Novel and Bio-Based Materials

The Group is a community of academics and PhD students who conducts rigorous research into a wide range of specialist areas.

The research group is established to meet civil engineering and built environment sustainability challenges by the use of novel technologies and management techniques in bio- based construction materials to respond to current sustainability needs/goals, climate change and reduction of carbon footprint. To achieve this, the group’s core strategy is to focus on strong external collaboration, establishing links with industry, higher educational, research centres and the public sectors in order to conduct research on priority areas addressing industrial and societal challenges, and to fit within the UK and international strategies.

The group is specialising in:

  • Civil Engineering and Infrastructure Construction Materials
  • Sustainable Pavement Engineering & Asphalt Technology
  • Cement and Concrete Research, Ceramic Materials, Geopolymer & Asphalt Materials
  • Low Carbon and Bio- Based construction Materials
  • Design, Evaluation and Analysis of Steel, Concrete and Composite Structures
  • Characterisation and repair of structural of timber, Investigation of the behaviour of reinforcement of external and internal reinforcement of structural timber using fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) rods and steel members, Investigation of the behaviour of timber-concrete composite structures
  • Engineering characterisation (laboratory based) of cement and earth-based construction materials (including with bio-fibres, bio-ashes and bacteria-based solutions): electro-chemistry tests, hydro-mechanical tests, hygro-thermal tests.
  • Tailor construction solutions to improve energy efficiency performance as a function of environmental conditions (cradle to gate and operational levels) for buildings and structures
  • Testing (on site and lab-based) for implementation of solutions to increase service life of reinforced concrete structures exposed to aggressive environments
  • Computational modelling of service life of structures
  • Bio-based solutions optimisation to boost agro-industry waste incorporation in infrastructure (buildings and structures)
  • Experimental investigation of structural materials and members, numerical methods in structural engineering
  • Earthquake Engineering design, novel methods in seismic design of steel structures, probabilistic risk assessment of structures, resilient damage-free structures, performance based engineering design
  • High strength steel structures, stainless steel structures, aluminium structures, composite steel-concrete and aluminium-concrete structures, prestressed structures
  • Wind energy structures, life cycle assessment and sustainability considerations
  • Structural health monitoring
  • FEA in geotechnics, tunnelling engineering, mining engineering and railway track geo-structures; Laboratory testing of soils, rocks and railway geo-structures

The Research theme’s strategic focus on real-world challenges through collaboration is exemplified in the impact case studies for example the (ICS1) the submitted to REF 2021 “Prolonging the Life of our Roads and Highways with No CO2 Emission Construction Materials” resulted from a challenge for the pavement industry (Colas Ltd) to reduce CO2 emission.

The Novel and Bio-based Materials Research Theme has a very successful history for applying their specialism into real-world applications and has completed research projects funded such as: the Innovate UK, Royal Academy of Engineering, Royal Society, Horizon 2020, Institution of Civil Engineers. The Group has also received direct funding from industry such as, Colas ltd, Tarmac Ltd, United Utilities, NJUG street work, UK for projects related to materials process enhancement, pavement evaluations. Successful collaboration in developing sustainable construction materials in developing countries through Global Challenge Research Fund (GCRF).

Get in touch

If you'd like to ask a question or find out more about information about this Group, please contact the team lead using the details below.

Contact: Prof Hassan Al Nageim, Lead of the Novel Bio-Based Materials Research Theme
Email: h.k.alnageim@ljmu.ac.uk
Call: 0151 231 22811
Address: Liverpool John Moores University
Peter Jost Centre
Byrom St
Liverpool
L3 3AF

The Theme Members are: