VUB Mechanics of Materials and Constructions (MeMC)

I’m happy to share our latest article on active SAP desorption control in concrete. The paper introduces a novel methodology to control concrete curing in real time using acoustic emission monitoring. It combines internal and external curing into a smart, responsive system that follows the material’s needs, with strong potential to mitigate cracking and enhance durability. Many thanks to my supervisors, Professor Dimitris Aggelis and Professor Geert De Schutter, and my co-authors Professor Didier Snoeck, Dr. Eleni Tsangouri and Dr. Annelise COUSTURE for their guidance and collaboration. The article is freely accessible for the next 50 days through the link below: 🔗  https://lnkd.in/ecqgtZnm #SmartConcrete #AcousticEmission #ActiveControl

📢 Vacature: Professor Burgerlijk Ingenieur Bouwkunde (Nederlands) – Vorm de toekomst! 🎓 We zijn op zoek naar een voltijds professor in onze vakgroep Mechanica van Materialen en Constructies van de Faculteit Ingenieurswetenschappen van de VUB. Bekijk de link voor meer details en ontdek hoe je kunt solliciteren! https://lnkd.in/eiGG8Dt4

🚀PhD Opportunity: Join Our Research Team at MeMC/VUB 🎓 We are excited to announce a PhD vacancy in our department! This is a unique opportunity for aspiring researchers to contribute to groundbreaking work in research of ultra-high performance concrete. This is a joint Doctoral (PhD) full time position in 'Damage and healing monitoring of ultra-high performance concrete' between Vrije Universiteit Brussel and Ghent University, Belgium. The project is funded by Research Foundation Flanders - FWO. For more information, visit: https://lnkd.in/e3_DCcBa Join us in making an impact with your research! 🌍

On March 11th, the former ASLK headquarters Marais (https://lnkd.in/eEWmzEcm) served as the backdrop for a site visit by Master 1 Bruface Civil Engineering students. The students are calculating this building as part of the Design Project in Civil Engineering course. This renovation project in the heart of Brussels offers our students a unique opportunity to engage with the latest trends in the construction industry, where sustainability and adaptive reuse of buildings are becoming increasingly important. With this growing focus, engineering offices and the construction sector are facing more complex renovation challenges. We aim to confront our students with this reality from the start, ensuring they are well-prepared for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in the future of the construction industry. A special thank you to Carlson Youri, Senior Project Manager, Structural Engineer, and Sustainability Manager at BESIX Engineering, who also serves as a guest lecturer in the Design Project in Civil Engineering, as well as BESIX colleagues Evelien and Estelle, for generously sharing their expertise with us. Your insights were invaluable for our students’ further analysis of the project and crucial in inspiring the next generation of civil engineers. Thanks!

🌟 Reflecting on our participation at #JECWorld2025! 🌟 We are proud to share that our research group had an incredible experience at #JECWorld2025! It was a fantastic opportunity to showcase our latest research advancements on composite materials and engage with experts, innovators, and industry leaders from around the globe. We are excited about the conversations we sparked around the future of composites, sustainability, and innovation. A huge thank you to everyone who visited our booth, shared their insights, and contributed to making this event such a memorable and inspiring experience. A big thanks also to Agoria and Kevin Poelmans for the great organisation! We’re looking forward to the next #JEC version! 🌍✨ #JEC2025 #JECWorld

🛎 MeMC is present also this year at the #JECWorld2025 in Paris. Come and find us at Booth 6S42 to discuss the latest innovations on composite materials. ✅️

MEMC-VUB was proudly represented at the 2ND International Symposium On Advanced Materials And Design For Structural Safety And Sustainability (AMDS3) organized in the city of Lyon (France) by the École Centrale de Lyon. (https://lnkd.in/eAbVtRwY). This conference brought together fellow researchers and professionals to discuss the latest technological developments in material science, with a focus on structural integrity and sustainability. Our department contributed with two presentations: “Influence of shear transfer elements on the bending stiffness of TRC sandwich panels with recycled PET foam core: Numerical study,” presented by the PhD researcher Erich Meiners Muñoz “Explorative study of implementing silica aerogel particles in textile-reinforced cement (TRC) composites: effect of using 2D vs. 3D textile,” presented by the PhD researcher Lamprini Zochiou, whose presentation earned the Best Presentation Award, as voted by fellow attendees and conference chairs. We sincerely thank and congratulate the organizers and chairmen for the great organization of this conference, and we look forward to the next edition!

📣 Exciting update! During the last weeks our PhD candidate, Ali Shivaie Kojouri, is having the opportunity to visit the DTU - Technical University of Denmark in Roskilde, Denmark, for a short research stay. Ali is supervised by Prof. Bent F. Sørensen, the Head of the Composites and Materials Mechanics Section and Leader of the Danish Centre for Composites Structures and Materials for Wind Turbines. Under the guidance of Prof. Sørensen, Ali is having the unique opportunity to perform advanced research on fracture mechanics of composites for wind turbine applications, next to the team of one of the top experts in the field! On the occasion of Ali’s visit, Danny and Artemis had the opportunity to visit the Risø National Laboratory for Sustainable Energy, where they explored the advanced testing facilities and presented an overview of MeMC’s research to an exciting group of researchers. They also had the chance to participate in fruitful discussions related to the future of composite materials. We enormously thank Prof. Sørensen and his group for the great hospitality, and we are looking forward to future collaborations. We also thank the Research Foundation Flanders - FWO for financially supporting Ali’s research stay.

⚡ New publication! In our recent paper 'Investigation of the Sensitivity of Acoustic Emission to the Differentiation Between Mode I, II, and III Fracture in Bulk Polymer Materials', published in Polymers MDPI, we examined how acoustic emission features can be correlated to the fracture mode of polymers. This work is part of Ali Shivaie Kojouri's PhD and is the first step in our research path towards fracture mode characterization in polymer composite materials using acoustic signals. The paper can be openly accessed through: https://lnkd.in/etHtSVQT

🌟 How did this year start for our department? As a fairytale of course! 🥳 Following the tradition of many years, our department together with VUB Architectural Engineering travelled to a 'Disney 🧚♂️ and dinosaurs 🦕' universe. We had a great time and we are looking forward to a creative year, full of research, teamwork and of course mechanics of materials and constructions! 🏫 Happy New Year from all of us to all of you!