Keynotes

Brahim BENMOKRANE

Brahim BENMOKRANE is one of the world’s top and an internationally renowned expert in the field of structural concrete internally reinforced with fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) reinforcement. He is a professor in the department of Civil and Building Engineering of the University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, CANADA. His pioneering research has produced ways to use fiber composites to replace steel in concrete structures, thereby eliminating the deterioration of urban infrastructure. Professor Benmokrane has developed innovative materials used worldwide. He is in demand worldwide as a lecturer for seminars and courses. His research has significantly influenced the development of concrete structures reinforced with FRP bars, building codes, design specifications, and its practical use in North America and beyond. He has pioneered the development of related specifications and industry standards for using these new structural materials. He has made outstanding contributions to research, teaching, innovation, and leadership targeting the development of FRP reinforcement for concrete structures and their durability, structural performance, field applications, development of design codes and standards and the unflagging pursuit of knowledge transfer to industry. His research and sustained leadership in technical societies and technology transfer have contributed to widespread use of FRP rebars around the world. His expertise is sought after for professional seminars, international conferences, and academic courses worldwide. His recognition as a leader in his field is not limited to his colleagues in academia but extends to industry, professional societies, and public agencies. His contributions go beyond his cutting-edge research to include leadership and involvement in developing international design codes and specifications for engineers and users. Professor Benmokrane has organized and chaired several international conferences/workshops in his research field and has freely given of his time and expertise in delivering many intensive courses, seminars/webinars, and workshops to thousands of engineers, researchers, and professionals across Canada and around the world. His research and professional services have been recognized with several awards. Some of his more note-worthy awards have come from ACI, CSCE, CSA, IIFC, NSERC, and the Royal Society of Canada (Fellow of Academy of Science). Professor Benmokrane has published over 750 papers, books, and book chapters and delivered over 250 lectures worldwide. He is one of the scientists most cited in the world in the field (23,000+ Citations, h-index=84, by Google Scholar). The outstanding merit and research significance of Professor Benmokrane’ s publications are widely recognized by many people in universities, industries and government agencies as well as being extensively referred to in national and international codes and design guides. Professor Benmokrane holds the prestigious Tier–1 Canada Research Chair in Advanced Composite Materials for Civil Structures and the NSERC-Alliance Industrial Research Chair in Innovative FRP Reinforcement for Sustainable Concrete Infrastructures at the Department of Civil and Building Engineering at the University of Sherbrooke (Sherbrooke, QC, Canada). He currently leads a research group of 35 and has trained 185 researchers. He founded the world’s largest research lab on FRP reinforcing bars for concrete structures at the University of Sherbrooke, which helps the industry in developing and receiving approval for new construction materials requiring certification under International Codes and Standards. Over the last 25 years, Professor Benmokrane has worked with Canadian and international engineering firms and government departments and counts many world firsts to his credit in terms of bridges, parking facilities, water-treatment plants, and tunnels. He has acted as a consultant on major national and international projects using FRP bars, such as the Nipigon Cable Stayed Bridge on the Trans-Canada Highway (northwestern Ontario, Canada), Highway 40 & Champlain Bridge (Montreal, Canada), TTC Subway North Tunnels (Highway 407) (Toronto, Canada), Port of Tanger Med II (Morocco), and Port of Miami Tunnel (FL, USA).

Presentation title: Recent developments in Canadian research related to FRP reinforcement for durable and resilient concrete structures, design codes, and field applications

Recent developments in Canadian research related to FRP reinforcement for durable and resilient concrete structures, design codes, and field applications

Presentation title: Monitoring of RC Beams Using Smart FRP Bonded Material

This presentation aimed to investigate the cracking behaviour of RC beams strengthened by external bonded smart FRP. The keynote focus on smart monitoring of existing structure and the influence of steel percentage on improving post-strengthening properties. Accordingly, an experimental study will be sump-up and debonding process will be explained. The interface information is obtained by adopting a smart CFRP fabric bonded on the bottom side of the beams. A smart CFRP consists of two texture fabrics inside which a distributed fibre-optic sensor (DFOS) is inserted. During the test, the sensor measured the mechanical strain distribution of the composite with a millimetric spatial resolution. The recorded strains were used to deduce the evolution of bond shear stresses at the CFRP/concrete interface. Simultaneously crack openings along the beams were detected and measured using digital image correlation (DIC). Simultaneous-ly crack openings along the beams were detected and measured using digital image correlation (DIC). The cracking behaviour was monitored using digital image correlation, and the midspan deflection and elemental capacity were measured using laboratory tools. The results of the strengthened beams were compared with reference values, and the crack width was compared with the theoretical values predicted using the Eurocode 2 (EC2) formula, calibrated for non-strengthened RC elements. Subsequently, an empirical model was established as a modification of EC2, considering the presence of a CFRP system. The corresponding results will be compared and discussed to validate the model.

