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1
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Project Title
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Developing lightweight foam concrete with added fly ash for thermal insulation applications and investigating its physical, mechanical, and thermal properties
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Investigator(s)
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Dr. Sherif El Gamal (PI)
Prof. Ali Al-Nuaimi
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Funded by:
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Budget (RO):
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SQU
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3,000
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Project Description:
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Similar to several RC structures especially those in harsh environments, RC arch bridges are facing some problems such as steel corrosion, which leads the bridges to premature deterioration. Engineers found that fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) reinforcement is a good alternative to steel because of its excellent corrosion resistance. It has also other advantages that make it an attractive alternative to steel in structures in areas of marine and corrosive environments. This research study will focus on using FRP bars as internal reinforcement in arch slab bridges. The experimental work will include the construction of several arch slab bridges. Test parameters will include the type of reinforcing bars (Steel, Glass FRP, and Caron FRP), reinforcement ratio, and use of hybrid reinforcement (Steel and GFRP). Measurements will include cracking behavior, mode of failure, ultimate capacity, deflections, and strains. The main aim is to show if FRP bars can be used as a reinforcing material in arch slabs in corrosive areas and if they will be compared to the behavior of steel-RC arches.
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2
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Project Title
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Developing 3D printing capabilities using indigenous local materials for the construction sector in Oman
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Investigator(s)
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Dr. Syed Mphammed Belal (PI)
Dr. Mubarak Al-Alawi
Prof. Khalifa Al-Jabri
Dr. Abdullah Al-Saidy
Dr. Majid Al-Maharbi
Dr. Rami Al-Hmouz
Dr. Mohammed Shafiq
Dr. Mohammed Al-Abri
Dr. Nawal Al-Rasbi
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Funded by:
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Budget (RO):
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HMTF
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58,000
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Project Description:
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At the core of the strategic development of a country must be the desire to develop human
resources and excel in technological advancement. This has been the approach for all
developed countries like the USA, Japan, China, and Korea which led to their technological
advancements. The two aspects directly relate to all the indices usually used to define the
progress and development of the country. With the advent of the Industrial Revolution-4.0
(IR4), there is a global race towards the inclusion of automation in all facets of engineering,
while global warming and climate change have made it essential to incorporate sustainability
and optimization in engineering solutions. Vision Oman 2040 strongly emphasizes on having
a knowledge-based economy for research and innovation s one of the pillars of this strategy.
The construction industry especially in Oman has remained conventional even during the
rapid growth in cities and urban settlements over the past decades. The industry can make
use of the IR4 through 3D-printing technology. Compared to standard manufacturing it has
a higher fabrication speed, reduced waste production, ease of prototyping, and freedom in
design. 3D Printing of Concrete (3DPC) is done using the extrusion process that involves the
process involves mixing, feeding, pumping, and then extruding the concrete to complete the
printing process. Each phase has its own requirements, which are contrary to the other, thus
making the process extremely sensitive to the rheology and the constituents of concrete.
This research, therefore, will focus on investigating the optimal mix design using local
indigenous materials that can fulfill the requirement for 3D printing, while also considering
the use of sustainable replacement of the ingredients of concrete. The research will
investigate the use of a novel approach to the delivery of concrete to printing to better fulfill
the contradicting engineering requirements in each phase. Also, the research will explore
developing a smart mixer that can monitor and control the rheological characteristics of
concrete to improve the overall 3D-printing process.
The project will provide In-Country Value (ICV) for the 3DPC technology, lead to local
capacity building, and rely on locally available materials and technology advancement in the
field of construction.
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3
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Project Title
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Use of Recycled Tires Waste in Self-compacting as well as Non-Structural Concrete Applications
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Investigator(s)
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Dr.Syed Muhammad Bilal Waris Ali (PI)
Prof. Khalifa Al-Jabri
Dr. Kazi Md. Abu Sohel
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Funded by:
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Budget (RO):
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SQU
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5,800
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Project Description:
Handling tire waste is a serious waste management challenge at the national and international
levels. On the other hand, the conservation of natural aggregate resources is essential for
sustainability. This research will investigate the use of waste tire rubber as a partial
replacement of aggregate in non-structural concrete applications. The goal will be to identify
the maximum replacement possible while satisfying minimum strength and durability
requirements and ensure desirable thermal performance. In addition to using standard cubes
and cylinders to investigate strength and durability, the study will use hollow concrete and
paving blocks as well as interlocking tiles. The research will provide recommendation for the
possible percentage replacement of aggregates with recycled tire rubber for applications in
the construction industry.
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4
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Project Title
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Stabilization of Sabkha soils in Al-Seeb area using deep soil mixing techniques
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Investigator(s)
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Dr. Mohammed Al Aghbari (PI)
Dr. Yahia Mohamedzein
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Funded by:
SQU
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Budget (RO):
6,050
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Project Description:
Problematic soils cover vast areas in Oman and cause many problems for buildings
and infrastructures. Problematic soils in Oman include Sabkha soils, expansive soils
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and dune sands. This research investigates the use of deep soil mixing as a stabilizing
method for Sabkha soils in Oman. Soil samples will be collected and laboratory and
field tests will be performed. The research is expected to provide guidelines for safe
and economical means for use of deep soil mixing as stabilizing method for Sabkha
soils in Oman. The stabilized soils can be used as bearing soils for foundations of
buildings and infrastructures.
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5
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Project Title
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Development of a Low-Cost MEMS INS/GNSS Integrated System for LIDAR Mobile Mapping Applications
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Investigator(s)
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Dr. Mohammed Kandil El-Diasty (PI)
Dr. Ghazi Al-Rawas
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Funded by:
SQU
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Budget (RO):
5,650
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Project Description:
Mobile mapping systems using LiDAR technology are becoming popular choice to collect 3D data and determine surface elevation models. Mobile mapping systems integrate several advanced surveying technologies. The basic components of these systems include a direct georefrencing component along with a laser scanner (LiDAR) and/or a digital imager. Direct georefrencing is the determination of position and attitude parameters for a mobile mapping system. The most common technologies used for this purpose today are Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) integrated systems. However, only costly and expensive navigation and tactical grade IMUs have been implemented for direct georefrencing of the LiDAR mobile mapping data. Most recently, the production of low-cost industrial grade IMU using Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) technologies are evolved rapidly to improve the IMU accuracy and to achieve comparable accuracy to the tactical grade IMUs.
This research will investigate the development of accurate low-cost MEMS based inertial navigation system (INS)/GNSS georefrensing system for LiDAR mobile mapping applications for 3D data collection and surface elevation models production. The challenge of using the MEMS IMU is that it is contaminated with high level of noise and high level of bias stability error. To overcome this issue, a new denoising, filtering and integration methods will be developed in this project using hybrid wavelet neutral network (WNN) and principal component analysis (PCA) methods to achieve accurate MEMS based INS/GNSS navigation solution for mobile mapping applications. Moreover, the final accuracy of MEMS based INS/GNSS navigation solution will be compared with the American Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS) horizontal and vertical accuracy standards for geospatial data production.
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6
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Project Title
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Peer Review of the Study: Sohar Port Climate Change Resilience
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Investigator(s)
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Dr. Ghazi Al-Rawas (PI)
Dr. Mohammad Reza Nikoo
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Funded by:
SOHAR Port and Freezone
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Budget (RO):
7,170
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Project Description:
SOHAR Port and Freezone Company is intending to study the impact of the climate change on the port and freezone business. This study will give in-depth insight of the risk’s magnitude related to the climate and natural hazards. The project has been awarded to a well-known international consultant named “Deltares”. SOHAR Port and Freezone Company is aiming to engage the national expertise in this field by involving the Sultan Qaboos University as peer reviewer on the Consultant reports. The scope of the SQU involvement shall be described below. A-Review of the Climate Change Disk Study Report: The report of the climate change analysis will be shared with SQU to review and give their inputs and comments on the same. SOHAR Port and Freezone Company expects that the reviewer has in depth knowledge in this subject in which he shall challenge the outcomes of the report. The reviewer shall be able to assess the basis and assumptions used in the study using his expertise and knowledge in this subject. SOHAR Port and Freezone Company expects that rounds of Online meetings and workshops will be needed in which the reviewer shall elaborate on his comments. B-Review of the Modeling [ Hydrology / Hydraulic]: Part of this project scope is to simulate the runoff and the wadies over the area of SOHAR PORT and Freezone according to the plan attached in the consultant scope of work. The reports will be shared with SQU to review and give their inputs and comments on the same. SOHAR PORT and Freezone expects that the reviewer has in depth knowledge in this subject in which he shall challenge the outcomes of the report. The reviewer shall be able to assess the basis and assumptions being used in the model using his expertise and knowledge in this subject. SOHAR PORT and Freezone expects that rounds of online meetings and workshops will be needed in which the reviewer shall elaborate on his comments.
