CIES engages with the Precast Concrete Industry

CIES member Dr Ehab Hamed, has recently joined the National Precast Concrete Association Australia (NPCAA) - making CIES & UNSW the first Tertiary Institution member of NPCAA.

Dr Hamed was prompted to contact the NPCAA after seeing a news story on the new Sandwich Panel Recommended Practice in the CIA (Concrete in Australia) magazine. He saw this as an opportunity for CIES to engage with the precast industry and to contribute to the industry by providing structural solutions that are more economic, durable, environmentally friendly and sustainable.

Precast concrete walling is a great alternative to traditional construction techniques. The benefits offered by precast walling along with the growing availability of mobile cranes and the rising cost of bricklaying, have seen precast panels becoming the product of choice in the Australian construction market. In many cases, however, precast concrete wall panels are used blindly to some extent without adequate research findings to support methodologies.

Dr Hamed is investigating the long-term creep and shrinkage response of wall panels including high-strength concrete panels and modern precast concrete sandwich panels. He is developing new theoretical models and conducting novel full-scale tests. Through these, he is hoping to gain a better understanding of the structural behaviour of these very popular construction elements and to establish design guidelines and recommendations that will utilise their best advantages as energy-efficient and load carrying members. Through collaboration with industry, the impact of his research work will have a different and a more significant value.  

Through NPCAA, Dr Hamed has been invited to give a presentation about his work in their August 2015 meeting at Brisbane, where he aims to gain interest from industry about his research activities.   

Dr Ehab Hamed can be contacted via email:  e.hamed@unsw.edu.au