Keynote SPEAKER

 

Assoc. Prof. Sudharshan N. Raman

Monash University Malaysia, Malaysia

Dr. Sudharshan N. Raman is a Professor of Civil Engineering, specialising in Structures and Materials, where his interests focuses on decarbonisation actions and efforts in the construction industry, with a focus on materials and construction systems, ultimately contributing and leading towards reduced carbon emission and healthy living of humans (low-carbon living). At present, he is the Head of Department, of the Department of Civil Engineering, in the School of Engineering of Monash University Malaysia. He also co-founded and leads the interdisciplinary Research Hub, the Monash Climate-Resilient Infrastructure Research Hub (M-CRInfra) at Monash University Malaysia. Dr. Raman completed his PhD at The University of Melbourne, Australia, with a focus in structural engineering and infrastructure protective technology. Dr. Raman was the President of the Malaysian Chapter of the American Concrete Institute (Malaysia Chapter – ACI) for the 2018-2020 session. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE), UK; a Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE); a Member of American Concrete Institute (ACI); a Senior Member of RILEM; and a Committee Member of the Civil & Structural Engineering Technical Division of The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (IEM). He is also active in standards and specification development activities, both locally (in Malaysia), and internationally; such as the Technical Committee on Cement, and Working Group on Ultra-High-Performance Fibre-Reinforced Concrete (UHPFRC) Structures under the Department of Standards, Malaysia (DSM), as well as the ACI Subcommittee 239-0F – UHPC Sustainability of the American Concrete Institute (ACI) and the UHPC Committee of the Asian Concrete Federation (ACF).

Title: An Exploration of the Sustainability Potential of Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC)

Abstract: Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) is a type of special concrete developed to meet the demand for niche applications in the construction industry. It is considered a revolutionary material within the concrete family that has gained reputation and interest due to its excellent mechanical properties in compressive strength, enhanced tensile strength, ductility, and durability characteristics. While research on UHPC and the application of the system in practice have been progressing at an accelerated pace, the concepts of sustainability and resilience of UHPC, and the impact of the associated materials and systems on sustainability, resilience, and their interrelated issues are not understood in detail. One of the misconceptions is that “it is almost impossible to make UHPC as a carbon-neutral material due to the high amount of cementitious materials used in its production”. This misconception arises from two main reasons: the first is due to the approach of comparing the sustainability aspects of UHPC to the sustainability norms of conventional concrete; and the second is the consideration of only the materials'aspects of sustainability, or more broadly the construction phase. This work provides an overview of the efforts undertaken by the presenter to address this knowledge gap. The first part of this presentation will focus on the historical background of the UHPC technology, the fundamental science and engineering governing the synthesis and production of UHPC, and the current state-of-the-art of the technology. The second part of the presentation will then focus on selected state-of-the-art research work undertaken by the presenter in advancing the UHPC technology, as well as on the analysis undertaken to address the sustainability and lean construction potential of UHPC.

Prof. Ahmad Safuan A Rashid

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Malaysia

Professor Ahmad Safuan A Rashid obtained his PhD degree in Geotechnical Engineering from the University of Sheffield in 2011, with a Malaysian Higher Education Scholarship. Now he is a Professor and Deputy Dean of Research, Innovation and Development for the Faculty of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. He used to be the Head of Geotechnical Research Group and is currently a Fellow of the Centre of Tropical Geoengineering, which provides research and consultation work on geological and geotechnical engineering for the tropical area. The major research area of Associate Professor Ahmad Safuan is the on-the-ground improvement technique. He has published 200 refereed journal papers. He hassuccessfully supervised 14 PhD students to their completion and is currently supervising 6 PhD students.

