Materials, Structure and Geotechnics Research Group

The Materials, Structures and Geotechnics (MSG) Research Group is active in carrying out research on advanced fibre composites in engineering structures; on composite adhesive joints and repairing technologies; on fibre composite panel systems in buildings and fibre composite sandwich panels in bridges, both contributing to the development of a low carbon construction industry, and in the fundamental study into the damage mechanics of fibre composites, and the investigation of ultra high performance fibre reinforced concretes for the safety and security of structures.

Fire structural engineering research focuses on establishing calibrated thermo-mechanical numerical simulation procedures to predict behaviour during fires. The MSG group is also active in challenging the developments of advanced constructional materials, fibre composite structures and geotechnical stability and testing.

Research areas

Advanced Composite Structures (ACS)

The ACS team has been developing research into damage mechanics, design, modelling prediction and mechanical test of fibre based composites in engineering structures, particularly carbon and glass fibre based composites or components in general structural engineering relating to piers, buildings, bridges, wind or tidal blades, aerospace structures and biomedical components. This research team has been collaborating with some leading industrial partners, and supported by BAE systems, TSB, Gurit, Fibrwrap and the University of Portsmouth.

The ACS team has been conducting leading research in the damage mechanics of fibre composite structures, and developed in-house modelling tools in prediction of progressive damage mechanism for the design of composite structures.

Achievements include interface cohesive models with mixed damage scales and thermal effects at interface to simulate crack, delamination and debonding propagation in composites or composite joints under extremely service loading. Research activities in this team aim to improve damage resilience, and to make engineering structures be lightweight, strong and cost-effective.

Construction Materials Engineering (CME)

The fibre reinforced concrete team has current research projects in the area of ultra high performance fibre reinforced concrete (UHPFRC) in particular. The emphasis is on modelling the behaviour of the material under normal loading conditions and under blast loading.

Safety and Security Engineering (SSE)

SSE team’s work involves aspects related to full-scale testing and numerical modelling of structural materials and systems subjected to extreme loading conditions such as: behaviour during exposure to fires or under blast loading. The team’s research and consultancy efforts involve both traditional and novel materials such as ultra high performance fibre reinforced concrete (UHPFRC). The team attracted funding from the industry and were partners in grant.

The team has current research projects in the area of ultra high performance fibre reinforced concrete (UHPFRC) in particular. The emphasis is on modelling the behaviour of the material under normal loading conditions and under blast loading.

Geotechnical Stability and Testing (GST)

The Geotechnics team specialises in two main areas:

Slope Stability Analysis and Modelling
Soils Laboratory Testing

The team has built up expertise in the analysis of soil /soft rock slopes, particularly those associated with the Isle of Wight. The team also works extensively with local industry in the laboratory testing of soils, and includes such clients as: