Research

Expertise: Structures and Materials                                                        

Research Interest(s):
1. Structural resilience;
2. Concrete engineering and technology;
3. Sustainable infrastructure; and
4. Structural repair/rehabilitation.

My present research efforts in the area of concrete engineering and technology are mainly focused in two niches, namely on the synthesis and development of an enhanced version of hybrid-fiber-ed ultra-high-performance cementitious composites (UHPCC), and on the optimized utilization of industrial and agricultural by-products in concrete production. In the former, my group has successfully synthesized a unique blended hybrid-fiber-ed cementitious composite system with carbon nanotubes and steel micro-fibers, which exhibits excellent ductility and post-crack characteristics. On the latter, I have been working on optimizing the combined utilization of industrial by-products (silica fume and fly ash), or agricultural waste (rice husk ash and palm-oil fuel ash), with alternative aggregates from industrial waste (quarry waste and waste glass) as alternative concreting materials. I have collaborated productively for many years with Professor Md. Safiuddin of George Brown College, Canada, and have accomplished some meaningful output in this area. The outcome from these research efforts converge towards the design and development of more resilient structural materials, which contribute towards the overall sustainability and safety in the built environment.

Meanwhile, in the area of structural resilience, my work is directed towards the development of new strategies in design, construction and retrofitting of infrastructure to enhance their sustainability and safety against extreme loading and climatic events. The main work of my group has been towards the development of a novel technique of using sustainable bio-based elastomeric polymers to enhance the structural capacity and energy absorption characteristics of structures against extreme impulsive loadings of blast, ballistic and impact. I have collaborated successfully with the group of Profesor Khairiah Badri (of UKM), Professor Priyan Mendis (at The University of Melbourne) and Dr. Damith Mohotti (at The University of Sydney) in this area.

I have consistently been able to attract competitive grants and funding from various bodies, including Malaysian Government agencies, as well as multi-national industries. These amounted to more than MYR$4.0mil throughout my career.

Total Amount of Funding Received: MYR$4,087,920.00 [≅USD$983k; ≅GBP772k]

Total Amount of Funding Received [as Principal Investigator]: MYR$780,020.00 [≅USD$188k; ≅GBP147k]

Selected Research Projects / Grants

  1. Fundamental Aspects of High Strain Rate Behavior of Carbon Nanotubes enhanced Ultra High-Performance Cementitious Composites (CNT-UHPCC) (Principal Investigator, MoE-Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS), MYR$129,000.00, November 2015 – May 2019).
    [Collaborators: University of Malaya, Malaysia (UM) & University of Science, Malaysia (USM)].
  2. Modeling Fracture in Metallic Glass Components for use in Back Contact Solar Cell Application (Co-Investigator, UKM-DIP Research Grant, MYR$200,000.00,  June 2015 – May 2017).
  3. Synthesis of Low Carbon Ultra High-Performance Concrete (LowC-UHPC) (Principal Investigator, UKM-Industry Collaboration Research Grant, MYR$65,000.00,  March 2015 – August 2017).
  4. Synthesis of Carbon Nanotubes enhanced Ultra High-Performance Concrete (CNT-UHPC) (Principal Investigator, UKM-DLP Research Grant, MYR$50,000.00, November 2014 – October 2016).
  5. Synthesis of Elastomeric Polymers for Robust Strengthening of Reinforced Concrete Structures subjected to Blast Effects (Principal Investigator, MoE-Exploratory Research Grant Scheme (ERGS), MYR$130,000.00, May 2013 – May 2016).
    [Collaborators: Polymer Research Centre, UKM (PORCE-UKM) & National Defence University of Malaysia (UPNM)].
  6. Using Waste Glass for Concrete Applications (Co-Investigator, Industry Grant awarded by Nippon Electric Glass (M) Sdn. Bhd., MYR$140,000.00, July 2014 – June 2016).
  7. Prediction of Blast Damage of Reinforced Concrete (RC) Structures using Pressure-Impulse (P-I) Space Model (Co-Investigator, MoE-Exploratory Research Grant Scheme (FRGS), MYR$87,000.00, May 2013 – May 2016).
  8. Synthesis and Characterization of Active Photocatalyst for Breathable Green Cementitious Material (C0-Investigator, MoE-Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS), MYR$88,000.00, April 2013 – March 2016).
  9. Analysis of Blast Wave Propagation and Wave-Structure Interaction using Advanced Numerical Modelling (Principal Investigator, KPM-Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS), MYR$103,020.00, April 2012 – October 2015).
    [Collaborators: The University of Melbourne, Australia & National Defence University of Malaysia (UPNM)].
  10. Passive Design Strategies to Improve Indoor Thermal Comfort and Air Quality in High Density Low-Cost Housings (C0-Investigator, MoE-Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS), MYR$60,000.00, April 2012 – October 2015).
  11. Characteristics of Elastomeric Polymers at High Strain Rates: Experimental Investigations and Material Constitutive Models (Principal Investigator, UKM Young Researcher Grant Scheme (GGPM), RM40,000, April 2012 – March 2014).
  12. Possibility of using Ventilated Façade in Reducing Indoor Air Temperature of Malaysian Buildings (Co-Investigator, UKM Young Researcher Grant Scheme (GGPM), MYR$40,000.00, 1 April 2012 – 31 March 2014).
  13. Mechanism of A New Eco-Cementitious Materials for Total Replacement of Cement in Sustainable Concrete (Co-Investigator, KPTM-Exploratory Research Grant Scheme (FRGS), MYR$149,000.00, July 2011 – July 2014).
  14. Numerical Derivation of P-I Diagram for Strengthened RC Columns (Co-Investigator, UKM Young Researcher Grant Scheme (GGPM), MYR$40,000, April 2012 – March 2014).

 

Research Linkages

Malaysia
  • Professor Mohd. Zamin Jumaat (University of Malaya, Malaysia)
  • Professor Hilmi Mahmud (University of Malaya, Malaysia)
  • Col. Professor Norazman Mohamad Nor (National Defence University of Malaysia)
  • Assoc. Prof. U. Johnson Alengaram (University of Malaya, Malaysia)
  • Assoc. Prof. Teo Wee (Heriot-Watt University Malaysia)
  • Dr. Daniel Looi (Swinburne University of Technology, Sarawak Campus, Malaysia)
International
  • Professor Priyan Mendis (The University of Melbourne, Australia)
  • Professor Md. Safiuddin (George Brown College, Canada)
  • Professor Awni K. Shaaban (Sultan Qaboos University, Oman)
  • Professor Tuan Ngo (The University of Melbourne, Australia)
  • Professor Sandeep Chaudhary (Indian Institute of Technology – Indore, India)
  • Asst. Prof. Ramaiah Prakash (ACCET, India)
  • Dr. Damith Mohotti (UNSW Canberra, Australia)
  • Dr. Zubair Imam Syed (Teesside University, UK)
  • Dr. Amit Shelke (Indian Institute of Technology – Guwahati, India)
  • Dr. Tung Pham (University of Civil Engineering, Hanoi, Vietnam)
  • Dr. Yew-Chin Koay (VicRoads, Australia)
  • Dr. H. M. Chandima Chathuranga Somarathna (University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka)

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