Latest for own funding
Investigation of engineering performance of engineered cementitious composites (ECC)
Dr Mohamed Sonebi and Professor M Lachemi (Ryerson University-Canada)
Engineered cementitious composites (ECC) are a type of high performance, ultra-high ductility fibre-reinforced composite developed at the University of Michigan. ECC typically consists of cement, sand, fibres, chemical admixtures such as HRWR and potentially mineral admixtures, with the coarse aggregate content omitted to aid fibre dispersion. In contrast to tension-softening of conventional fibre-reinforced composites (FRC), ECC exhibits a strain-hardening behaviour (whereby significant micro-cracking occurs to enable further increases in load capacity). The benefits of ECC are not limited to mechanical properties, indicating the aforementioned micro-cracking within ECC to exhibit a water permeability equal to sound concrete, thereby highlighting durability benefits. Potential ECC applications include infrastructure elements, e.g. bridge decks or airport runways which benefit from increased toughness, and structures in seismic areas benefitting from the strain-hardening behaviour. While much research has been provided upon the influence of independent variables on ECC, a significant lack of research exists with regard to the fresh properties, rheology, mechanical properties and plastic shrinkage and the durability of ECC. The aim of this study is to investigate the various parameters of mix composition affecting the fresh properties, rheology, mechanical properties and plastic shrinkage and drying shrinkage, and the durability of ECC.
Microstructural characterisation of cementless geopolymer concrete
Professor Wei Sha, Professor Marios Soutsos & Professor Muhammed Basheer
The project aims to provide key evidence for understanding the microstructure which develops in cementless "geopolymer" materials of different sources which have different chemical and mineral compositions. This could allow blending of different materials so that they produce geopolymer concretes with the desired engineering properties such as greater compressive strength, greater tensile strength and greater flexibility.
Durability of precast concrete made with self-compacting concrete (SCC) with different supplementary materials
Dr Mohamed Sonebi
The introduction of SCC into general concrete construction can be considered as the most significant advance in concrete technology for decades. SCC is highly flowable, non-segregating concrete that can spread into place, fill the formwork, and encapsulate the reinforcement without any mechanical compaction. SCC has been successfully used in many projects around the world and it has made a major impact on concrete placement and construction economics. These characteristics translate into a substantial reduction in labour cost and construction time and a better working environment by eliminating the impact of vibration, using waste materials, reducing carbon foot print and energy consumption. The aim of the project is investigate the effect of mix composition including the supplementary materials (such as GGBS, fly ash, silica fume, metakaolin), fillers and waste materials on the durability properties of SCC (chloride migration, sulfate attack, frost thawing, carbonation, chemical resistance to acid attack and seawater) and compare to vibrated traditional concrete.
Click here to applyImpact resistance of Reactive Powder Concrete (RPC)
Dr Des Robinson, Professor Marios Soutsos & Dr James Lim
Ultra high-performance fibre-reinforced concretes (UHPFRCs) have been developed in an attempt to improve the mechanical performance of cementitious materials, especially strength and ductility under tension. The compressive strengths of Reactive Powder Concrete (RPC), one type of UHPFRC, are likely to be between 170 to 230 MPa depending on the post-set heat treatment (20 to 900C). Values for flexural strengths are likely to be between 30 and 60 MPa, fracture energies between 20,000 and 40,000 J.m-2 and moduli of elasticity between 50 to 60 Gpa. RPC appears to be a promising new material not only because of its enhanced ductility but also because the mixing and casting procedures are no different to existing procedures for normal and high strength concretes. The project will aim to supplement and develop existing expertise and data available to the supervisors to permit reliable estimation of the behaviour of RPC under impact and explosion loading conditions. This will make use of state-of-the-art equipment, computer modelling techniques and software. Specific objectives include:
- Experimental determination of the mechanical properties, compressive and flexural strengths, fracture energies, moduli of elasticity, of RPC to provide accurate input data for the computer programs.
- Numerical and experimental investigation of the impact load resistance of RPC, with different reinforcement details.
- Development of guidelines for the design and detailing of RPC elements to resist impact and explosion loads.
- Development of computer simulation programs that will be able to provide accurate predictions of the behaviour of RPC under impact and explosion loading.
The Abaqus finite element analysis package will be used to undertake the computer simulation of the impact. The package will be used to perform an explicit transient dynamic analysis of the impact. The non-linear plasticity models available within the package will be used to capture the material characteristics of the UHPFRC material
Crack-inducing thermal stresses in safety-critical concrete structures
Dr James Lim, Professor. Marios Soutsos & Dr Des Robinson
Thermal cracking in the structural concrete of foundations, bridges, tunnel linings and other medium-sized elements has become an increasing problem in recent decades. Previous methods of predicting thermal cracking and stresses in concrete structures have until now relied entirely on empirical knowledge of previous construction. Now, with the advent of powerful computer processing capabilities, it is proposed that a more rigorous and theoretically valid approach needs to be adopted. Equipment will be developed together with practical experimental procedures for determining the heat of hydration and early age mechanical properties of concrete specimens undergoing the same temperature cycles as they would in a real structure. These will comprise the increase of compressive and tensile strength, the increase of stiffness and the decrease of relaxation capacity, the coefficient of thermal expansion and the influence of chemical reactions on the deformation. These properties can then be used in conjunction with numerical modelling techniques to look at the many ramifications of the heat problem. This will include the effects of concrete strength, i.e. normal and high, binder type and content, size of structural element, casting and ambient temperatures, formwork type and time of removal on the maximum temperature rise and magnitude of the thermal stresses. The finite element program LUSAS will initially be used as it includes a concrete model with analytical capabilities for modelling concrete cracking and crushing that can model concrete characteristic behaviour. This can be coupled with a concrete heat of hydration facility in LUSAS, validated previously against stand-alone commercial heat of hydration programs. A combination of these capabilities will permit the structural performance of a variety of structures to be assessed, and their sensitivity to different temperatures and degree of hydration (which can be input into LUSAS) evaluated.
Effect of temperature on the early-age strength development of concretes with supplementary cementitious materials
Dr. S. Nanukuttan, Professor Marios Soutsos & Dr James Lim
The use of ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) and pulverised fuel ash (PFA) and ternary systems with condensed silica fume (CSF) in concrete although economic has not gained popularity in fast-track construction or precast concrete factory production because of the slower strength gain of these mixes at standard curing temperatures. There are however indications that GGBS and PFA are heavily penalised by standard curing regimes. The high early age temperatures occurring inside structural elements appear to provide the activation energy needed for the pozzolanic reaction to "kick-in" earlier. This results in in-situ/air-cured or standard cured strength ratios of 2.0 to 2.4 as compared to ratios of 1.0 to 1.4 for Ordinary Portland Cement concrete mixes. The main aim of this project will be to investigate the early age strength development of GGBS, PFA, GGBS/CSF and PFA/CSF composite cements under simulated in-situ temperature histories in order to give guidance for their use in fast-track construction and precast concrete factory production. It is important that techniques for monitoring the strength development on site, e.g., maturity measurements, are validated for these composite cements. This work will involve theoretical studies, computer modelling and laboratory experimental studies.
Click here to applyCarbon dioxide sequestration technology for manufacturing engineered cement matrix for resisting severe exposure environments (CARBON-ECEM)
Professor Muhammed Basheer, Dr Danny McPolin & Dr Tony McNally (SMASE)
Concrete is the second most widely used material in the world today after water and Portland cement is the most widely used cementitious material in concrete. World cement production for 2010 was nearly 3.3Bt, with China responsible for more than 56% (1.868Bt) and the 27 EU member states accounting for approximately 6% (190.4 million tonne) of the global volume. This accounts for 2.74Bt of CO2 released to the atmosphere (~830kg CO2 per tonne of Portland cement). Therefore, in the past number of years the EU has introduced a body of legislation, policy guidance and targets aimed at significantly reducing the carbon footprint of construction. There are two goals for the CARBON-ECEM project: one is to develop an engineered cement matrix so as to reduce the consumption of Portland cement; and the other is to develop an effective CO2 sequestration technology so as to reduce the release of CO2 to the atmosphere. The CARBON-ECEM project will achieve these two goals simultaneously by developing a novel CO2 utilisation technology, in which CO2 will modify the microstructure of the cement matrix and will result in improved engineering properties and reduced use of Portland cement. This novel CO2 technology comprises utilisation of CO2 during the manufacture of cementitious materials, such as concrete, or a delayed release of CO2 immediately after manufacturing concrete, and the anticipated benefit in reducing global release of CO2 from cement plants is 0.412Bt. A multidisciplinary approach encompassing material science, cement chemistry, sensor development and modelling will be applied to develop the technology. Unlike other newly available approaches to reduce the use of Portland cement, this technology does not require a change of current Codes of Practice, making both the technology transfer and impact realisation fast.
