The Module is to further extend students’ knowledge/understanding of construction materials and particularly to help them to develop an in-depth understanding of the behaviour and characteristics of special and high performance concrete, composite materials and stone masonry. It is also to make them aware of the recent advances & developments in the materials and sustainable construction domain, and to illustrate it on practical examples. These include use of natural renewable/low-carbon engineering materials, nanomaterials and multifunctional materials, waste/recycled materials, etc in the construction industry and the built environment, and material compatibility issues in conservation of built heritage, and the significance in terms of sustainability and the environment. Much of the module is research informed teaching.
Innovative materials and sustainability are a key focus in this module. Students are introduced to resource scarcity; environmental impact (e.g. energy, CO2 emission, wastes/pollution, etc) associated with the construction/manufacturing, the building operations and the end of life waste management in the construction industry; the demands of a growing world population and urbanization on housing and infrastructure; whole life cycle consideration/assessment (i.e. ‘cradle to grave’); implications of climate change and the various international and national targets to limit greenhouse gas emissions, and how these impact on materials development, selection and applications.
The Module will consist of a balanced programme of lectures by experts in the field, supported by a number of laboratory work including demonstrations and exercises, where students will learn the relevant standards, and specialist, state-of-the-art testing techniques.
- A diverse range of sustainable solutions are covered in the module. For example, reduce the cement clinker content in concrete (through optimisation of concrete mix design and the use of various cement replacement materials); reduce the embodied energy and carbon footprint in cement/binder (by using low energy/low emission cements/binders, geopolymer, etc); reduce the concrete/materials required (by using high strength/high performance/high durability concrete/composite materials – as less materials is required for achieving the same performance, and reduced repair/maintenance/replacement over a longer period); use innovative concrete/materials for special applications or extreme exposure conditions (e.g. permeable concrete for SUDS, high performance, nano-modified concrete/composite materials for coastal/offshore application, self-healing concrete, photocatalytic surface for building, etc); reduce long-term energy consumption/emission of operating a building (through energy efficient building – highly efficient insulating materials, smart windows, led lighting, Solar photovoltaic, improving thermal mass of concrete); use more waste/recycled materials (thus reduced landfill and improve resource efficiency); fundamental understanding/design of materials (through advanced characterisation, modelling, nano-engineering, etc).
- The main content:
Special and high performance concrete and composite materials: modern constituent materials, self-compacting concrete, fibre reinforced concrete, high/ultra-high strength concrete, durability, advanced fibre reinforced polymer composites, structural strengthening, performance-based design, sustainable development, etc.
Sustainability: natural materials, low energy/low emission binders, use of waste/recycled materials, green construction, whole life-cycle analysis, energy efficient buildings, impact and mitigation of and adaptation to climate change.
Built Heritage: stone masonry, heritage construction, decay & treatment, materials compatibility (to improve sustainability of repair).
Nanotechnology: research and recent applications, new materials development, multi-functional, self-healing & self-cleaning materials, biomimetic materials, etc.
Advanced techniques for materials characterisation: Nanoindentation, SEM, XRD, Porosimetry, etc.
- This module will work to develop a number of the following key 'I am UWS' graduate attributes: Critical thinker, Inquring, Collaborative, Research-minded, Knowledgeable, problem solver, autonomous, ambitious, innovative and driven.
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