Earthquake Engineering

The devastating effects of earthquakes to the built environment as well as the introduction of new stricter
codes of practice necessitate the development of construction materials and techniques that can be used
effectively for the seismic strengthening and upgrading of structures and buildings.

Research activities in this area include development of innovative techniques and materials for seismic
strengthening, such as column confinement with FRP laminates and metal strapping (Figure 1),
examination of the seismic behaviour of strengthened concrete frames, development of theoretical
resistance-capacity models and earthquake risk assessment methodologies. Research collaborative work
is also carried out on full-scale shaking-table testing of reinforced concrete frames (Figure 2).

Current PhD Topics

 Earthquake risk assessment: attenuation and vulnerability issues

 Seismic behaviour of flat-slab to column connection
 Seismic strengthening using FRP confinement
 Seismic upgrading of concrete frames using innovative techniques
 Seismic behaviour and strengthening of deficient low strength RC beam-column joints
 Thin-walled steel seismic resistant moment frame buildings

Understanding Urban Flooding Using Physical

Modelling
Supervisor: Dr James Shucksmith

The increased frequency and magnitude of worldwide flood events in recent years has

encouraged a critical examination of possible causes and suitable options to reduce

impacts. Urban flooding may occur when storm water exceeds the capacity of the local

sewer or storm water system. Dual drainage hydraulic models have been developed to

assess the risks associated with urban flooding, namely the potential damage to

property and infrastructure and to supply information for decision makers. Such

modelling tools use steady state linking discharge equations to enable the coupling of

below-ground pipe flow and free surface flow at nodes representing manholes/gullies

State-of-the-art dual drainage models couple 1D (one-dimensional) sewer network flow

models to 2D floodplain model utilising weir or orifice equations to describe flow

exchange between the surface and sewer systems. However the uncertain nature of

flood events and the difficulties in obtaining data at suitable spatial and temporal

resolutions at a field site make full scale calibration and verification of such models very

difficult. This shortcoming introduces uncertainties into model parameters and flood

modelling predictions. This project will involve experimental work using a unique

surface/subsurface scale model of an urban drainage facility within the water laboratory.

Students working on this project will utilise state of the art measuring techniques such

as PIV to obtain new datasets describing flows in and around interface points. It is

hoped that this project will lead to a more reliable methodology to describe

surface/sewer flow interactions during flood events, reducing the uncertainty inherent

within flood model predictions.

Flood And Drought Assessment In A Human-dominated

Water Cycle
Supervisor: Dr Charles Rouge

This is an ideal project for a resourceful and driven individual. The successful candidate will

develop and hone first-rate analytical, computational and communication skills that will enable

them to choose their subsequent career path, whether in academia or industry.

Decision-makers and water users (water utilities, industries, farmers) need academics and

analysts to provide relevant information about the potential impacts of water extremes (droughts,

floods) in a changing world. Fit-for-purpose hydrological models that link climate variables

(precipitation, temperature) to these extremes need to account for the fact that humans have
become an integral part of the water cycle.

This project will use and link together existing models to propose a diagnostic framework for the

coupling of a weather generator with a coupled human and natural hydrological model, that

integrates both natural processes and water management aspects (water use, storage, transfers,

etc.).

A first step in the project will couple an existing weather generator with a high-profile

hydrological model, featured in Nature and Science in large part thanks to its ability to represent

parts of the human systems. After this, there will be room for the student to tailor the project to

their interests, and focus on some questions among the following topics:

1) Diagnostics of weather generators: how can we choose a weather generator to pair with a

given hydrological model to get the best representation of flood / drought risk? And to

understand whether this weather generator will be relevant to simulate future climates?

2) From weather to streamflow generation: streamflow generation at sites that are key for water

managers is easier and less computationally intensive than coupling a weather generator with a

complex hydrological model. So how can weather generation inform streamflow generation?

3) Diagnostics of water management strategies: what are their impacts on flood and drought risk?

Can the coupling of weather generators and hydrological models reveal a larger range of

conditions in which human infrastructure could fail? Can optimisation of these strategies reveal

the trade-offs between resilience to water hazards and other uses of the water infrastructure?

This project will include national but also international cooperation opportunities, with groups at

Cornell University and the University of New Hampshire in the United States, among others.
Next steps

Informal enquiries are very welcome. Please contact me on 0114 222 5723 or

c.rouge@sheffield.ac.uk. Applications are welcome now. The start date is flexible.

Pre-requisite qualification

Suitable for candidates holding or anticipating award of an MSc, or 1st/2.1 undergraduate degree

in an engineering or numerical/physical sciences discipline. A taste for programming is essential

and prior experience is a plus.

Fibre Reinforced Concrete and Recycled Fibres

Fibres are used to improve the flexural toughness and ductility of concrete. Fibre-reinforced concrete
(FRC) increases speed of construction and may even eliminate the need for conventional reinforcement.
FRC is used in a range of specialised applications, such as pavements and thin precast elements (Figure
1).