Integration of real-time monitoring and modelling techniques for the optimisation of the precast concrete production process for marine applications
Professor Marios Soutsos & Dr Sreejith Nanukuttan
Concrete is the second largest used commodity in the world after water. The environmental impact attached to the concrete production is substantial and results in at least 5% of the total world carbon footprint. Despite the large demand, the industry is currently going through a challenging period with profit margins ranging from 1- 6% of the production cost. The winter season brings further challenges to the production process with plummeting temperatures resulting in slow strength development and increased processing time. In order to overcome this problem, producers often (1) increase the cement quantity, (2) add chemical admixtures and (3) subject the products to high temperature curing for longer periods. All these measures further increase the environmental impact whilst reducing the profit margin. It is well established that the temperature history of concrete, especially during its early age curing process, can be related to its strength development. Sophisticated models can be used to predict the temperature profile in a structural element, i.e. the strength differences that may exist between the core and outer surface concrete. Monitoring the temperature history of concrete and relating it to concrete compressive strength can help to optimise not only the temperature-assisted curing time but also the cement content and type and amount of chemical admixtures needed to achieve the required minimum compressive strength for stripping/demoulding the next day. Furthermore, the technology can be adapted to forecast changes to the mixes needed to counteract adverse effects on the basis of weather forecasts. Using targeted monitoring and modelling techniques it is therefore possible to optimise the production process. This project will benefit from the expertise at the Centre for Built Environment Research in concrete technology, distributed sensing and temperature-based strength prediction. The project will be supported by one of the leading precast concrete manufacturers, Creagh Concrete Products Limited. The potential impact of the project includes a 6-10% reduction in the carbon footprint and increased profit margins up to 10%.
Click here to applyDr Sarah Lappin & Professor Ruth Morrow
"The Internationale Bauausstellung (IBA) was a far-sighted urban renewal project carried out in West Berlin between 1979 and 1987. The programme consisted of Neubau (newly constructed buildings), led by Josef Paul Kleihues, and Altbau (repairs and alterations to existing blocks), led by Hardt-Waltherr Hämer. IBA was realised over the course of a decade, often through ambitious international competitions that offered many young architects their first experience of building on a large scale. FAB hopes that lessons learned from the process and delivery of IBA 1987 can be applied to the re-stitching of Belfast. The Missing City Map published by FAB in 2010 will become the basis for the international competition that FAB plans to complete by 2018." (Forum for Alternative Belfast (FAB), 2012) This PhD would help FAB set the foundations for this project, looking at how the Berlin Bauausstellung operated whilst understanding the current landscape of development, policy, etc in Belfast.
Architectural identity on the island of Ireland and modes of government intervention 1945-1969
Dr Sarah Lappin & Professor Ruth Morrow
There are numerous incidents in the period of 1945-1969 on both sides of the Irish border in which governments sought advice and expertise about design and architecture culture from outside the island of Ireland. This PhD will investigate these moments, analysing them in the historical, political and cultural contexts in which they were occurring. This PhD builds on previous work by visual culture and architectural historians in order to better understand current attitudes towards architecture and identity in this part of the world.
The third dimension of the street in urban morphology: links between urban analysis and architecture
Dr Agustina Martire & Professor Greg Keeffe
Our understanding of cities has grown in complexity in the last half century. However, architectural theory is yet to find methods that are appropriate to the discipline, while building bridges with other disciplines that deal with urban space. Urban morphology is a methodology that has been largely underrepresented in architectural research. Urban Morphology has evolved its focus to cover not only the analysis of the evolution of urban form but also to understand the functional and social dimensions of urban evolution. Even though some of this research took place within schools of architecture, these perspectives have been largely neglected by architectural research, especially at an international level. This gap becomes evident in the limited amount of spatial representation in the publications, which has been consistently limited to the two dimensional plan. The few cases in which there is a three dimensional representation, this was limited to the building, with little or no reference to the street or to urban space. Architects still have not used this methodology fully to analyse urban space. Moreover, a more recent strand of urban analysis, Space Syntax, used by architects and planners, has not dealt enough with the third dimension. A new approach to urban morphology should include the essential spatial qualities of the city and the street, and representation of the third dimension through section would clarify this approach.
This project intends to develop a mapping and representation analysis of streets in plan and section in different cities of the world. The purpose of this project is twofold, on one hand it aims at finding ways of analysing urban space with an architectural approach, making a link with other spatial disciplines such as planning and geography. On the other it aims to challenge ideas such as western/non western cities, the ‘global south’ or first and third world, through the understanding of the street at a human scale, to be able to find similarities and differences which would otherwise not be evident. This will allow a different and probably less standardised approach to planning, architectural and urban design, more involved with a sense of place.
Redevelopment of urban harbours: an evaluation of Belfast’s Titanic Quarter
Dr Agustina Martire & Dr Sarah Lappin
The urban landscape is an integral part of the environment; with more than 50% of the global population living in cities, the conservation and safekeeping of diversity in urban contexts should be at the top of the agenda of academia and government. Waterfront developments have followed a global standard of large scale ‘mix use’ pattern, erasing the existing fabric and built environment and replacing it with new landmark buildings and retail areas, aimed at enhancing tourism and city branding. This has led cities like Belfast to take over a large area of unused harbour facilities following this international model. The area has only been partially built, and the lack of investment for further development requires new ideas for an area that runs the risk of disuse and dereliction. The proposal of the use of existing buildings in Titanic Quarter for temporary creative arts events could be an opportunity for the re-conception of Belfast waterfront. This project is also aligned with the interests of the Institute for collaborative Research in the humanities. There is interest from the Titanic Quarter Foundation in a partnership with QUB, which could be a potential benefit for this project.
Urban waterfronts globally have attracted large scale urban development over the last three decades. The key drivers of this development have been technical, political, social, and economical transformations, which provoked significant changes on the spatial configuration of the city in general and on their waterfronts in particular. The recent redevelopment of waterfronts has, since the early nineteen-eighties, the tendency to produce a space that is homogeneous and standardised. Despite consistent criticism, this tendency of large scale waterfront development has prevailed, and great part of the urban tangible and intangible heritage of these areas has been lost or completely transformed.
Titanic Quarter in Belfast is one of these most recent waterfront projects, which followed the model of standardised large scale waterfront development with questionable success. Belfast was comparably late in the plans and construction of its waterfront, therefore the urban project for the regeneration of Titanic Quarter was recently hit by the economic downturn. A design strategy that was already obsolete when started, has been cut short, leaving large areas of empty land and several buildings with reduced use.
In a city where the centre has a great amount of empty spaces, practically no housing provision, and is only retail led, one has to question the value of a large development on the waterfront. However, Belfast is experiencing change, and this is greatly due to the temporary use of city sites for arts, music, film and literature festivals. This could be an opportunity to rethink the Titanic Quarter development, the existing buildings in it and their potential reuse.
This project will investigate the cultural significance of waterfront developments globally and confront them with city centres, while taking Belfast as a case study, analysing the processes of decision making for their development, and exploring the potential of reuse of buildings, streets and public spaces for temporary purposes.
Exaptation and urban regeneration
Professor Greg Keeffe & Dr Agustina Martire
Exaptation is the use of an emergent technology for something other than its original purpose. This thesis will look for examples of this in architecture and create a taxonomy of types, based on analysis of case study materials.
Fractal city: urban resilience and nested redundancy
Professor Greg Keeffe & Dr Agustina Martire
In this thesis, the student will look at the idea of emergence and chaos to develop new ways of developing resilience through the creation of self-similar Interventions at a range of nested scales.
Re-defining the centre: conflict in contested spaces
Dr Gehan Selim & Dr Gamal Abdelmonem
This interdisciplinary research aims to investigate how contested spaces are shaped by its turbulent past, present and future. The spatial configurations of such places are defined by a series of conflicts that assumes a new map for redefining its boarder/centre relations. Conflict here is not limited to religion, class, gender, and political affiliation or to economic interest, but it could definitely embrace a range of implications on the urban space and how it is reshaped by its users. The case studies for this research are open to include a range of contested spaces in European and Middle Eastern cities that absorbed/ resisted the implications of conflict and proposed alternative meanings to spaces under conflict.
Understanding spatial quality: revealing the politics of (re)making urban spaces in the contemporary city
Dr Gehan Selim & Dr Gamal Abdelmonem
Remaking is a practice that emerged out of the need to incorporate particular political, economic and socio-cultural conditions in providing improved living environments for citizens. It is a tool that contributes to the city’s future demands through either reconstruction or clearance. This approach appears to have had a significant effect on the spatial quality of the city’s living spaces, wherein large areas of urban districts have been demolished to create a new public realm. This study aims to explain what constitutes an adequate spatial quality in the contemporary city. It will investigate and analyse the physical evidence, architectural aspects, and human interactions within the transformed spaces using qualitative research techniques such as interviews, survey and spatial analysis, and archival materials.
Ventilation and indoor air quality in high-performance buildings
Dr Menghao Qin & Professor Greg Keeffe
High-performance buildings require innovative designs and technologies to control ventilation and indoor air quality (IAQ). Most existing design tools and energy analysis programs do not adequately address airflow and advanced energy-efficient ventilation, e.g., natural and hybrid ventilation, demand-controlled ventilation. The objectives of the proposed project are to integrate multi-zone airflow modelling, building hygrothermal simulation, and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) into tools that are accessible to researchers and designers, to apply new tools to study key design approaches, and to use new tools and design methods to optimise source control, air cleaning and ventilation.