Viktor MECHTCHERINE

Viktor MECHTCHERINE has been a Professor and the Director of the Institute for Construction Materials at TUD Dresden University of Technology in Germany, since 2006. He is a member of both the German National Academy of Science and Engineering and the Science Academy of Saxony. Furthermore, he is a RILEM Fellow and has been honored with the Wason Medal for Materials Research by the American Concrete Institute (ACI) and Innovation Awards from both bauma and fib. Prof. Mechtcherine is also Editor of the Journals “Cement and Concrete Composites” and “Materials and Structures” as well as Chair of RILEM TC 304-ADC "Assessment of Digitally Fabricated Concrete Materials and Structures". Finally, he is Coordinator of the German Research Foundation (DFG) Priority Program SPP 2005 "Opus Fluidum Futurum – Rheology of reactive, multiscale, multi-phase construction materials", Speaker of the DFG Research Training Group GRK 2250 "Mineral-bonded composites for enhanced structural impact safety", and Steering Committee Member in the DFG Collaborative Research Centers TRR 339 “Digital twin of the road system – Physical-informational representation of the future road system” and  TRR 280 “Design strategies for material-minimized carbon reinforced concrete structures – Principles of a new approach to construction”.

Presentation title: Fiber-Reinforced Mineral-based Composites for Digital Concrete Technologies

This contribution explores recent advancements in sustainable and high-performance building materials, focusing on strain-hardening cement-based composites (SHCC) with limestone calcined clay cement (LC3) and carbon fiber reinforcements, alongside innovative applications in 3D printing and smart functionalities. The introduction of LC3 in high-strength SHCC presents a sustainable alternative to traditional Portland cement, significantly reducing the carbon footprint while maintaining mechanical performance. A novel automated process for constructing shell structures using 3D printing technology and textile reinforcement is highlighted, which enables efficient construction of complex gridshell structures. Additionally, the development of mineral-impregnated carbon-fiber (MCF) composites utilizing fly-ash geopolymers optimizes mechanical properties and bonding with the concrete matrix. The research extends to waste management through the use of recycled carbon fibers (rCF) in fly ash-GGBS alkali-activated composites, enhancing compatibility and sustainability. Innovations in 3D printing technology further incorporate MCF into concrete filaments, improving performance and fostering digital construction opportunities. Furthermore, the contribution delves into smart mineral-based composites, addressing the Joule heating effect in cementitious nanocomposites with multi-walled and single-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs and SWCNTs) for thermal management and energy harvesting from industrial waste materials. The integration of SWCNT-based sensor properties into concrete for detecting sulphuric acid penetration redefines structural health monitoring capabilities. This comprehensive review underscores the pivotal role of innovative materials in advancing sustainable, efficient, and smart construction solutions.

Presentation title: What is “low-carbon” concrete?

Reducing the carbon footprint of building materials is one of the major current challenges of construction industry. Life cycle analysis allows assessing the environmental impacts, especially the emissions of greenhouse gases, over the whole life cycle of structural materials. These impacts cannot be only expressed as equivalent CO2 emissions per unit weight or volume of material, as the quantity of material required for a given use is likely to vary depending on material properties. This presentation questions the definition of low-carbon concrete through the analysis of properties related to the use of structural concrete in different environmental conditions, and suggests some methodologies to characterize and optimize the ratio of environmental impacts to engineering properties through performance-based specifications.

Presentation title: Advanced Textile-based Materials and Techniques for Structural and Combined Structural/Energy Retrofitting of Concrete and Masonry Structures

The presentation will briefly review the application of advanced textile-based materials and techniques in the retrofitting of reinforced concrete and masonry structures. The topic will cover structural retrofitting as well as new concepts (with experimental validation) for combined seismic and energy upgrading.