Research activities in this area include optimisation of fibre sorting and mixing methods, experimental and
analytical investigation of the structural performance of FRC, development of innovative FRC products as
well as development of analysis and design tools.

Fibres examined include industrially-produced glass and steel fibres as well as fibres produced from post-
consumer products, such as tyres (Figure 2).

Figure 1. GRC permanent formwork (left) and cover slab (right) for drainage channels

Figure 2. Steel fibres produced from tyre shredding

Current Topics

 Behaviour and design of thin glass fibre-reinforced concrete (GRC) elements

 Concrete reinforced with steel fibres, extracted from used tyres
 Durability of steel fibre-reinforced roller-compacted concrete
 Fatigue behaviour and design of steel fibre-reinforced roller-compacted concrete
 Slurry infiltrated fibre reinforced concrete
 Thin glass fibre-reinforced concrete (GFRC) elements reinforced with FRP rebars

Figure 3. Placing roller-compacted concrete in asphalt paver

Particle-fluid Interaction For Pile Jetting Installations
Supervisor: Dr Paul Shepley

There is a need to install ever larger piles - especially in the case of offshore

foundations for wind turbines, which tend to be very large monopiles. This is a very

difficult process, and engineers seek methods for reducing pile loads. One such method

is to use high pressure water jetting during installation to fluidise the ground around the

pile.

This project seeks to understand the governing mechanisms of pile jetting, mainly

through the fluid-particle interaction aspects of the process. The work will be a

combination of physical experiments conducted at Sheffield using high speed

photography and Particle Tracking Velocimetry (PTV) techniques to characterise the

flow conditions.

Pre-requisite qualifications

Civil, Mechanical, Fluid Mechanics, Physics or Applied Mathematics

Research Degree Topics 2018-19

The department's academic staff are organised into research groups which reflect their specific

areas of research activity. Within Civil and Structural Engineering there are four overarching

research areas: Structures, Ground, Water and Environmental.

Please click the links below for more specific titles...

Structures Ground Water Environmental

View all Phd Degrees

*Please note that you are welcome to discuss alternative research topics with project
supervisors, all projects subject to funding unless stated otherwise.

Research Degree Topics in Structures

No Topic Supervisor

1 3d-printed Sleeve Formworks For Optimised Concrete Structures none

2 Design Rules For Thin-walled Structural Elements Subject To Coupled Instabilities Dr Jurgen Becque

3 Solutions To Inelastic Bifurcation Problems Using Second-order Plastic Flow Theory Dr Jurgen Becque

4 Design Rules For Built-up Cold-formed Steel Structural Memberss Dr Jurgen Becque

5 Understanding Rate Effects In Geomaterials Dr Sam Clarke

6 Predicting The Impulse From Buried Charges Dr Sam Clarke

7 The Insidious Impact Of Transients On Leakage Dr Richard Collins

8 Improving The Structural Efficiency Of Steel Trusses Prof Buick Davison

9 Timber-steel Hybrid Construction For Modern Multi-storey Building Prof Buick Davison

10 Reversible Shear Connectors For Use In Composite Construction Prof Buick Davison
No Topic Supervisor

11 3d Computational Limit Analysis Of Masonry Structures Prof Matthew

Gilbert

12 Design Synthesis Of Frames: Application Of Adaptivity Prof Matthew

Gilbert

13 Applications Of Computational Limit Analyis & Design In Civil & Structural Engineering Prof Matthew
Gilbert

14 Novel Cold-formed Steel Structural Systems For Multi-storey Buildings Dr Iman

Hajirasouliha

15 Performance-based Optimisation Of Energy Dissipation Systems Dr Iman

Hajirasouliha

16 Model Predictive Control Of Naturally Ventilated Atria. Dr Abigail Hathway

17 Cross-section Modelling For The Efficient Design Of Structural Members With Non-linear Materials And Dr Andrew Liew
The Continuous Strength Method

18 Structural Optimisation Of Concrete Elements Constructed With Digitally Fabricated Formworks Dr Andrew Liew

19 3d Printed Sleeve Formworks For Optimised Concrete Structures Dr Andrew Liew

20 Parametric Modelling And Structural Optimisation For Additive Manufacturing Dr Andrew Liew

21 Static And Dynamic Strength Of Micro-lattice Materials Dr Zuhal Ozdemir

22 Advanced Composites As Reinforcement For Concrete Prof Kypros

Pilakoutas

23 Advanced Composites For Structural Strengthening Prof Kypros

Pilakoutas

24 Construction Innovation Prof Kypros

Pilakoutas

25 Earthquake Resistant Design Of Reinforced Concrete Structures Prof Kypros

Pilakoutas
No Topic Supervisor

26 Frc- Fiber Reinforced Concrete Prof Kypros

Pilakoutas

27 Novel Punching Shear Reinforcement Prof Kypros

Pilakoutas

28 The Behaviour And Design Of Reinforced Concrete Structures Prof Kypros

Pilakoutas

29 Use Of Recycled Materials In Concrete Prof Kypros

Pilakoutas

30 Earthquake Risk Assessment And Management Prof Kypros

Pilakoutas

31 Seismic Strengthening Of Rc Using External Lateral Post-tensioning Prof Kypros

Pilakoutas

32 Mechanical Behaviour And Durability Of Steel Fibre-reinforced Rcc Concrete Made With Recycled Prof Kypros
Materials. Pilakoutas