Development of a fully coupled multi-zone hygrothermal-airflow simulation tool
Dr Menghao Qin
Combined heat and multi-zone airflow modelling is widely recognised as necessary to predict airflow in multi-zone buildings and to perform precise energy calculations. In addition to the information about energy and airflow behaviour, moisture content is an important parameter in the design of comfortable and healthy buildings. As moisture is strongly coupled to both energy and airflow, water vapour transfer in buildings should be investigated using integrated heat, air and moisture (HAM) models. The objective of this research is to develop a model for predicting fully coupled multi-zone hygrothermal-airflow transfer in air-conditioned buildings. The new model calculates the interactions between multi-zone airflow and primary hygrothermal effects.
Alternative living: investigation of unconventional living forms in contemporary European urban centres
Dr Gamal Abdelmonem & Dr Gehan Selim
Alternative living is a novel investigation that emerges, following one decade of research of flexible housing in Europe, to challenge our understanding of conventional and rigid housing standards in urban contexts. It reconceptualises the idea of living and restructures the living units into a set of socio-spatial spheres of interaction allowing for non-conventional and novel arrangement of living settings. This project undertakes analytical study of the emerging forms of living in 21st century Europe and the Mediterranean basin in light of the changing social structure of middle-aged and middle-class group. Through the documentation, analysis and modelling, this project aims at recognizing novel strategies for socio-spatial design of domestic environments that works outside mainstream architectural practice and influences the emergence of new and none-conventional typologies.
Living off the grid: multi-dimensional strategy for sustainable design of residential developments outside urban grids in temperate and desert-dominated environments
Dr Gamal Abdelmonem & Professor Greg Keeffe
In light of the incremental demand on feasible self-sufficient housing units in energy-scarce and desert-dominated contexts, this project aims to study, analyse, and model a design strategy for self-sufficient units and settlements outside the urban grid. It undertakes an in-depth investigation of a sub-Sahara/Arabian desert context (culture, spatial system and environmental conditions), while exploring and testing, using computer modelling, the feasibility of self-sufficient local environmental control, using solar panels. This is a technology-driven and context-based project that puts to test the potential feasibility of sustainable design through a technology that is informed by local materials and social structure.
Neoliberal urbanism and uneven development
Dr Jenny Muir & Dr Phil Boland
The global reach and impact of neoliberal urbanism on urban regeneration policy and practice is evident through processes such as city competitiveness and commodification practices, seeking to add value and hence to assist global capital flows. However, empirical work reveals that these processes are uneven both within and between cities, for example in Belfast there is a greater degree of commodification and competitiveness in the city centre and Titanic Quarter developments and less so in more contested areas where regeneration continues to be state-led and funded. Work in this area will explore the uneven and place specific impact of neoliberal urbanism using a case study research design involving a city, city area(s) or cities of the applicant’s choice.
Design and development of innovative and sustainable building components for industry
Professor Ruth Morrow
This project will examine how practitioners can contribute to the development of innovative and sustainable building products from early stage development and manufacture. It will investigate examples of (research-informed) design being located at the early stages of the building component manufacturing; considered as an emerging place for architects to practice.
The project will lead to a better understanding of design-led thinking and practice-based research in building component development. It will build off Invest NI’s 2009 Report, ‘Future Opportunities in Building Products’ and connect to the current concerns of the high-level UK built-environment think-tank (the Edge), the RIBA (future practices), the TSB (creative industries hub) and Building Research Establishment’s innovation section. The work will draw on cases studies based in universities such as CAST: the centre for architectural structures and technology, University of Manitoba and the Institute of Technology in Architecture, ETH, Switzerland and practice-based case studies such as Kraft architecture, Glasgow, and Tactility Factory, Belfast.
(This project would underpin the proposed new cross-disciplinary Masters suite on Sustainable Practices)
Textile technology and textile thinking in construction and architecture
Professor Ruth Morrow & Dr Sarah Lappin
This project will examine the latest uses and applications of textile technology in the building industry today alongside case studies of where textile thinking has been brought into the design and construction of environments.
Craft in architecture
Professor Ruth Morrow Mr Andrew Clancy
This project will examine contemporary views of craft (beyond the experience of making and the maker) and how these might directly impact on the design and construction of the built environment. The “Concept of Craft” has evolved rapidly in the last 5 years but how it might be delivered through architecture is as yet under-explored. An understanding of the inter-relationships between art, design and craft within the body of architecture will be required.
Urban design as a physical paradigm
Professor Michael McGarry & Professor Greg Keeffe
Colin Rowe and Fred Koeter attempted a reconciliation of post modern influences with an inherited urban culture; figure and ground versus collage as alternative but physical paradigms for an urban morphology. The relevance of urban culture read as a physical construct is challenged by emerging technologies; in that evaporation of tangible space, where sits urban design and the urban designer?
Location, space, and language
Professor Michael McGarry & Mr Andrew Clancy
Phenomenology and language - Bachelard, Alexander, and Rudofsky in their different ways assumed the existence of certain archetypal spatial conditions underlying Western culture. Heidegger articulated the interdependence of the German language with such conditions. What shared values exist within our own use of language that would engender equivalent spatial resonances or are such correspondences irrelevant in the face of a globalised culture.
Architecture and cinema: analysing cities and buildings through moving images
Dr Gul Kacmaz Erk & Prof Greg Keeffe
‘Zoning’ taken by granted in urban planning is unlike the one portrayed by the filmmaker who frames the differences of places in a non-linear manner. Film offers a constructed urban experience, suggesting the city to be a local network composed of nodes and links, rather than a centre and the margin. It is possible to talk about the construction of a new kind of network in cinema through a temporal representation of space. In this way, film may be a tool to shift the gaze from the bird’s-eye view to the eye level to create a perceptual image of the city, with its buildings, streets, and public spaces. The experienced surfaces of the city are two-dimensional neither in fiction nor in reality. In this context, this study analyses urban films to understand architecture of the city in an alternative way.
New architectural practices: redefining for potential futures
Mr Alan Jones, Professor Greg Keeffe & Professor Michael McGarry/Professor Ruth Morrow
The accelerated change of recent years has caused much debate and conjecture as to the future of architectural practice. There are many stakeholders in the future directions of architectural practice, including clients, practitioners, educators, professional bodies, policy makers and researchers. Each stakeholder would benefit from an evidence-and-research based series of scenarios and related recommendations that would inform their future position, strategy and activity.
Potential data collection and research: to be discussed and agreed
The work would involve researching published critiques of current models of architectural practice and proposals of future forms of practice. It would require a review of influences on future practice and their additive/negative relationships and would lead to the identification and development of directions of future architectural practice. It would involve an analysis of existing architectural skills and abilities and those required for the various models of future practice.
Potential outcomes and impact: to be discussed and agreed
The expected outcomes would include a series of recommendations addressing:
- key influences and relationships
- articulation of a series of modes of future architectural practice
- how architectural education should respond to the new forms of practice
- mappings of studies career routes through architectural education and into practice
Spaces of liberation: spatial practices as an act of dissidence to traditional political institutions in urban squares during the Arab Spring
Dr Gamal Abdelmonem & Dr Gehan Selim
Mass protests during the Arab Spring in the Middle East have revealed layers of complex process of private/public patterns in massive urban revolt which are yet to be empirically and systematically investigated. This project investigates the quick pace by which the public space was reshaped and reassembled to assist its role as a space for resistance and liberation from the traditional state-driven system of power and control. By mapping patterns of interaction, social behaviour and use of space with the physical characteristics and spatial order of different public squares and their surrounding physical structures in cities that witnessed mass-protests in the region, this project investigates socio-spatial practices, street-arts, social identities and traces of equality that were at work in the urban square.
Using the Middle East during the Arab Spring will help to deploy methodologies of socio-spatial spheres, which are traditionally dealing with slow transformation, to be applied and tested in a context that witnesses fundamental changes at much quicker pace to issues of the right of expression of opinion, free-speech, political ideology and equality. It utilises analysis of interviews, questionnaires, analysis of media reports, decoded video recordings to verify accounts of participants and to reach evident conclusions.
The project intends to reveal whether these spatial practices, assuring identities, tolerance and equality towards the other had been embedded in the memory and cognition of the individuals that could be recalled in different places and situations to inform actions. How actions and spatial order of the squares enabled and supported such activities shall be a genuine approach that would inform policy makers, urban designers and architects about new forms of livings, active participation in decision making, and contest that must be considered in future planning and design in contested cities.
Click here to applyArchitectural conservation and the urban fabric
Dr Agustina Martire & Dr Sarah Lappin
Architectural and urban heritage is increasingly gaining significance at an international level. The economical downturn of recent years has led to questioning the condition of the built environment and raised the need for long term solutions to problems of sustainability through the reuse of existing buildings. Existing and abandoned buildings represent a substantially under-utilised resource and with the life of buildings being extended, adaptive reuse will play a ‘pivotal role’ in regeneration of the built environment. Urban morphology is a methodology largely underrepresented in architectural research, focusing mainly on the analysis of the evolution of urban form and the functional and social dimensions of urban evolution. This gap becomes evident in the limited amount of spatial representation in the publications, which was consistently limited to the two dimensional plan.