Title: Cement-Based Laterite Soil: Strength Changes in Wet and Dry Conditions

Abstract: Understanding the shear strength behaviour of unsaturated cement-stabilised laterite soil is essential for improving the performance and reliability of geotechnical structures in tropical regions where such soils are commonly found. This study investigates the mechanical response of both saturated (wet) and unsaturated (dry) laterite soils stabilised with varying cement dosages (0%, 3%, 6%, 9%, and 12% by dry weight). Standard laboratory tests—including Proctor compaction, unconfined compressive strength (UCS), California Bearing Ratio (CBR), and triaxial shear tests under saturated (Consolidated Undrained test) and unsaturated (double-wall triaxial test) conditions are conducted to evaluate strength characteristics. The optimum cement dosage of 6% with a 7-day curing period is identified based on UCS results. Findings revealed that shear strength increased with higher cement dosage, longer curing, and elevated matric suction, especially under unsaturated conditions where suction contributes to apparent cohesion. Cement addition also enhanced soil structure by reducing porosity and improving inter-particle bonding, as evidenced by microstructural and chemical analyses. Overall, this study highlights the critical role of both cement content and moisture conditions in improving the shear strength of laterite soil, providing essential guidance for the design of foundations, slopes, and pavements in tropical regions subject to moisture fluctuations.

Prof.Fabio Tosti

University of West London, UK

Fabio Tosti received the MSc and Engineering degree cum laude in Road Transportation and Infrastructures from the Sciences of Civil Engineering Department of Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy, in 2010. In 2014, he has received his PhD with European Doctorate Label (excellent rating) in Civil Engineering from the same department, wherein he subsequently held a post-doctoral position. Since 2016 he is Lecturer (Research Fellow) in “Applications of Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR)” at the School of Computing and Engineering of the University of West London.

His research work is focused on the development of GPR-based methods and the use of other non-destructive testing (NDT) techniques in Civil Engineering and Geosciences. During his PhD, he was hosted twice at the Delft University of Technology - Department of Geoscience & Engineering - for the development and validation of new GPR techniques, and for the electromagnetic characterization of typical road materials.

He has been involved in several European and Italian Research projects as a Research team member. He is the leader of Project 2.5 “Determination, by using GPR, of the volumetric water content in structures, sub-structures, foundations and soil”, within the framework of the COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) Action TU1208 “Civil Engineering Applications of Ground Penetrating Radar”. Since 2013, he is co-Convener at the EGU General Assembly for Session GI3.1 “Civil Engineering Applications of Ground Penetrating Radar”. He has served as EGU Representative of Early Career Scientists (ECS) within the “Geosciences Instrumentation & Data Systems (GI)” Division for the year 2015-2016, and he is currently in charge for the year 2016-2017. He has served as Chairman in several International Conferences and Meetings on GPR and road safety issues. He has authored and co-authored about 60 publications in International journals, books, and conference proceedings, and served as guest editor in several international journals. He is the Assistant to Editors for the International journal “Advances in Transportation Studies” and a reviewer for many International ISI- and Scopus-listed journals.

Title: Application of Ground Penetrating Radar in Civil Engineering: Monitoring Material Strength

Abstract: Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) has emerged as a pivotal non-destructive testing (NDT) technique in civil engineering, particularly for monitoring the strength of construction materials. Despite its proven efficacy in detecting subsurface anomalies and its widespread availability in various commercial forms, GPR has not been fully integrated into standard practices for material strength assessment. This paper presents an exhaustive review of GPR technologies and methodologies historically employed in the evaluation of material strength within civil engineering contexts. Through a systematic review process, a total of 104 peer-reviewed articles were selected, covering 128 distinct cases where GPR was utilized to assess a wide array of construction materials. The applications of GPR across different material types and environmental conditions are thoroughly examined. The review indicates that 76% of GPR applications are concentrated on evaluating the strength of concrete and asphalt materials, which are predominant in infrastructure projects. In terms of material diversity, concrete and asphalt dominate the dataset, comprising 95% of the total, while other materials such as timber and masonry represent a mere 5%. The GPR systems reviewed are categorized into six primary groups based on their technical specifications, with an analysis of their key characteristics and capabilities. The review also delves into the techniques for extracting material properties, revealing a significant focus on identifying compressive strength, while fewer studies explore the extraction of tensile strength and elastic modulus. Additionally, the integration of GPR with other NDT technologies—particularly ultrasonic testing and impact echo—is explored, emphasizing the potential for enhanced diagnostic accuracy through sensor fusion. This study offers a comprehensive overview of the current state of GPR application in material strength monitoring and identifies critical areas for future research and technological advancements.