Mechanics of Porous Materials and Infrastructure 

Thermomechanical behaviour of concrete

When subjected to transient temperatures, concrete exhibits a complex multi-physics behaviour. Accurate understanding and modelling of this behaviour is key to a number of applications. These include the assessment of nuclear pressure vessels, containers for chemicals, water towers or reservoirs, silos, and building structures in fire (particularly travelling fire) conditions. A key challenge is to understand and model the coupled thermal, moisture and mechanical fields to enable reliable assessment of existing concrete structures and resilient design of future infrastructure.

Shrinkage of cementitious composites

Concrete drying leads to the development of concrete shrinkage (usually referred to as "drying shrinkage"), which in turn has a serious impact on the structural and durability performance of concrete elements. To limit the detrimental effects of drying and associated shrinkage, concrete mixes are often reinforced with fibres.  A major challenge is to understand and model the effects of the inclusion of fibres on both drying and shrinkage, thus predicting the effects on the structural and durability performance.

Tomography imaging of concrete

Repair and maintenance of existing concrete structures has become an urgent and critical problem in recent years. In this context, reliable non-destructive monitoring techniques are urgently needed to inform repair and maintenance strategies.  Electical and thermal tomography are promising techniques to reconstruct images of a specific region in a concrete, i.e. to "look inside" concrete elements. This can be done by detecting  damage and moisture based on electrical/thermal conductivity.  A key challenge is to develop advanced algorithms for accurate imagining of concrete elements.  Further challenges are to apply tailored electrical/thermal loads and to develop smart concrete mixes to facilitate imaging of large elements. 

• EPSRC Grant EP/V007025/1

Principal Investigator: Giacomo Torelli
Three-dimensional electrical tomography for imaging large concrete members
2022-2023

• EPSRC ICASE PhD Studentship with EDF Energy

Lead supervisor: Giacomo Torelli
2021-2025

• EPSRC ICASE PhD Studentship with the National Nuclear Laboratory, Sellafield Ltd. and Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd. 

Lead supervisor: Giacomo Torelli
Sellafield Ltd. and Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd support
2021-2025

• Game Changers Proof of Concept Grant, co-funded by Sellafield Ltd. and Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd.

Principal Investigator: Maurizio Guadagnini,

Co-Investigators: Giacomo Torelli, Shan-Shan Huang, Kypros Pilakoutas
2021-2022

• Game Changers Feasibility Study , co-funded by Sellafield Ltd. and Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd.

Principal Investigator: Giacomo Torelli
2021