The combined study of urban morphology and architectural heritage through the analysis of streets as public spaces will provide an innovative approach to urban design. This approach is not only concerned with the preservation of buildings but with a holistic and efficient reuse, considering buildings as part of a consolidated urban area, that combines buildings and their uses with streets as public spaces.
Belfast was one of the most outstanding industrial cities of the nineteenth century, and its architecture reflected this wealth of industry and culture. During the twentieth century and especially since 1969 much of the city’s built heritage was demolished, while many buildings are still in disrepair and at risk of demolition. The project will investigate the existing urban fabric of Belfast through surveying and mapping the streets in the city and the buildings that bind them in plan and section, analysing among others, proportions, materials, urban furniture, mobility and accessibility of both streets and buildings.
Click here to applyUnderstanding how design-led research and research-led practitioners can contribute to the development of innovative and sustainable building components for industry
Professor Ruth Morrow
This project will examine how design-led researchers and research-led practitioners can contribute to the development of innovative and sustainable building products from early stage development and manufacture. It will investigate examples of (research-informed) design being located at the early stages of the building component manufacturing; considered as an emerging place for architects to practice.
The project will lead to a better understanding of:
- design-led thinking and practice-based research in building component development
- the role of university research in this sector (as opposed to industry based R&D)
- the role of the architecture profession and, by connotation, architectural education in opening up and contributing to new innovations in sustainable product / component development.
The project builds off the experience of Tactility Factory (TF), a spin out company co-owned by QUBIS, IUL and a building industry investor, and co-directed by Ruth Morrow, Professor of Architecture, SPACE. TF utilises tactics that may inform this project ie: ‘extreme collaborations’; building off historical Northern Irish expertise (from textile and concrete industries); adopting an ethical approach to the manufacture of components by prioritising the user’s experience; pairing ethical and fiscal approached within a creative process.
Click here to applySuper-suburbia: local food synergies that solve global problems
Professor Greg Keeffe & Dr Geraint Ellis
The aim of this project is to develop innovative solutions to the issue of urban food production, from an architecture and urbanism perspective. Urban food production, particularly that which engages with closed-loop cycles offers new ways of invigorating the city, not only through productive use of under-utilised land and the urban coherence this brings, but also in the community binding aspects of its production.
The aim of this action–led research is to build on work already performed under the recently completed Future Cities research project between Queen’s University and Belfast City Council (funded by the Technology Strategy Board), entitled Urban Empowerment, which investigated new ways of re-energising impoverished communities.
The project will use an innovative ‘research by design’ methodology to develop a range of future scenarios for sustainable food production on an urban scale, utilising post-industrial and other liminal space in the city.
These scenarios will be used as a blue-print to develop new methodologies, not only for the design of the city, but also for the co-development of community mobilisation. These will be developed into transferable ideas for the creation of new ‘super suburbs’, which put food-production, community resilience and sustainability at their heart.
The project will lead to a better understanding of:
- urban food production technologies at a small non industrial scale e.g. aqua/aero/hydroponics and permaculture
- design as a research-led but also research producing activity in architecture /planning
- the current and future drivers of the form of the ‘suburbs’ which is an under-researched area in architecture especially with respect to the ‘Localism’ agenda.
The student will work closely with the urban development team at Belfast City Council, Invest NI and the Soil Association NI.
Autism Spectrum Disorder & the Built Environment
Keith McAllister & Jason von Meding
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a term that covers the many sub-groups within the spectrum of autism. Along with the triad of impairments associated with ASD that manifest as problems with communication, social interaction and imagination, those with ASD often suffer from sensory sensitivity to the visual, auditory, tactile, proprioceptive, gustatory and olfactory realms. Therefore for those with ASD, the Built Environment can become difficult, confusing and even threatening. Subsequently one of the main difficulties for the person with ASD is to simply feel at ease in their own environment. This can have far reaching and profound consequences. Feeling ill at ease in the school environment can hamper learning, further alienating the ASD pupil in society. Feeling ill at ease in a domestic or residential environment for a person with ASD can lead to withdrawal and increased isolation. Recognising the importance of the Built Environment on those with ASD, recent research has begun to propose a series of generalised considerations for the architect when designing for ASD.
This research seeks to better identify specific and meaningful design guidelines when designing for those with ASD. The aspiration is then that this might help inform future architectural design, thereby encouraging fuller integration of the person with ASD into the wider Built Environment and society beyond.
Assuming control: negotiating privacy in outdoor community spaces in divided cities
Dr Gamal Abdelmonem & Dr. Gehan Selim
The political separation between different groups and communities based on ethnic, religious, or national identities used to impose long lasting effects the architecture or urban spaces and its spatial order. This project aims at analysing the patterns of control that communities assume and impose in shared outdoor spaces in divided cities and the consequences this control has on the integration of different groups and communities. One factor imposing a significant effect on the division of communities is the control and use of outdoor space. Belfast, Nicosia and Beirut are potential examples of cities where community and public open spaces have been segregated on different grounds. Through the use of qualitative techniques of data gathering, observation and interviews as well as cognitive mapping and spatial relationships analysis, the concept of control and ownership of contested land will be explored and defined from the local perspective. The project aims at developing a framework and guidelines for socially-informed design agenda in contested urban spaces provides inclusive of social issues, accessibility, identity and integration of public and private activities.
Crossing the threshold: the impact of facade design on the pedestrian use of the public space in divided cities
Dr Gamal Abdelmonem & Dr Gehan Selim
This project aims to investigate the impact the permeability of building facades has on the pedestrian activity within the public spaces in the politically contested and divided cities. It stands to characterise facade attributes that determine socially active public space as a venue for pluralist interactions. Belfast, Nicosia, and Beirut are examples of such divided cities where public open spaces are segregated on different grounds. Through a comparative analysis of public spaces in these cities on socio-spatial surveys and behavioural maps, this project seeks to explore a possible set of indicators that define a positive relationship between the permeability of the facades, their designs and the active use of the public space in contested urban situations.
Architectural space in the digital age
Dr Gul Kacmaz
The epistemological change in architecture due to the technological transformation in the late twentieth century gives architects the tools to define space. In this study, the conception of architectural space is examined focusing on the shifting concepts of space that come into being as a result of the digitally supported spaces generated by digital technologies. A framework that allows a critical outlook into the subject of contemporary space is created through the “other” spaces. The digitally supported spaces studied as the “other” of architectural space in this project may be, but are not limited to, cyberspace, hyperspace and exospace. Cyberspace is the digitally supported information space of the Internet in a computer. It is an environment of connected computer networks. Hyperspace is a digitally supported graphic or semi-graphic space simulated by computers and virtual reality systems. Through the three-dimensional graphics of a virtual reality system, a sense of immersion is created with the response of the system to user actions in real-time. Exospace is a digitally supported extraterrestrial space designed for living beyond Earth’s atmosphere. Today one not only visits outerspace but also can live in the International Space Station, a significant experiment in exospace design. New spatial concepts concerning digitally supported spaces are discussed to frame the conception of space in the digital age.
Click here to applyThe architectural medium is the message
Dr Gul Kacmaz
Following Marshall McLuhan's statement 'the medium is the massage', this study explores the influence of architectural media, drawings, models, photographs, films, and/or websites, to the end product of architecture, the building. Are drawings, for instance, representations of buildings, or do buildings represent their drawings? The influence of the chosen medium to develop or present an architectural design is in the core of the study.
Playful architecture: spatial representation in video games
Dr Gul Kacmaz
Although research on video games has been a part of humanities for some time now, it is a relatively new research area in architecture. This project is about the use and representation of architecture, cities and/or landscapes in video games. Game space has similarities with architectural renderings, walk-throughs, animations and films as well as maps. Their interactive nature distinguish games from other modes of representation; they are not only temporal but also perceived and altered in real-time. How people, gamers in this case, interact with the mediated space in a game, is the subject matter of the project.
Click here to applyMateriality in architectural space-making
Dr Gul Kacmaz
Buildings are made up of architectural materials, and architects do not necessarily 'interact with' materials as they design. Yet, a through understanding of the potentials of materials is inevitable for architects. This study explores alternative ways to study materials for architecture. The research involves experimentation with the actual material in ways that are not necessarily architectural.
The bio-mimetic city
Prof Greg Keeffe & Dr Agustina Martire
John Keosian's seminal text on life (1968) will be the basis for this study of the city as a superorganism. Using Keosian's ideas as a basis - the thesis will develop a new model for the sustainable city based on Keosian's traits of both individual and collective life.
Anonymous city: urban design as urban hacking
Professor G Keeffe & Mr Andrew Clancy
Hacking, once the preserve of computer nerds, is becoming a business in its own right. If urban design is seen as some sort of urban hack - as the existing is tweaked and modified - will an understanding of the types, methods and results of moves in the virtual world, allow architects to develop a more sophisticated language for design?
Virtual design studio for sustainable building design
Dr Menghao Qin & Mr Alan Jones
Buildings designed and constructed using a performance-based energy and IEQ (Indoor Environmental Quality) design process that optimizes the interaction between the building envelope and HVAC systems, among other design aspects, can save significant energy costs yet providing better indoor climate and air quality. The "Virtual Design Studio (VDS)" is a software platform currently under development in support of an integrated, coordinated and optimized design of buildings and their energy and environmental systems. It is intended to assist collaborating architects, engineers and project management team members throughout from the early phases to the detailed building design development. The platform helps to facilitate the workflow and the processing of information in combination with appropriate.
