The Structural Engineer's Decarbonising Journey

It is estimated that structural engineering is responsible for 10% of global CO2 emissions. As a mitigation measure, forms of construction which exploit low-carbon materials are being explored.

This talk will give a flavour of this journey of exploration, in the process identifying key research topics which have emerged to address the main structural design challenges. Built environment and infrastructure examples will be briefly discussed including timber-concrete hybrids, fibre polymer composite bridges, cement free concrete-steel modular construction and prestressed stone floors.

Dr Wendel Sebastian will lead up to 20-minutes of discussion, followed by questions posed from the audience and Julia Stegemann, ICEC-MCM Director and Environmental Engineering Professor at UCL.

Dr Wendel Sebastian

Dr Wendel Sebastian is a Reader in Structural Engineering at UCL. He conducts research (by numerical analysis, large-scale laboratory tests & field monitoring) on low-carbon structures e.g. building floors made of timber-concrete composites, cement-free concrete - steel composites, or prestressed stone, and bridges made of fibre polymer composites. This research is of direct benefit to industry and feeds into design standards. Wendel is an advisor to key national and global organisations including National Highways and the World Bank.

The ICEC-MCM

The Interdisciplinary Circular Economy Centre for Mineral-based Construction Materials is a four-year funded project by UKRI and EPSRC as part of the NICER Programme for a Circular Economy. The ICEC-MCM is a joint initiative between UCL, the University of Leeds, Loughborough University, Imperial College London, Lancaster University, the University of Sheffield and BGS and more than 40 industry partners across the construction industry.

The ICEC-MCM research aims to provide national and global leadership as well as capacity for transformative change to circular processes and practices over the whole construction mineral value chain. The centre will explore how better design and manufacturing of products and structures made from mineral materials (such as aggregates, cement and brick) can help the UK’s construction industry to do more with less, reduce waste and lower costs.