a number of new and exciting research projects have been instigated in collaboration with the University of Toronto (U of T). A PhD project at the University of Cambridge (2012-2016) undertook research to investigate the time-dependent behaviour of reinforced concrete. The Cambridge PhD student applied an analytical approach developed at the University of Toronto (U of T) and linked this to experiments undertaken in Cambridge. The collaboration with U of T also benefited an EPSRC funded project relating to the CFRP shear strengthening of reinforced concrete T-beams (EP/J002887/1) where the Cambridge team built on analytical work undertaken by the University of Toronto and adapted this to a new class of problems. Our two Institutions actively share and discuss research findings. |
Collaborator Contribution | Under the aegis of EP/J002887/1 Professors Bentz and Collins hosted Dr Lees in Toronto during Spring/Summer 2012 and subsequently on short term repeat visits during 2013/2104. Dr Lees worked with Professors Bentz and Collins during her stays and was not charged a bench fee. As a result of these visits and discussions, Dr Lees submitted a successful EPSRC proposal - Reinforced concrete half-joint structures: Structural integrity implications of reinforcement detailing and deterioration (EP/K016148/1). To further develop our collaboration, Professor Bentz spent a three month period of sabbatical leave at the University of Cambridge in 2014. Professors Bentz and Collins were International Collaborators on the EPSRC project on reinforced concrete half-joint structures (EP/K016148/1) and are also collaborating with Cambridge on our latest work on tailored reinforced concrete infrastructure (EP/N017668/1). |
Impact | Additional research funding, international research collaboration, new approaches to reinforced concrete design, analysis and assessment, student training |
Start Year | 2012 |
Description | Mouchel |
Organisation | Mouchel Group PLC |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Knowledge transfer, delivery of research advances and sharing of research findings |
Collaborator Contribution | Membership of steering committee for EPSRC funded project, Lifetime Extension of Reinforced Concrete Slab-on-Beam Structures (EP/I018972/1). |
Impact | Knowledge transfer, incorporation of research findings into design guidance and Industry practice |
Start Year | 2011 |
Description | Parsons Brinckerhoff |
Organisation | Parsons Brinckerhoff |
Country | United States |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Knowledge transfer, delivery of research advances and sharing of research findings |
Collaborator Contribution | Chairing/membership of steering committees for a number of EPSRC funded grants, technical advice and support |
Impact | Knowledge transfer, incorporation of research findings into design guidance and Industry practice |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | The Concrete Society |
Organisation | Concrete Society |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Knowledge transfer, identification of areas where Concrete Society design guidance in TR55 needs improvement |
Collaborator Contribution | Knowledge transfer, dissemination |
Impact | Knowledge transfer, dissemination to Concrete Industry, revised design guidance |
Start Year | 2006 |
Description | Tony Gee and Partners |
Organisation | Tony Gee Consultants |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Knowledge transfer, delivery of research advances and sharing of research findings |
Collaborator Contribution | TGP have been active members of the Steering Committees for EPSRC funded projects and collaborated through the provision of technical advice and guidance and case studies. |
Impact | Knowledge transfer, integration of outputs into technical guidance |
Start Year | 2006 |
Description | ACIC 2015 - Presentation by Rob Foster - An Experimental Investigation into the Effect of Externally Bonded CFRP Fabrics on the Shear Behaviour of Reinforced Concrete T-beams |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Conference presentation at ACIC - 2015 Conference. Presenting implications of this research to an international audience of academics and practitioners. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://acic-conference.com/ |
Description | Advanced Composites In Construction (ACIC) 2013 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
Results and Impact | Presentation of recent experimental research at ACIC 2013. Presentation to an audience of international academics and postgraduate students. A US based professor commented that he had considered a similar approach but had not thought that it would be technically feasible in practice. Seeing that we had been successful in carrying out our experiments, he indicated that he may encourage his lab to attempt similar work. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
URL | http://www.acic-conference.com/ |
Description | Cambridge University Science Festival - Pecha Kucha Challenge 2014 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Presentation conducted several times to new audiences, stimulated a great deal of discussion and interest in the practical nature of the problems that the research addresses. People said that it had changed their view of what researchers do - i.e. this research addresses practical, relevant and comprehensible issues. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | Composites In Construction Engineering (CICE) Conference 2014 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
Results and Impact | Presentation at CICE 2014 Conference. Presenting some of the implications of this research to an international audience of academics and practitioners. The ideas presented prompted an Australia based researcher doing related work, to re-evaluate some of the fundamental assumptions upon which his work was based. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
URL | http://www.cice2014.ca/ |
Description | Development of a Civil Engineering session at ECCM 17 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | The 17th European Conference on Composite Materials took place in June 2016. Together with Professor Ur Meier (chair) and Guijin Xian, Dr Lees was involved in the initial stages of the development of a session specifically related to Civil Engineering Applications. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://www.eccm17.org/ |
Description | Engineering in light of great, and unknowable, forces |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Janet Lees gave an invited lecture on 'Engineering in light of great, and unknowable, forces' as part of the inaugural BRE Centre for Innovative Construction Materials lecture series at the University of Bath |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Hosting of ACIC 2015 at the University of Cambridge - Dr Lees was chair of the International Scientific Committee |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | The ACIC conference series is a successful forum for the presentation of industry and academic research that forges networking opportunities, discussion and debate. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://acic-conference.com/programme/ |
Description | IStructE Young Researchers' Conference 2014 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
Results and Impact | Poster presentation at annual IStructE Young Researchers' Conference Generated a range of questions from academics and practitioners. Led a number of practitioners to question their current design assumptions for FRP strengthening. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
URL | http://www.istructe.org/events-awards/conference-and-lectures/young-researchers-conference/winners-2... |
Description | Involvement with the work of COST TU1207 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Dr Lees actively participated in the COST TU1207 work. This has included giving presentations, submitting short research contributions and chairing sessions. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://tu1207.eu/ |
Description | Keynote presentation (Lees) - 5th International Conference on Smart Monitoring, Assessment and Rehabilitation of Civil Structures - 27 - 29 August 2019 in Potsdam, Germany |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Professor Lees presented a keynote lecture on: Mismatches between design and condition assessment in reinforced concrete with or without FRP strengthening |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://www.smar2019.org/ |
Description | Member of ACIC 2015 Panel (Rob Foster) tasked with leading discussion of opportunities and challenges for FRP strengthening applications |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Two prestigious panel discussions were an integral part of the ACIC 2015 and were very fruitful in reflecting upon/discussing the challenges faced with the use of FRPs in construction and future developments. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://acic-conference.com/ |
Description | Network Group for Composites in Construction Research Showcase |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | The event was held at the National Composites Centre to showcase research and development at a number of UK universities. This led to increased engagement and networking amongst participants. Dr Lees presented an overview of the latest findings from the University of Cambridge. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | https://compositesuk.co.uk/events/ngcc-2015-agm |
Description | Panel Member (Lees) - Judge of Early Career Researcher Competition at Advanced Composites in Construction (ACIC) Conference 2019, Birmingham |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Professor Lees was invited to be a Judge of the Early Career Researcher Competition at the Advanced Composites in Construction (ACIC) Conference 2019, Birmingham |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Presentation at the The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology - Lifetime Extension of Reinforced Concrete Infrastructure |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | An opportunity to share research findings and explore joint interests. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | Structures Seminar - University of Cambridge |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
Results and Impact | Presentation of project findings to date and intended future work. Presented to a mixed group of resident and visiting academics and postgraduate students at the University of Cambridge. Prompted a discussion questioning the currently assumed debonding mode of FRP reinforcement |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |