Dr. Amal Balila | Bio-based Building Materials | Best Researcher Award

Senior Architect, Samer Engineering Consultancy Group, Oman

🌟 Amal Mohammed Hassan Balila is an accomplished architect, researcher, and academic with over a decade of experience in architectural design, sustainable building technology, and Building Information Modelling (BIM). Holding a PhD in Construction Management and Engineering, Amal’s innovative work in bio-inspired building materials has earned her recognition and numerous awards. She is dedicated to advancing sustainable construction practices and mentoring the next generation of architects.

Education

🎓 Amal holds a PhD in Construction Management and Engineering from the University of Reading, UK, where her thesis focused on enhancing the strength and durability of adobe bricks with bio-inspired stabilisers. She earned her MSc in Sustainable Building Technology with Merit from the University of Nottingham, UK, investigating the impact of building plans on energy performance using Ecotect software. She also holds a BSc in Architecture with First Class Honours from the University of Khartoum, Sudan.

Experience

🏢 Amal is currently a Senior Architect and BIM Advocator at Samer Engineering Consultancy Group in Muscat, Oman, promoting BIM adoption and managing architectural projects. She has extensive teaching experience as a lecturer at the University of Technology & Applied Science, Oman, and the University of Khartoum, Sudan. She has coordinated curriculum development and supervised both undergraduate and postgraduate architectural projects.

Research Interests

🔬 Amal’s research interests include sustainable building materials, bio-based building materials, biomimicry in construction, and the integration of BIM in the architectural, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry. Her work often focuses on low-cost, sustainable housing solutions inspired by natural systems and materials.

Awards

🏆 Amal has received numerous accolades, including the Institute of Materials, Minerals, and Mining Award for excellence in presentation (2016), and several awards for academic performance from the University of Khartoum. She has also been recognized at the University of Reading for her research posters and presentations.

Publications Top Notes

📚 Amal has published various peer-reviewed articles and conference papers on sustainable construction and biomimicry. Some notable publications include:

“Comparative analysis on the thermal performance of selected building materials and technologies for housing in the Sudan” in the Journal of Building and Road Research (2014) by Elkhalifa, A., Balila, A..

“Biomimicry in construction: Glycoprotein-stabilised adobe bricks for enhanced compressive strength inspired by termites mounds” in Construction & Building Materials (2024) by Balila, A., Vahdati, M..

Conference papers presented at various international forums, including the 40th Annual Conference and General Meeting, Association of Researchers in Construction Management (ARCOM), and the Young Researchers’ Forum at Imperial College London.

Alfredo Dias : Sustainable Innovation Pioneer Award

👨‍🏫 Alfredo Dias stands as a distinguished academic and researcher in the domain of Sustainable construction . Holding a Ph.d in Delft University of Technology his professional journey exemplifies dedication and expertise. 📚

🌐 Professional Profiles:

Academic Qualifications 📚

Alfredo Manuel Pereira Geraldes Dias pursued his academic journey through a BSc in Civil Engineering from the University of Coimbra, Portugal, in 1997, achieving a noteworthy final grade of 17 out of 20. 🏗️ His educational path continued with an MSc in Civil Engineering (Structures) from the same university in 1999. 📘 However, the pinnacle of his academic pursuit was marked by a PhD in Mechanical Behavior of Timber-Concrete Connections attained from Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands, in 2005. 🌍 This specialized focus on exploring the mechanical intricacies of timber-concrete connections played a pivotal role in shaping his subsequent research and professional engagements within the sphere of timber and composite structures. 🔍

Professional Engagements and Leadership Roles 🏗️🌐

Professional Membership

Senior member of the Portuguese Civil Engineering Association since 2004.Member of the Technical Committee CT14 “Wood” since 2006.Participation as a member of the Technical Committee CT115 “Structural Codes” since 2012.

Leadership and Coordination Responsibilities

Chairman of the National mirror committee from TC 124 since 2009.Chairman of the National mirror committee from TC 250\SC5 since 2014.Coordinator of the Working group “Innovative timber & composite elements for buildings” in COST E29 from 2004 to 2006.Coordinator of the Working group “Hybrid structures” in COST FP1402 “Basis of structural timber design – from research to standards” from 2014 to 2018.Head of the sub-group involved in preparing the new Eurocode 5 part on composite structures from 2011 to 2014.Convener of the WG2 from TC250\SC5 “Composite structures” from 2014 to 2020.Chairman of the Project Team SC5.T2 responsible for preparing the new Eurocode part on timber composites from 2015 to 2018.

Scientific Contributions 🌐📚

Published Research

Authored or co-authored 72 papers in ISI-Web of Knowledge indexed International Journals, with 66 specifically focusing on timber products and structures since 2005.Contributed to 66 papers in non-indexed journals and scientific conferences, with 60 covering topics related to timber products and structures since 2005.

Reviewer Engagement

Acted as an independent reviewer for 25 different International Journals since 2005.Served as an independent reviewer in 15 international conferences associated with timber products and structures since 2005.

Academic Supervision

Supervised or co-supervised 10 PhD theses, successfully concluding 6 and currently overseeing 4 ongoing research endeavors since 2005.

Research Project Involvement

Involved in 25 research projects, all focused on timber products and structures since 2005, taking the lead in 18 of these projects as the principal investigator.

Alfredo Dias’s citation metrics and indices from Google Scholar are as follows:

📊 Citation Metrics (Google Scholar):

Cited by: All – 2134, Since 2018 –1466
h-index: All – 22, Since 2018 – 20
i10-index : All -48 Since 2018 -39

Summary 🔍

Reinforced concrete corner for timber frame moment resisting joints –Design and experimental assessment

🌟 Introduces an innovative moment-resisting joint design for timber frames. 🪵 Uses a prismatic corner filled with robust concrete reinforced by steel bars within the timber beam and column. 🔍 Conducts analytical and experimental studies to assess resisting moment, stiffness, and failure modes of the proposed joint. 📏 Explores how timber cross-section and steel bar diameters influence resisting moment via a mechanical stress-strain model. ⚙️ Prefers steel bar yielding over timber shear failure, considering steel’s ductility. 🧪 Produces and tests knee joint specimens with varying steel bar diameters, aligning well with analytical estimates. 🛠️ Performs tests on polygonal bolted joint specimens for comparison purposes. 💪 Shows significantly improved rotational stiffness and bending strength compared to traditional bolted joints. 🏁 Concludes the joint’s structural effectiveness and its promising potential for real-world applications.