The University of British Columbia

Research Activities

The general emphasis of research in the Materials program is on the relationship between the structure and the mechanical properties of Civil Engineering materials, especially portland cement and concrete, timber, and composites. Some more specific topics of current and planned research include the following: mechanical properties and durability of portland cement concrete (plain and fibre-reinforced); permeability of portland cement concrete; shotcrete (wet and dry processes); shrinkage, cracking and durability; impact/blast resistance of concrete and fiber reinforced concrete; fracture and deformation of wood; use of fiber reinforced plastic composites for new construction and repair, and use of recycled materials in concrete.

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Facilities

Modern and advanced research facilities are available to graduate students in the Materials program. There is a 500 square metre laboratory devoted solely to materials research, as well as extensive testing facilities in the Structures Laboratory. There is also a state-of-the-art shotcrete facility. Graduate students in the Materials program also have access to other analytical facilities which include both a transmission and a scanning electron microscope.

The department has excellent computing facilities, including numerous networked PC's and UNIX computers, and access to other University computing resources.

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Civil Engineering Materials Faculty

Nemkumar Banthia

Portland cement and concrete and its fiber reinforced composites, shotcrete, impact, repairs, fiber reinforced plastics, use of recycled materials.

Faculty in Related Areas

Reza Vaziri

Polymer composite materials, mechanics, finite element analysis, high strain rate behaviour and impact.

Active Emeritus Faculty

Sidney Mindess

Portland cement and concrete, materials testing, fracture mechanics.

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