RESEARCH INVOLVEMENT

We actively encourage our staff to improve their academic careers by joining Master of Science (MSc) or Doctorate (PhD) programmes. At the moment some of our key staff hold PhD degree and the vast majority have either a MSc degree or are currently continuing their education to further their qualifications.

We support our staff members in conducting research work, particularly in subjects that has practical commercial applications. Such projects have generally involved the collaboration with universities and industries. Details of such projects are as given below:

Dr. Kemal Hanoğlu has done research on the fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) overlay retrofit of hollow clay tile masonry infill reinforced concrete frames. In this research, the stiffness and strength contribution of Hollow Clay Tile (HCT) infills to ductile and non-ductile reinforced concrete frames were evaluated using 1:3 scale specimens tested under quasi-static reversed cyclic seismic loads. Infilled frames with plain hollow clay tile infill were shown to have failure loads well in excess of the bare frames. Glass fibre woven sheet and carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic (FRP) laminates were used to confine and brace the hollow clay tile infill. Addition of glass-fibre overlays and carbon fibre laminates increased the strength of the infilled frames above the conventionally infilled frames. However, the maximum displacement capacity of the new system is reduced due to low compressive strength of the tile infill, which confined the failures and deformations to infill corners and column mid-height. Test results show that substantial strength increase can be achieved by overlay or FRP brace applications, which may benefit existing structures requiring retrofit. Although the FRP material and the resins forming its matrix are regarded expensive, for important and historical structures the cost of the alternative conventional retrofit schemes and the invasive nature and duration of the construction makes the costs comparable. This work was done with the Bosphorus University.

Lawrence Chee is the Project Leader for Orient Research in one of the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme. The research project is for a High Performance Insulation Based on Nanostructured Encapsulation of Air(HIPIN).  The project aims to develop a sustainable and affordable technology to produce a nanostructured thermal insulating coating to improve thermal efficiency in new and retrofitting buildings. More information is available from http://www.hipin.eu/