Combined heat and moisture transport modeling for residential buildings in Northern Ireland
Dr Menghao Qin& Mr Alan Jones
Many residential buildings in north Ireland suffer from a variety of moisture problems. Unfavourable indoor relative humidity can make occupants uncomfortable. High humidity within building envelopes can lead to deterioration of material, and cause some serious health problems due to the growth of mold and mildew. The aim of the project is to develop a model of building envelope transient heat and moisture transfer for structures used in residential buildings in north Ireland. An important aspect of this research is to develop a wetted surface model that allows consideration of the moisture transfer caused by wind-driven rain, where capillary liquid water transfer is an important mechanism.
CFD modelling of hygrothermal transport in air and porous materials for the assessment of moisture-related damage
Dr Menghao Qin
The proposed research is concerned with the coupling of the model for heat and moisture transport in porous materials to a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code. Computational fluid dynamics is able to accurately predict distributions of velocity, temperature and humidity in the air under known boundary conditions. The combination of CFD and the material model makes it possible to assess the risk of moisture related damage in building constructions for cases with large temperature or humidity gradients in the air. The aim of the project is to develop a 3D directly coupled CFD-hygrothermal material model capable of modelling the full complexity of the heat and moisture transfer in the air, in the porous material and at the interface.
Housing policies and markets in developing countries
Supervisor: Dr. Urmi Sengupta
Urban growth is most rapid in the developing world, where cities gain an average of 5 million residents every month. The majority of them have fewer housing choices and end up living in slums and squatters. As cities grow in size, population and economy housing needs for the urban poor assumes paramount importance. Often cities in global south exhibit an underlying tension between housing needs for the poor and those from the upper echelons of the society. In the past this schism led to the public provision of the housing for the poor and market provision of the housing for others. However, introduction of neoliberal policies in the 1980s and 1990s has now changed that equation. Many countries are now undergoing housing reform that has seen reduced role of the state in the direct provision of housing and enhanced role of the market and partnership arrangements. Given importance of housing in city building exercise, and economy, the cities in global south face challenge of addressing issues around housing affordability and inclusivity, governance and housing reform and urban informality and slums. These issues cut across a range of developmental and urbanisation theories making them truly interdisciplinary in both research and practice.
Next generation bridge structural health monitoring
Dr David Hester & Professor David Cleland
The failure or sudden closure of a bridge can cause transport chaos, e.g. the Hammersmith flyover and M1 bridge fire caused massive disruption in 2012. The transport networks of the future must be robust against these kinds of shock events. Therefore the aim of this project is to develop condition monitoring techniques that will alleviate the impact of such events. The project will focus on identifying the condition of the bridge by monitoring its response to external factors, for example vehicle load, wind load etc. The work will involve studying the kind of damage that commonly occurs in bridges, advanced numerical modelling to simulate Vehicle-Bridge Interaction, collaboration with signal processors, leading to the development of new methods of damage detection.
Click here to applyDevelopment and analysis of low energy self-compacting concrete BFRP pre-stressed concrete beam
Dr. Su Taylor, Dr Des Robinson and Dr M Sonebi
It is estimated that concrete products represent at least 5 per cent of humanity's carbon footprint from CO2 emissions. Additionally concrete infrastructure, such as bridges, suffers from premature ageing, rapid deterioration, structural deficiency and requires the safe management of risk. The aim of this research is to develop and analyse a significantly lower-energy, durable pre-stressed concrete beam with corrosion resistant basalt fibre reinforced polymer (BFRP) fibres. The aim of this research is to extend the existing knowledge of pre-stressed concrete in conventionally reinforced slabs to slabs incorporating new materials such as fibre reinforced polymers. It should be possible to investigate the most efficient and economical use of new structural materials in such systems. The project will run in conjunction with a major Civil Engineering pre-cast concrete supplier. The project is suited to candidates with a background in Civil Engineering/Structural Engineering.
Click here to applyClimate effect on historic stone masonry structures
Professor Muhammed Basheer, Professor A Mufti and Dr P Warke (GAP)
Stone masonry structures form a significant part of the cultural heritage of most countries and it is clear that they deteriorate with time due to the interaction of the stone with the exposure environment. In a number of field studies it has been demonstrated that both atmospheric pollution and wetting and drying cycles are responsible for the deterioration of the stone masonry structures. With the use of specially developed sensors and field monitoring devices, it has been possible to characterise both the micro and macro environments around stones and relate them to the deterioration. In this project, numerous historic structures will be monitored and data used to develop models of their deterioration, with the aim of developing a maintenance strategy for these structures.
Wake characteristics and their impact on turbine performance for large-scale tidal energy convertors
Dr Pauline Mackinnon, Dr Bjoern Elsaesser & Professor Trevor Whittaker
Recent research at QUB has involved pioneering work to establish a large-scale test facility for tidal energy converters. The facility, at Montgomery Lough in Co. Down, has permitted testing of 1/10 scale models, with the aim of understanding their performance characteristics and quantifying their wakes in the simplified, steady flow conditions. The aim of these tests is to address a deficit in the industry’s current understanding of tidal energy converters: the impact of one turbine on another operating in close proximity. This information is vital for developers of full-scale schemes as, to be economically viable, it is most likely that they will be deployed in arrays. The work to be carried out in the proposed project will involve the extension of existing PhD research, now nearing completion. It is expected to involve the analysis of data from large-scale turbine models and is likely to include some field work, on the new testing facility and/or Strangford Lough. The work will benefit from a large bank of relevant data compiled by QUB researchers in recent years and will address the performance of tidal energy converters in turbulent flow. Competence in computing for data handling/processing is essential for this project.
Performance based specification strategy for the service life design of concrete structures
Professor Muhammed Basheer, Dr Sreejith Nanukuttan and Professor A Mufti
In the EU, it is estimated that more than 50% of the infrastructure budget will be spent on repair and rehabilitation of the structures. This is mainly because structures are still designed for a specified compressive strength and durability in terms of minimum cement content and maximum water-cement ratio. Through numerous research projects at Queen's, including a recently finished EPSRC project, it has been possible to demonstrate the benefits of combining intermittent testing with the use of embedded sensors to specify the durability and predict the service life of concrete infrastructure. The proposed project will develop this concept further so that the current durability designs could be modified.
Click here to applyA hydrodynamic study of wave loading on dynamic structures
Professor Trevor Whittaker & Dr Bjoern Elsaesser
The work of the world-renowned wave power research team at Queen’s has led to the development of three prototype wave power devices. The LIMPET device commissioned in 2000 and currently owned and operated by Voith Hydro Wavegen (www.wavegen.co.uk) originated in Queen’s university in the 1990s. Currently the group is supporting Aquamarine Power Ltd (www.aquamarinepower.com) with their development of Oyster, having originated the design in 2002. A substantial part of the wave tank test programme has been the determination of the design loads in both normal working and survival conditions. In addition in 2012 the group was awarded an EPSRC grant to study the survivability of wave power devices. The work to date has concentrated on optimising the size and shape of the machines to maximise power conversion. Unfortunately this has resulted in a proportional increase in wave loading.
The primary objective is now to research more fully the process of wave loading for a variety of structural types including Oyster type flaps, LIMPET type oscillating water columns (OWCs) and dynamic breakwaters. There have been breakwaters built incorporating OWCs which effectively make part of the front face dynamic and compliant. In each case the control of the dynamic response of the moving part will be studied with a view to gaining a better understanding of the physical processes to enable the development of better numerical models. A further aspect will be to optimise control of the dynamic part to minimise extreme wave loading. It may be possible to do this passively through geometric optimisation.
A better understanding of wave loading will lead to structural optimisation and hopefully more efficient design leading to a reduction in structural weight and lower CAPEX.
Click here to applyValidation of numerical models of tidal turbines using data from large-scale experimental tests
Dr Pauline Mackinnon & Dr Gerry Hamill
Recent research at QUB has involved pioneering work to establish a large-scale test facility for tidal energy converters. The facility, at Montgomery Lough in Co. Down, has permitted testing of 1/10 scale models, with the aim of understanding their performance characteristics and quantifying their wakes in the simplified, steady flow conditions. The aim of these tests is to address a deficit in the industry’s current understanding of tidal energy converters: the impact of one turbine on another operating in close proximity. This information is vital for developers of full-scale schemes as, to be economically viable, it is most likely that they will be deployed in arrays. The work to be carried out in the proposed project will involve comparisons of data collected in recent measurement campaigns with the work of numerical modellers addressing the subject. The importance of the work lies in the need for reliable and cost-effective means of predicting turbine performance, given the very significant expense of undertaking field tests. It is expected that the work will involve the analysis of data from large-scale turbine models and the use of numerical models and small-scale test data gathered by others, now nearing completion of relevant PhD research. Computing aptitude/competence is essential for this project.