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7
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Project Title
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Use of Omani marble waste as a sustainable construction Material
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Investigator(s)
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Prof. Khalifa Al-Habri (PI)
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Funded by:
TRC
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Budget (RO):
3,000
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Project Description:
Marble waste is a solid by-product waste from the mining and processing of marble production. Large amounts of waste marble are produced annually in Oman in the form of powder, slurry, and irregularly shaped stone. Therefore, marble waste dumped in the landfills without considering its effect on the environment and heath. Recently, along with the issue of waste management, the construction industry has been one of the major global environmental polluters. Furthermore, utilization of marble waste in the concrete/mortar is reducing landfill cost, reducing construction materials cost and saving energy. The main aim of this research project is to investigate the potential use of marble waste as sustainable material in concrete industry. Various proportions of concrete mix with different % of marble as an aggregate replacement will be prepared. Prior to being used in concrete, the raw material's physical and chemical properties will be assessed. The fresh and hardened properties of mixes will studies. This includes fresh state workability of concrete and the mechanical properties such as compressive, tensile and flexural strength and durability which includes acid resistance, sulphate resistance, porosity, permeability, and corrosion. The results will be analyzed and compared with previous research studies. It is anticipated that the results from the proposed research project will fulfill part of the Sultanate of Oman sustainable development goals in finding viable and tangible alternatives to the utilize of waste in beneficial applications in construction industry. This will help in reducing the waste accumulation and reducing the demand in the natural resources and creating circular economy in the recycling industry in Oman. This research also contributes towards development of guidelines for using industrial wastes in infrastructure projects. By disseminating research findings in major international conferences and high impact international journals, SQU's reputation as a research leader in structural and construction materials engineering will also be enhanced.
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8
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Project Title
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Design of Sustainable and Livable Outdoor Zoones in Female Dormitory
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Investigator(s)
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Dr. Saleh Al-Saadi (PI)
Dr. Aliya Al-Hashim
Dr. Amna Al-Ruhaili
Dr. Hanan Al-Khatri
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Funded by:
SQU-VC OFfice
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Budget (RO):
23,000
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Project Description:
The overall goal of this project is to design outdoor livable and sustainable zones for students at female residential complexes on SQU campus. This project will result in a design peoposal for outoor zones in the female accommodation complexes 2,3,4, that are creative, sustainable, buildable, fitting with SQU architectural identity, and easy to maintain. The design proposal will consist of architectural drawings and landscape design.
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9
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Project Title
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Evaluation of Darsait collapse
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Investigator(s)
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Prof. Ali Al-Nuaimi (PI)
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Funded by:
Supreme Court AL-Khwair
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Budget (RO):
2,000
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Project Description:
Evaluation of land slide in Darsait area:
- Investigation of the lamd slide impact on plot 165 in Darsait.
- Evaluate the mountain condition and its safety.
- Geological study for the mountain and propose technical solutions.
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10
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Project Title
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Administrative Apeal (23 – 128A)
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Investigator(s)
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Prof. Ali Al-Nuaimi (PI)
Dr. Hossam Hassan
Eng. Najib Butathara Conjo
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Funded by:
Court of Apeal
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Budget (RO):
13,500
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Project Description:
Study court case documents for course case 2023-128A and prepare a technical report.
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11
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Project Title
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A green cement-based mortar for use in 3D Printing using FerroChrome Slag (FCS) and Ground Tire Rubber (GTR)
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Investigator(s)
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Dr. Muhammad Bilal Waris (PI)
Pro. Khalifa Al-Jabri
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Funded by:
IR4
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Budget (RO):
700
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Project Description:
The Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR4) entails the use of smart, effective, and efficient solutions for engineering problems. In civil engineering the application of IR4 is commonly found in Building Information Modelling (BIM), Structural Health Monitoring (SHM), 3D-printing and development of smart materials. Among these 3D-printing has only recently started to receive attention due to the need to reduce construction time for projects or production time for precast units. 3D printing can significantly improve construction process in terms of engineering, architecture, and environment. Compared to standard manufacturing it has a higher fabrication speed, lesser waste production, ease of prototyping and freedom in design. Rheological requirements of printable concrete include extrudability, flowability, buildability, and layer adhesiveness. The extrudability and flowability of the mortar controls the flow of each layer and is critical to avoid strength-based failure of the rising printed element. They control the final dimensions of each layer and of the entire geometry, including buckling stability and surface cracking (Roussel ,2018). Buildability of fresh concrete is very important aspect for 3D printing technology, therefore, deformation of fresh mortar during printing, intermixing of layers and drying of the surface of the layer below the layer being printed plays a major role on the interlayer bond (Roussel 2018; Yuan et al. 2019). The penetration resistance has a linear relationship with the static yield stress, and both can be used to characterize the structural buildability of fresh mortar (Yuan et al, 2019). Mix design plays a very important role to relate the amount of cementitious material and these rheological properties, and it is essential to identify the optimal mortar composition to efficiently use it for 3D printing (Liu et al. 2019). As characteristics of the constituent materials of the mortar also has a significant role in 3D printing, therefore, there is a need to investigate and identify the optimum proportions of the constituents for the proper mix using local materials.
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