MABY4800 Advanced Materials and Technologies for Sustainable Structures Course description

This course will focus on advanced materials, primarily emphasizing concrete, and their key strength and durability properties, as well as their future outlook for improving the sustainability and resilience of structures. Lessons developed for this course will cover a wide range of high-performance construction materials and steel developed for different applications. Further to detailed discussions on the performance and pros/cons of such materials, this course will deliver in-depth knowledge of their main physical, chemical, mechanical, and thermal properties.

While the traditional curricula primarily cover only conventional concrete and steel materials for building and bridge applications, the current course provides a state-of-the-art knowledge of the advanced concrete and steel materials, including 3D concrete, high-strength concrete, ultra-high-performance concrete, and fiber-reinforced concrete, as well as high-strength and corrosion-resistant steel. By completing this course, the students will be inspired to consider innovative applications of high-performance concrete and steel materials in their future research investigations and/or industry endeavours.

Language of instruction: English

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After completing the course, the student is expected to have achieved the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills, and general competence:

Knowledge:

The student has:

• state-of-the-art knowledge of the application of different types of advanced concrete and steel materials, such as high-performance concrete and steel
• in-depth knowledge to select the optimal material in a construction
• knowledge to design structures with innovative materials
• in-depth knowledge of physical, chemical, mechanical, and thermal properties of innovative concrete and steel materials
• knowledge about the effect of the application of innovative materials on the life cycle of structures
• knowledge about the environmental impact of using innovative materials.

Skills:

The student

• is capable of conducting experimental tests on standard specimens using different types of innovative concrete
• is capable of conducting experimental tests on standard specimens using different types of innovative steel
• can assess the needs and propose the optimum innovative materials for certain design cases
• can describe the difference between conventional and innovative steel and concrete in a different context
• can carry out the basics of life cycle analysis.

General Competence:

The student is able to:

• design structures with innovative materials.
• reduce the environmental impact of construction materials
• assess the need for the application of advanced steel and concrete
• use different types of reviews of scientific articles/reports to gain an overview of the latest developments in advanced steel and concrete
• characterize the properties of high-performance concrete and steel materials.

The teaching consists of lectures, in-class individual and group discussion and exercises. In addition, students will carry out a project assignment and school exam. The project assignment shall be presented in the form of a scholarly report.

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The examination is divided into two parts:

1) Individual written exam (60 minutes), weighted 70%. This part will be multiple choice questions and questions requiring short responses.

2) Project report, prepared by groups of up to 4 students, approx. 5000-6000 words, weighted 30%.

In group work, the students’ different contributions must be reflected in the submitted work. Normally, all members of the group receive the same grade, but in exceptional cases, individual grades may be assigned within groups after further assessment. In such cases, all students in the relevant group will be informed that grades will be given individually before the grades are published.

Both parts 1 and 2 must be awarded a passing grade (E or better) for the student to pass the course.

The exam can be appealed.

In the event of a resit or rescheduled exam, an oral examination may be used instead. If oral exams are used for resit and rescheduled exams, the result cannot be appealed.

1) No aids are permitted.

2) All aids are permitted as long as rules for source referencing are followed.

Graded scale: A -F

1) Two internal examiners.

2) Two internal examiners.

External sensor is used regularly.

Mahdi Kioumarsi and Sarra Drissi