Foundations for wave energy device on deep sand deposits
Dr V Sivakumar & Dr David Hughes
Renewable energy is the topic of debate in the political and scientific arena around the world as other traditional energy sources are diminishing or not sufficient to meet demand. In many cases these traditional energy sources and their usage inflict irrecoverable damage to the environment. In that respect, extracting energy from wind and waves are growing in popularity at a rapid rate. The pioneering research at QUB has led to the development of various wave energy devices. At present these devices are supported on rock strata. In many locations, sea beds consist of thick mobile sand strata, while the intensity and frequency of waves are considerable. Supporting the wave energy devices in such hostile environments is difficult and challenging and it therefore requires research.
Future changes of wave climate in Ireland and their impact on coastal ecosystems
Dr Bjoern Elsaesser & Professor Mark Emmerson (School of Biological Sciences)
The proposed project is an expansion of a joint research project with QUB School of Geography, Archaeology and Palaeontology (GAP) and will be carried out in collaboration with the QUB School of Biological Sciences (SBS). The project takes the tools and information developed from a previous PhD project to a higher level by linking the physical science with the biological science of nearshore and shoreline ecosystems. It links the knowledge of predicting wave climates, familiar to coastal engineers, with the understanding of potential changes to biodiversity, familiar to ecosystem scientists. The project brings together two research groups, which have benefited from strategic investment, strengthening their position towards world leading research.
Climate change predictions are becoming more reliable with the increase in model complexity and improved understanding of the associated uncertainties. In contribution to the knowledge, the Marine Research Group at the School of Planning, Architecture and Civil Engineering (SPACE) has been developing a sophisticated wave climate model for the prediction of future wave climate conditions in the Northern Atlantic Ocean. In collaboration with GAP and Met Eireann, the QUB team has gained access to the latest data sets from a Global Circulation Model project called EC-Earth. In the next 12 months the team at QUB will publish validated model output from a detailed set of climate change predictions based on an advanced ensemble prediction system, similar to that used in operational weather forecasting.
The proposed PhD will focus on extending the available data set, improving the understanding of bias correction of the predictions and applying the output to a set of parameters characterising ecosystem functionality and biodiversity. With the existing model it is proposed to extend this data set of predictions to the year 2100. In combination with water level prediction (both from permanent sea level rise and surge predictions) the likely changes in coastal habitats will be assessed. These changes can be due to the marginalisation for example at built up areas, as well as the likely land take by marine organisms. Depending on the management approach taken, this can have either a positive or negative effect on biodiversity thus exacerbating or reducing the impact of climate change with respect to nearshore and shoreline ecosystems.
Suction-induced bed damage beneath the propeller of a manoeuvring ship
Dr Gerry Hamill & Dr Harry Johnston
The Coastal Engineering Group has carried out extensive research that investigated the scour produced by the jets from ships’ propellers as they operate within the confines of a harbour. Extensive work has also been carried out that examined the formation and subsequent diffusion of these propeller jets. It has recently been discovered that concrete mattresses, placed to prevent scour damage, are themselves being broken. The failure mechanism is being associated with uplift pressures that are caused by the suction force developed in the area near the propellers. This project will conduct an experimental investigation that will aim to quantify the suction forces present for typical operating conditions. The effect of propeller thrust developed, which is a function of the propeller characteristics and its speed of rotation, and the clearance distance between the propeller and the bed are the key variables to be used in the study. The study will measure bed pressure over fixed beds, as well as mapping the flow around the propeller, and between the propeller and the bed, using a PIV (Particle Image Velocimetry) measurement system.
Interfacial mixing in a density stratified estuary
Dr Gerry Hamill & Dr Pauline Mackinnon/Dr Harry Johnston
In an estuary, where the fresh water from a river meets salt water from the sea, the heavier (denser) salt water remains beneath the lighter fresh water and flow stratification, or layered flow, based on density difference occurs. This stratification can have serious implications on the local environment as the interfacial boundary often represents a barrier to the transfer of oxygen to the river bed. This can result in anaerobic decay leading to a “dead river”.
The Coastal Engineering Group has, over a number of years, carried out investigations aimed at developing an understanding of the processes at play across the interface between the fresh and salt water and the details of the interactions that take place between these layers. These studies have concentrated on two specific aspects. The first looked at the case of an entrapped saline wedge, where the salt water becomes impounded behind a river structure, while the second looked at the interaction between the moving layers during the ebb stage of the tidal cycle, where both the salt and fresh water are flowing in the same direction.
This project will extend the current working by examining the remaining part of the tidal cycle where the fresh and salt water move in different directions.
The project will be experimental, using the Salt Water Flume that is present within the Hydraulics Laboratory. Measurements of both velocity and salinity will be taken using state of the art laser measurement systems in order to establish an understanding of the rate of entrainment between the layers, for a range of differing governing parameters.
Modelling the fate, cycling and transport of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the Northwest European Shelf region with a fate and transport POPs model
Dr Kieran O’Driscoll & Dr Bjoern Elsaesser
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are eco-toxic artificial substances that enter the environment through release in industrial, commercial and agricultural settings. In productive ocean waters, such as shallow and shelf seas, POPs are bio-accumulative, thus enter the food web and are hazardous to living organisms, including humans.
POPs enter the Northwest European Shelf system from the surrounding highly populated, industrialised and agricultural countries. Major entrance pathways of POPs in the open ocean are via air–sea exchange processes. In semi-enclosed ocean regions, such as the Northwest European Shelf, these atmospheric deposition processes are supplemented by input through rivers and exchange with adjacent seas.
The main objectives of this project are to:
i) investigate the importance of secondary versus primary sources of POPs given present and future climate conditions; to make case studies for particular episodes, like storms; and to study the cycling and general processes of POPs in the Northwest European shelf; and
ii) refine the key processes, including all air-sea flux parameterizations, e.g., including the effects of wave breaking, rain, spray drops, and surface films at the surface, and, in the water column, to investigate and improve the partitioning and exchange of POPs between water and particulate organic matter (POM).
Analysing and modelling coastal processes in the sea loughs of Northern Ireland: the effects of engineering structures and climate change in the 21st century
Dr Kieran O’Driscoll & Dr Bjoern Elsaesser
The sea loughs of Northern Ireland play a vital role in the economic and social life of the country. Coastal processes are driven by the forces of nature, namely winds, wave action, tides, residual coastal currents, river outflow, etc., thereby shaping the coastline and coastal zone, which is constantly changing.
In recent years, there have been increasing pressures on the sea loughs from both commercial/industrial and social/leisure activities. For example, structures such as jetties, piers, and harbours have been constructed for commercial purposes, while projects erecting groins and seawalls, and beach nourishment have been undertaken for leisure purposes.
Although these structures have served their purposes and society well over the years, it is not known whether they actually have a positive role on the morphology of the loughs, especially today under a changing climate scenario where we can expect bigger storms and waves in a changing wave climate.
The objectives of this PhD project are:
- to analyse and understand the major processes occurring in the sea loughs of Northern Ireland;
- to compare these processes with simulated model results;
- to implement processes not included in existing software packages/programmes into the models; and
- to predict coastal change under a changing climate in the 21st century.
Modelling of therapeutic drug migration in the human eye
Dr John D McKinley & Dr James Lim
Some degenerative diseases of the retina can be treated by drug injection into the viscous humour. The drug migrates through the viscous humour to the retina, where it has a therapeutic effect, through a combination of advection and diffusion. This migration is affected by a range of chemical processes, such as adsorption/desorption reactions, degradation, uptake in the retina, and molecular sieving in the viscous humour itself. This PhD project will investigate the use of established environmental engineering modelling tools used to simulate fluid flow and the movement of solutes to the specific physical and chemical environment of the human eye. The goal is to aid medical decision making as to the optimal volume, concentration, and frequency of drug injection, by predicting how different regimes of injection in to the eye affect the concentration variation over time at the retina, which is where the drug has a therapeutic effect. In the first instance both the viscous humour and the injected drug will be modelled as viscous fluids undergoing hydrodynamic dispersion, with the injected drug modelled as a dissolved chemical undergoing molecular diffusion. It is anticipated that the modelling will be extended to include non-linear and Bingham fluid viscous behaviour of the vitreous humour. The project will also involve the development and modelling of small laboratory tests to determine important parameters such as diffusion coefficients and degradation constants. This complements experimental work being undertaken in the QUB School of Pharmacy, against which the numerical modelling will be validated.
Assessing the impact of restoration measures on peat bog hydrology
Dr Ray Flynn & Dr Shane Donohue
Peat bogs constitute a rare habitat across the EU, with a large proportion of the remaining relatively intact sites occurring in Ireland. The EU Habitats Directive requires these sites to be restored, yet the efficacy of restoration measures remains to be demonstrated. The proposed research project will investigate the impact of wetland restoration on peat bog ecohydrology at nature reserves across Ireland. The research will aim to develop an optimised protocol for site restoration that provides maximum eco-hydrological benefits for the resources invested. This will involve investigating site conditions before, during and after restoration activities at sites where baseline site characterisation has been carried out, and on-site monitoring is underway; QUB currently advises on relevant restoration protocols at some of these sites. This will include further characterisation of groundwater and surface water regimes to assess the relative importance of both flow paths to wetland water balances, using existing monitoring facilities installed by Environmental Engineering Research Centre (EERC) personnel in previous investigations. The Irish National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) support this research and will provide site access, monitoring assistance and access to existing monitoring infrastructure. This programme will enhance QUB’s reputation as a centre for wetland ecohydrology. EERC personnel have already attracted over £20,000 in research funding from the NPWS on this topic.
