Fields of Research (FoR)

Structural Engineering, Numerical Modelling and Mechanical Characterisation, Composite Materials

Biography

Professor in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Research Interest

I do research on the behaviour of structures made of steel, concrete and timber. In particular, I am interested in the behaviour and development of innovative hybrid structures that fully exploit advantages of timber, steel and concrete.

I develop efficient 1D frame finite element models that can be used to capture material as well as geometrical nonlinearities...view more

Professor in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Research Interest

I develop efficient 1D frame finite element models that can be used to capture material as well as geometrical nonlinearities of frames subjected to extreme loading scenarios such as blasts and earthquakes. Also, I am interested in the constitutive modelling of concrete and timber.

Interest in engineering

Why did you get into engineering?

Actually, my interest in mechanics and mathematics motivated me to get into civil/structural engineering career.

What are your research goals?

My goal is to develop innovative structural systems with lower energy and carbon footprint and also structures (especially connections) which are easy to fabricate, assemble and dismantle.

Also, I am looking into new methods for efficient and accurate modelling, analysis and design of hybrid structural systems under short- and long-term service loads.

Advice for prospective engineers

If you are interested in applying your mathematics and physics knowledge in a wide range of engineering problems that are of interest to our society, then civil/structural engineering is one of the options you should definitely look at.

Lectures/Courses taught

Reinforced Concrete Design

Mechanics of Solids

Steel and timber design

Bridge design

Students

Number currently in lab: 10 PhD students

Number of PhD students graduated: 17

Student Projects:

Structural behaviour of hybrid connections

Reliability-based design of hybrid structures

Short- and long-term constitutive modelling of materials at the different length scales

Looking for students for projects related to:

Short- and long-term testing and finite element modelling of hybrid structures

Prefabricated hybrid (steel, timber, concrete) composite structures with deconstruction potential

Constitutive modelling of timber and engineered wood product

Development of mechanistic models for hybrid steel-timber-concrete connections

Professional Organizations and Consulting positions

Associate Editor and member of the editorial board, Journal of Structural Engineering (ASCE)

Member of Editorial Board, Structures (IStrucE)

Member, Institute of Engineers Australia

Member, Concrete Institute of Australia

Member, American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)

My Grants

ARC Discovery Grant DP220101038, “Torsion in innovative timber composite floors” (with M. Bradford), 2022-2024, $340,000.

ARC Discovery Grant DP220100841, “Connections for hybrid steel-timber-concrete structures” (with M. Foster), 2022-2024, $318,000.

ARC Discovery Grant DP160104092, “Composite Steel-Timber Structural System” (with M. Bradford), 2016-2018, $435,000.

ARC Linkage Grant LP150101102, “High Strength Concrete Beam-Columns with High-Strength Steel Reinforcement” (with S. Foster & G. McGregor), 2015-2017, $190,000.

ARC Discovery Grant DP150104107, “Moment-Rotation Capacity of Steel-Fibre Reinforced Concrete (SFRC)” (with S. Foster), 2015-2017, $266,300.

ARC Discovery Grant DP120103328, “Progressive Collapse Resistance of Reinforced Concrete Framed Structures with Membrane Action” (with S. Foster), 2012-2014, $320,000.