33 Structural Analysis And Design Of Steel Fibre Reinforced Concrete Pavements For Surface Transport. Prof Kypros
Pilakoutas

34 Post-cracking Modelling Of Fibre Reinforced Concrete. Prof Kypros

Pilakoutas

35 Testing And Modelling Of Freeze-thaw And Corrosion Resistance Of Steel Fibre Reinforced Concrete Prof Kypros
Pavements. Pilakoutas

36 Design And Safety Philosophy For Reinforced Concrete. Prof Kypros

Pilakoutas

37 Precast Concrete Connections Prof Kypros

Pilakoutas

38 Seismic Retrofit/strengthening Of Structures Prof Kypros

Pilakoutas
No Topic Supervisor

39 Concrete Caissons For Low Level Radioactive Materials Prof Kypros

Pilakoutas

40 Automated Concrete Casting Prof Kypros

Pilakoutas

41 Tomography Of Large Structural Elements Dr Danny Smyl

42 Tomographic Imaging Of Transport In Cement-based Materials Dr Danny Smyl

43 State Estimation For Monitoring Structures During Extreme Loading And Environmental Conditions Dr Danny Smyl
Technologies

August 27, 2018

From ancient times, civil engineering technology has evolved to create better structures.
Civil engineers use innovation to improve building materials and construction methods.
Now, civil engineers are researching technologies to improve building construction and
planning.
With their education, engineers are reinventing the built environment. For example,
engineers are creating technologies to give buildings “healing” abilities and “skins.”
Engineers are also developing technologies that reduce the environmental load of the
structure. Using these emerging technologies, civil engineers can build more
sustainable and efficient structures. Michigan Technological University’s online civil
engineering degree helps students master new and emerging technologies to excel in
their engineering work.
Self-Healing Concrete
One of the biggest problems with concrete structures and walkways are cracks. So, a
researcher in the Netherlands created concrete that uses bacteria to “heal” itself. The
concrete “heals” when the bacteria activates and begins to multiply on itself. This
engineering technology creates buildings that no longer need expensive maintenance.
Self-healing concrete also protects buildings from collapse. These include materials like
self-healing concrete, reinforced concrete, masonry, timber, and steel.

Use of Augmented and Virtual Reality

Augmented Reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are now used in the engineering field.
AR and VR are being used to analyze proposed structures before construction begins.
AR is being used to envision how a building will look on a site, while the lot is still dirt.
Civil engineering technicians use VR to analyze building and utility placement. These
technologies aid in visualizing structural and civil engineering works.

3D Printed Structures and Models

3D printers are now an integral part of civil engineering work. 3D printing is often
applied to create models for early designs. Engineers use 3D printed models to help
bridge gaps between visual design and construction planning.

This civil engineering technology is also used to “print” homes. 3D printing homes speed
up construction, reduces construction mistakes and is more sustainable. Instead of
months, the construction time shortens to a few weeks for small houses. Advanced
online civil engineering degrees explore concrete structures and materials like these.
These technologies help revolutionize society’s definition of affordable and accurate
building construction.

Use of Kinetic Roadways and Walkways

Nowadays, engineering technology jobs and research are very focused on alternative
energy generation. One source of energy is kinetic energy from pedestrians walking and
cars driving. Civil engineers have recently discovered how to collect this energy for
use. Hi-tech methods using induction and storage tools collect energy from braking
vehicles and footsteps in high traffic areas. The energy collected creates electricity that
powers street lights and the local electricity grid.

PV Building Glazing
Despite their recent invention in the 1950s, PV solar panels have already evolved to a
new level. Now, instead of placing solar panels on top of roofs, solar panels are built
into building walls like a “skin.” Now, a building’s walls and ceilings can generate and
store energy. This cutting-edge technology is being tested to create the first net-zero
energy buildings.

An advanced engineering technology degree will help engineers leverage these

emerging technologies. Michigan Tech’sonline civil engineering degree makes
innovative engineering reality and continues to improve our built environment.
Sources:

1 - https://www.raconteur.net/business-innovation/top-ten-construction-
innovations
2 -https://www.flatworldsolutions.com/engineering/articles/6-latest-trends-in-civil-
engineering.php
3https://www.3dsystems.com/learning-center/case-studies/full-color-3d-printing-
helps-nordic-civil-engineering-giant-ramboll
4 - https://www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/comment/why-3d-printed-building-is-
more-than-a-fad-1.714548
5 - https://news.energysage.com/the-history-and-invention-of-solar-panel-
technology/
6https://www.engineering.com/ElectronicsDesign/ElectronicsDesignArticles/Artic
leID/16263/Building-Integrated-Photovoltaics-Walls-and-Roofs-that-Generate-
Power-and-Save-Energy.aspx

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