The findings of this study have relevance in those EU states where peat bog restoration needs to be implemented (Republic of Ireland, UK, Netherlands, Finland, Denmark and Sweden). As such, this programme has the potential to act as a platform for attracting further EU funding.
High resolution monitoring of groundwater/surface water interactions
Dr Ray Flynn
Understanding interactions between rivers and groundwater is of importance in the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD). On-going studies, carried out by the Environmental Engineering Research Centre (EERC), as part of the EPA-funded STRIVE Pathways project, have shown exchanges between surface water and groundwater (beyond the hyporheic zone) have the potential to purify water as it flows down stream. This issue needs consideration in the development of catchment monitoring programmes, and for the refinement of catchment management tools. This project proposes to build upon work carried out to date by EERC personnel and students in the School of Planning, Architecture & Civil Engineering (SPACE) that investigated flow rates and nutrient fluxes in highly instrumented catchments across Ireland. Research will focus on further refining the current understanding of groundwater/surface water exchanges using existing data sets, complemented by further focused data acquisition to determine in-channel nutrient attenuation in a range of hydrological settings. Focused data acquisition will couple flow gauging and tracer testing to quantify hydrological processes and potential nutrient reaction rates. Results will feed into a catchment management tool, currently being developed by STRIVE Pathways research partners in UCD. The research will aim to find generic protocols to quantify interactions at relevant scales for WFD programme implementation. These findings will be of relevance to river basins in similar climatic settings across the EU, and further afield. This study further develops QUB’s reputation for characterisation of hydrological/hydrogeological processes and the use of tracers to constrain hydrological processes. The project has the potential to attract funding from the UK (Environment Agency), Republic of Ireland (Environmental Protection Agency) and further afield (EU).
Investigating the effects of thermal plumes on aquifer properties
Dr Ulrich Ofterdinger & Dr Rory Doherty
Over the past decades, Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage Systems (ATES) have developed to generally established technologies in the US, Canada and Continental Europe. Across the UK and Ireland these systems may still be regarded as emerging techniques which are however finding an increasing number of applications. Shallow Geothermal Energy Systems incorporating aquifer withdrawal from and re-injection to shallow depth (<150m) have been introduced in Northern Ireland for a number of larger commercial developments mainly focusing on productive aquifer units such as the Triassic Sherwood Sandstone.
The proposed project will investigate the effects of ATES installations and associated subsurface thermal plumes on aquifer properties which will govern the long-term sustainability of such systems. The project will use the Triassic Sherwood Sandstone Aquifer, a regional aquifer being increasingly used for ATES systems in Northern Ireland, as a case study example. In doing so, the thermal properties (eg. thermal conductivity/diffusivity & heat capacity) and microbial profile of the Sherwood Sandstone Aquifer will be investigated. The study will combine the basic characterisation of the aquifer system by completing a series of active borehole geophysical measurements, hydraulic borehole tests, hydrochemical sampling and microbial profiling with the monitoring of an experimental thermal injection tests. Long-term effects from existing ATES installations into the Sherwood Sandstone will be monitored and existing groundwater monitoring data will be integrated to complement the active testing programme. The project will build on previous research projects investigating the natural groundwater flow regime within the Sherwood Sandstone Aquifer and will collaborate with industry partners as well as the Geological Survey of Northern Ireland (GSNI) utilising existing borehole monitoring infrastructure at QUB for in situ testing partially financed by GSNI. The findings from the project will provide key information to better constrain the engineering design & operational specification of ATES installations with applications beyond the immediate study area for similar aquifer settings across the UK and abroad.
Decontamination of surface soil by natural surfactants: a collaborative research with University of Malaya
Dr Bhaskar Sen Gupta & Professor MA Hashim (University of Malaya)
Various contaminants present in surface soil due to natural and anthropogenic activities may pose serious ecological risk. Such contaminants may also enter the food chain rendering agricultural produce unfit for human consumption. Restoration of the soil environment in an eco-friendly manner presents various technological challenges. The proposed research involves investigation on the use of natural surfactants (plant based) on soil cleaning. It will also involve field trials and study on the mobility of contaminants in the soil matrix. A significant part of the research, which involves large scale field trials, will be carried out in Kuala Lumpur, in collaboration with the University of Malaya. Fieldwork in Malaysia will be supported by University of Malaya-QUB grant nos: PV102-2011A and UM-QUB6A-2011
The work will focus on the remediation of heavy metals in soil by in-situ washing with a non-ionic bio-surfactant. Possible mechanisms of remediation may include increased contaminant solubility and mobilization by micellar solubilisation due to reduced interfacial tension between contaminant and solution.
Contrary to non-ionic bio-surfactants, an anionic surfactant may enhance the release of heavy metals from soils through ion exchange, electrostatic attraction as well as the release of heavy metal-bound soil organic matter. On the other hand, coexisting heavy metals in soils may increase adsorption of anionic surfactants, reducing their availability for micelle formation and enhancing retention (or sorption) of organic contaminants on soil minerals due to hydrophobic force.
Trace element abundance and renal disease in Northern Ireland
Dr Ulrich Ofterdinger, Dr Jennifer McKinley (GAP) and Dr Damian Fogarty (QUB Centre for Public Health & Chair of the UK Renal Registry Committee)
The UK Renal Registry (UKRR) 2010 reports a continued growth across the UK in patients on renal replacement therapy (RRT) and the acceptance rate for RRT along with national, regional and centre level shows variations in prevalence rates. The report states that although a significant factor in this variation relates to the ethnic mix of local populations, a large amount of the variation remains unexplained. Within the UKRR statistics are returns from all 6 dialysis centres in Northern Ireland. Large variations in numbers of patients on RRT and acceptance trends are observed between dialysis centres. Although the variation may include factors such as completeness of reporting, changes in referral patterns or catchment populations and areas, and the introduction of conservative care programmes, a proportion of variation remains unexplained. A variety of environmental factors have been explored in previous research including heavy metals, polyaromatic hydrocarbons and trace elements. Long et al. (2006) suggested a long-term relationship between low-level environmental lead exposure and progression of chronic renal diseases.
The risk to human health associated with elevated concentrations of potentially toxic elements (PTE) in soils, including trace metal concentrations, has been the focus of research for a number of years. Utilizing the comprehensive soil geochemical dataset for Northern Ireland, provided by the Tellus Survey (GSNI), in conjunction with supplementary bioaccessibilty testing of selected soil samples following the Unified BARGE Method (UBM), previous research has revealed that for some soil parent materials associated with elevated PTE concentrations, measured oral bioaccessible fraction was relatively low. For other soil parent materials with relatively moderate PTE concentrations, the measured oral bioaccessible fraction was relatively high. The proposed research builds on these findings to investigate the implications for regional human health risk. Soil geochemistry data from the completed Tellus Project along with similar geochemical data from the Tellus Border Survey will provide the opportunity to explore the relationship between spatial variation in elevated concentrations of PTE in soils and renal disease in Northern Ireland in conjunction with available data from the UKRR. The proposal of exploring the relationship between soil constituents with long-term chronic disease is arguably is well suited to Northern Ireland, as an area with traditionally little movement of people thus providing greater potential for prolonged exposure at one location or area.
Effect of climate change on the long term performance of sub-base
Dr V Sivakumar, Dr David Hughes & Dr Shane Donohue
Repeated or cyclic loading of unsaturated soils is encountered in many situations, including sub-soils supporting road pavements and rail track structures. Soil conditions under a highway pavement are commonly unsaturated, particularly if the road pavements are supported over a constructed embankment or with an active drainage system. The progressive strain of the sub-base is one of the biggest problems in highway construction and maintenance. This progressive strain is affected by suction or the moisture level in the sub-base and it can be aggravated by dramatic climate changes such as wet winters and dry summers. The proposed research will investigate this aspect using laboratory model study combined with state-of-the-art technology to mimic climate changes and will monitor suction and progressive straining of the sub-base.
Strengthening of soft marine and estuarine clays with fibre reinforced stone columns
Dr John D McKinley & Dr V Sivakumar
Soft clay soils are commonly found along our coastlines and estuaries. Exhibiting low strength, large settlements under load, and long consolidation times, they are a difficult environment within which to conduct civil engineering construction for infrastructure such as transportation, or environmental protection measures such as flood defences. This PhD project will draw together three established bodies of research with the School of Planning, Architecture & Civil Engineering: work on granular stone column reinforcement of soft soils for settlement control; work on the determination of primary and secondary consolidation characteristics of soft clay soils from laboratory tests; and work on the reinforcement of granular soils with short plastic fibres to increase strength through the suppression of dilatant expansion during shear. It is intended that the research will be largely experimental, using large-diameter laboratory model tests of single and multiple granular stone columns in natural clay soils, where the columns are made of fibre-reinforced material. The intended effect of the reinforcement is to provide additional strength in the upper sections of the stone columns and the suppression of local failure due to excessive bulging of the columns under load, so that load-transfer to deeper soil deposits occurs. The main focus will be on the influence of the relative amount of reinforcement and the relative extent of the reinforcement on the settlement improvement factors, leading to design guidance on reinforced stone column construction. Load-settlement-time relationships will therefore be studied.
