Biography
Prof. Messaoud Saidani
Prof. Messaoud Saidani
Coventry University, UK
Title: The mechanical and material properties of a novel lightweight cementitious material
Abstract: 

The growing need to reduce the dead weight of structural elements to allow long spanning and elegant structures, has always been one of the drivers in the construction industry quest to fining materials that can lead to such accomplishments. GEM-TECH is a novel lightweight cementitious material made from a mix of sand, cement, water and a GEM-SOL catalyst. It is an environmentally friendly material, requiring less cement consumption, lightweight with lower cost of constituent materials, self-levelling and free-flowing with the potential for structural use in construction. 

This research presents an experimental investigation into the mechanical properties of the GEM-TECH material. Two sets of GEM-TECH material mixes of target densities of 1810 kg/m3 and 1600 kg/m3 were prepared and tested. The results from the experiments carried out showed that the GEM-SOL catalyst improved properties of the material such as its compressive and flexural strengths. It was confirmed that the material can be proposed utilised a structural member since it gained strength values above 20 MPa after 28 days. In the end, the mechanical properties of the GEM-TECH material is such that it is best suited for structural members such as beams and any structural members subjected to flexural loads that are more evenly distributed and not exposed to high stress concentrations that could lead to local crushing of the member.

Biography: 

After completing his first degree in Civil Engineering, Messaoud embarked on a PhD in Structural Engineering at The University of Nottingham, which he successfully completed in 1991. He then stayed on as a post-doctoral research fellow working on a number of pan-European and UK projects. In 1995, he jointed Coventry University teaching and reaching structural and material engineering. He is currently the Head of Research at Coventry University’s School of Energy, Construction and Environment. 

Messaoud is a Chartered Engineer and Member of the Institution of Structural Engineers, with over 25 years’ experience in teaching, research and consultancy covering a large number of topics in structural engineering. He is the author of over 100 papers and technical reports, and his research work has been cited in books and magazines. He is a member of the editorial board of a number of international journals, and a reviewer of funding applications to a number of funding bodies, such the EPSRC and the British Council.