Sustainable Construction Materials and Structural Systems (SCMASS)

Background:

The SCMASS Research Group's mission is to promote innovative research in the area of sustainable construction materials and structural systems by serving as a platform for collaborative research efforts fostering the interaction between industry and academia in the field of civil engineering. The research group's interest covers a broad range of inter-related research activities encompassing fundamental research in materials science, mechanics, computational methods, and applied research, including integrating novel & sustainable materials for structural applications and rehabilitation. Of particular interest are research activities focusing on seismic-resilient systems and novel energy dissipation and isolation materials and devices.

Goals & Objectives:

1. To conduct and support quality research related to sustainable construction materials and structural systems and obtain grants and other funding sources to promote related scientific research.
2. To develop and test sustainable construction materials and structural systems using rigorous laboratory experiments and advanced analytical models and simulations.
3. To contribute and advance current knowledge through research activities and disseminate findings in scientific research and professional papers, databases, software, and decision-support tools.
4. To develop strategic research partnerships with leading local companies, government organizations, and research groups globally.
5. Accelerate the development of new and innovative sustainable construction materials and technologies based on the industry demands and to serve the community.
6. To educate and train graduate students, and support the M.Sc. and Ph.D. programs at the University of Sharjah.

History:

The Sustainable Construction Materials and Structural Systems (SCMASS) research group established in 2015/2016 at the University of Sharjah. SCMASS is a focused group composed of nine faculty members who will pursue research interests in sustainable construction materials and structural systems. The group members cover the following research disciplines: Structural and Earthquake Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, Materials Engineering, and Pavement Engineering.

:

• Development and characterization of sustainable construction materials, including fiber-reinforced composites, eco-friendly binders, and advanced structural systems.
• Resilient structural systems design, focusing on seismic performance, vibration mitigation, and energy dissipation mechanisms.
• Integration of novel materials and technologies such as 3D-printed formworks and polymer-based reinforcement in structural applications.
• Experimental, analytical, and numerical methods for performance evaluation of materials and structural components.

• Prof. Salah Altoubat has been elected a Fellow of the Institute in recognition of his contributions to the work of ACI, November 6, 2023.
• Dr. Zaid Al-Sadoon received a patent: Apparatus for Thaw Detection of a Frozen Item and Method of Manufacturing the Same. U.S. Patent and Trade Mark Office. US Non-Provisional Patent. Patent No. US 11561137, January ‎24, 2023. https://patentcenter.uspto.gov/applications/17499188
• Prof. Salah Altoubat received award for distinguished faculty members in research, 2016/2017.
• Dr. Moussa Leblouba received the Sharjah Islamic Bank best award for distinguished research, 2016/2017.
• Prof. Ghazi Al-Khateeb received the ASTM 2nd Prize, Assessment of the Effect of Carbon Nanotube Fibers for Superior Performing Roadways in the UAE, ASTM International UAE Chapter Student Poster Competition, September 8, 2020.
• Prof. Ghazi Al-Khateeb received the Sharjah Sustainability Award, Outstanding Team Award, Domain: Assessment Scientific Research, 8th Cycle, Sharjah Environment and Protected Areas Authority, 2019-2020.
• Dr. Waleed Zeiada won American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) national competition, Third place prize, "Modification of Asphalt binder using Crumb Rubber", September, 8th 2020.
• Dr. Waleed Zeiada received Sharjah Sustainability Award, Outstanding Team Award, "Assessment of Synergistic Effect of Nanoparticles and Nanotube Fibers for Superior Performing Roadways in the UAE ", Sharjah Environment and Protected Areas Authority, 8th Session, 2020.
• Dr. Waleed Zeiada was interviewed by the International Road Federation (IRF) -Middle East & North Africa Chapter - as part of his participation at their regional congress and exhibition which took place in Dubai (October 29-30, 2017). Dr. Zeiada presented a research titled "Healing Based Approach for Perpetual Asphalt Pavement Design". The full interview can be checked here.