Building Information Modelling (BIM) and the need for an effective informative approach in construction stakeholder management
Mr John Spillane & Mr Jason von Meding
With the emergence of Building Information Modelling (BIM) to the construction sector and the requirement for all public projects to embody such practices by 2016, it is essential for all various stakeholders to identify and acknowledge the importance and significance of such requirements. Within the remit of construction project management, this requirement brings new benefits and perils. This project aims to identify and document the various external stakeholder requirements where BIM is adopted and utilised with a view to improving the interrelationship among the numerous parties to a contract. Through adopting a mixed method approach incorporating a wide array of industry experts, it is envisaged that one can devise and formulate a theoretical framework to aid industry practitioners in the development and exploitation of BIM in order to maximise productivity while also meeting the requirements for tendering for public projects in the future.
Urban development and effective external stakeholder management
Mr John Spillane & Mr Ron Coates
With the continuous population influx into urban centres, there is a need to redevelop and modernise often dilapidated and neglected environments to sustain and encourage future growth and development. In order to accommodate and encourage the growth and expansion of these urban centres, it is essential to coordinate and manage the various environmental, social and economic factors, both in the construction but also the management of the various processes involved in the development of an inherently complex and diverse urban environment. To accommodate the development of urban centres, it is essential to manage and coordinate the construction and development of the various infrastructure requirements, paying particular attention to the management of the numerous external stakeholders that can have a positive or negative effect of the overall success of a project. Research on the effective management of the construction and coordination of this environment are scant, with authors failing to delve into the topic in detail, thus failing to identify and address the plethora of issues that prevail in such an environment. To address this issue and to fulfil a succinct but prevalent gap in knowledge, it is essential to acknowledge, address and provide results based on the actuality of events that emerge when constructing in such environments.
Organisational competency as a driver for community resilience and vulnerability reduction
Mr Jason von Meding & Mr Keith McAllister
Organisations in disaster response do not always deploy an appropriate configuration of competencies to match the dynamic environment that they are facing. Indeed there is a risk that certain configurations will exacerbate the problems the affected community faces and increase vulnerability in the long-term. Appropriate competency configurations, however, have the potential to transform communities and build resilience. Data collection will involve two streams of information- the community stream and the disaster response actor stream. A mixed method approach will be utilized, comprising an initial interview phase for the purpose of generating rich evidence to support the theoretical propositions made and developing competency and resilience models. A quantitative data collection stage will then allow us to assign values to model variables.
Natural and man-made hazard scenario mapping
Mr Jason von Meding & Dr James Lim
This project will investigate various natural and man-made hazards and their interaction with urban planning, social, economic, political and environmental issues. The location specific vulnerability of people and the magnitude and frequency of hazards, as well as the cost implications of addressing each will be built into a dynamic model. The study will involve a mixed methodology approach, utilizing expert interviews and various qualitative analysis procedures as well as a quantitative element to measure relevant factors, with data collected by questionnaire survey among disaster actors and sourced from government and disaster agency archives. The project will be conducted in partnership with leading global non-government organisations and may involve fieldwork in developing countries. The culmination of the study will result in a model that allows project implementation threat analysis for disaster actors, with potential to achieve lasting impact on the agencies involved in the research.
Early implementation of BIM in architectural firms
Mr Jason von Meding & Mr John Spillane
Existing research demonstrates that the early implementation of BIM systems at an early stage of design by the project team is of great importance for reducing waste, cost and the possibility of delay and defect. In the context of an architectural firm, BIM implementation offers the real possibility of a new source of competitive advantage. Many early design decisions are made based on experience, rules of thumb and external consultations. If an architectural firm was able to use BIM software at this stage to make certain estimates to a degree of accuracy it could significantly increase their profile, competitiveness and confidence in design decisions. This project will utilise a multiple case study approach to investigate a number of UK-based architectural firms and track their existing BIM practice and plans for meeting government regulations. Mixed methods data collection will identify the key variables impacting the entire process and statistical analysis in SPSS and systems modelling in Vensim will construct causal relationships. The study will culminate with a structural equation model demonstrating the multitude of benefits for early BIM implementation in architectural firms.
Dynamics of supply chain management in construction
Dr Xianhai Meng
In recent years, the concept of supply chain management has attracted a growing interest in both academia and industry. A supply chain is a network of organisations and activities associated with the transformation of products or services from suppliers to customers, which includes the flows of materials, information and capital. Supply chain management is the management of upstream and downstream relationships with suppliers and customers to deliver the best value at the least cost to the supply chain as a whole. Within a supply chain, suppliers and customers are at different tiers and play different roles. How to make the management of the whole supply chain effective and efficient is a big challenge. Compared with supply chains in manufacturing and retailing, construction supply chains have some specific characteristics. For example, construction supply chains involve more participants, and construction supply-chain management involves more complex management processes. Therefore, it is more difficult to achieve successful supply chain management in construction. This research aims at investigating the dynamics of construction supply chain management. The goal of the research is to establish an innovative mechanism for construction supply chain management. The appropriate use of methodologies is emphasised. The result will help construction organisations involved in a supply chain to achieve effective and efficient management in their practice
Modelling the influence of procurement systems on project performance
Dr Xianhai Meng
The construction industry has long been criticised for low productivity and poor performance. That is why the Latham and Egan reports called for a significant change in the industry. Many reasons may lead to poor performance in construction projects, e.g., inadequate experience, lack of communication, and traditional adversarial culture. A procurement system may include selection criteria, procurement route, and form of contract. In the construction industry, the procurement system is widely regarded as fundamental to project success. Although there is a common understanding of this, what is the influence of the procurement system on project performance? How much is project performance influenced by procurement systems? These questions need to be answered carefully. This research aims at establishing causal relationships between procurement systems and project performance. Both qualitative and quantitative approaches will be used for the data collection and analysis. Appropriate models will be developed as the result of the research. The models will provide different project stakeholders with guidance for their project management in practice. Based on the models developed in this research, construction organisations and practitioners can understand how to select the appropriate procurement system in order to achieve excellent performance in their projects.
Click here to applyComparative study of BOT/PFI/PPP in developed and developing countries
Dr Xianhai Meng
The involvement of the private sector in the development and financing of public facilities and services has increased substantially over the past decade. BOT/PFI/PPP can be regarded as the approaches that draw the public and private sectors together. They refer to Build Operate Transfer, Private Finance Initiative, and Public Private Partnership, respectively. However, the application of BOT/PFI/PPP has different characteristics in developed and developing countries. This study focuses on the comparative analysis of BOT/PFI/PPP between developed and developing countries in the following aspects: (1) critical success factors for BOT/PFI/PPP; (2) risk allocation in BOT/PFI/PPP projects; (3) financial evaluation of these projects; (4) relationship management for key stakeholders; and (5) the roles of government policy. Data collection methodologies may include questionnaire survey, expert interviews and case studies. The aim of this study is to identify the key strengths and weaknesses of BOT/PFI/PPP practice in both developed and developing countries, which can be used to share experience, provide useful knowledge and achieve best practice.
Click here to applyInteraction between project and programme management
Dr Xianhai Meng
A programme is a group of related projects managed in a coordinated way to obtain benefits and control not available from managing them individually. Programme management is the centralised, coordinated management of a programme to achieve the programme’s strategic objectives and benefits. This study aims to explore how the projects within a programme can be coordinated by managing their interfaces and how the interaction between project management and programme management can drive successful and valuable results for the programme and the organisation. This research mainly focuses on the projects and programmes in the construction industry. Comparative analysis may be made between construction and other industry sectors such as IT and aerospace.
Applying whole life costing to BOT/PFI/PPP projects
Dr Xianhai Meng
BOT/PFI/PPP are forms of project financing in which private entities receive concessions from public sectors to finance, design, construct, and operate facilities for a long and specific period of time. They emphasise the involvement of the private sectors in the public projects. At the same time, attention is given to whole life costing, which highlights the total cost analysis during the whole period of concession. This research focuses on the application of the concept, principle and approach of whole life costing to BOT/PFI/PPP projects. Relevant analysis will be made based on empirical data collection. It attempts to explore the contribution of whole life costing to the success of BOT/PFI/PPP projects and establish a mechanism to ensure the success of these projects based on the effective use of whole life costing.
The role of learning and innovation on performance improvement
Dr Xianhai Meng
Learning is the acquisition and development of skills, knowledge and experience. Innovation is a process of adopting new technology and management approaches. In recent years, the role of learning and innovation has become an interesting research topic in the construction sector. The purpose of this study is to make a systematic investigation in this particular field and answer the following research questions. (1) Do learning and innovation have a significant impact on performance improvement? (2) How does learning and innovation influence the performance of construction organisations? (3) What are the differences of the influences of learning and innovation on different construction organizations, such as client, designer, consultant and contractor? The findings will help construction organisations to realise the importance of learning and innovation in management practice and understand how to make effective efforts for performance improvement.
Contact Info
David Keir Building
Queen's University Belfast
Belfast
BT9 5AG
space@qub.ac.uk
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