MSc advanced materials for sustainable infrastructure

This module will cover:

• Definitions and principles of sustainability, sustainable development, and industrial ecology
• Systems thinking
• Circular economy
• Material flow analysis
• Life cycle assessment
• Software and databases for sustainability assessments
• Applications of sustainability assessments and analyses to engineering problems

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This module will cover:

• Overview of the materials used in civil engineering.
• Classification of materials: metals, ceramics, polymers and hybrids.
• History of the evolution of materials.
• Defining design requirements and translating them into material properties. 
• Engineering properties of materials (including mechanical, thermal and mass transfer properties).
• Material indices.
• Selection using material property charts.
• Shape factors.
• Multi- and conflicting- criteria.
• Material life cycle and eco-selection.
• Materials selection software.
• Case studies of materials selection.

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This module will cover:

• Classification of mechanics, Saint Venant’s principle and dimensional analysis.
• Motion description with kinematics of deformable bodies.
• Types of motion, displacement and deformation, strain tensor.
• Force, traction, and stress tensor.
• Plane stress and plane strain conditions.
• Eigenvalue and eigenvector problems and Mohr’s circle.
• Constitutive modelling of materials: isotropic, anisotropic, orthotropic.
• Failure criteria for brittle and ductile materials.
• Plasticity modeling, true and engineering stress-strain curves.
• Damage: fracture mechanics, fatigue, creep.
• Strength of materials and structural mechanics.
• Beam design.
• Buckling of columns.
• Use of continuum mechanics models in practical applications.
• Relevant research at Imperial College.

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This module will cover:

• Sample preparation.
• Microscopy (optical and electron microscopy) and image analysis.
• X-ray analysis (XRD and XRF).
• Thermal analysis (thermogravimetry and calorimetry).
• Pore and surface area analysis (gas and vapour sorption, mercury intrusion porosimetry).
• Vibrational spectroscopy (FTIR and Raman).
• Particle analysis (laser diffraction).
• Applications of these techniques to building materials.

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This module will cover:

• History and types of cements and binders.
• Cement chemistry, including thermodynamics, phase diagrams, equilibrium.
• Portland cement, production and hydration.
• Supplementary cementitious materials.
• Alternative and low-carbon cements.
• Alkali-activated materials/geopolymers. 
• Cement paste microstructure. 
• Thermodynamic modelling.

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This module will cover:

• Origin of geomaterials. 
• Characterisation and engineering properties of rocks, soils and minerals.
• Testing geomaterials in situ and in the laboratory. 
• Aggregates in road construction and concrete. 
• Construction stone, including masonry and heritage structures. 
• Clay for ceramics, bricks and tiles production. 
• Ground improvement techniques. 
• Weathering, durability and sustainable use of geomaterials.
• Imperial College campus walk-over survey to assess building stones. 

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This module will cover:

• Constituent materials used in concrete (cement, aggregate, water and admixtures).
• Properties and behaviour of concrete including early age properties, rheology, microstructure, mechanical properties, volume changes and durability.
• Typical problems affecting concrete and their prevention strategies.
• Sustainability of cements and concretes.
• Advanced concrete technology e.g. light/heavy-weight concrete, high-performance concrete, self-compacting concrete, shotcrete, underwater concrete, fibre-reinforced concrete, no-fines concrete, mass concrete and roller-compacted concrete.
• Design and selection of mix proportions to produce concrete with specified performance.

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This module will cover:

• Masonry: history, main types of masonry, mortars, masonry behaviour, wall design and analysis, material and structural defects, durability and sustainability, codes and standards.
• Timber: physical and mechanical properties of wood, engineered wood products, rheological behaviour, construction practices, fire resistance, sustainability, codes and standards.
• Glass: types of glass according to production techniques, mechanical properties in relation to microstructure, flaws, fracture, toughened glass, laminated glass, safety, design approaches, codes and standards. 

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This module will cover:

• Overview of metals and alloys used in civil engineering.
• Manufacture of steels. 
• Metallurgy and microstructure. 
• Fracture mechanics of metals. 
• Corrosion, stress corrosion cracking and hydrogen embrittlement. 
• Practical applications of metallurgy. 
• Steel technology in construction: quality control, use of standards (tension, compression, bending, connections and elevated temperature).
• Welding technology and effects.
• Metal 3D printing.
• Relevant research at Imperial College.

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This module will cover:

• Polymers including thermosets and thermoplastics. 
• Polymerization and processing of polymers. 
• Physical and mechanical properties of polymers. 
• Reinforcement and fibers. 
• Fiber reinforced polymer composites and products in civil engineering. 
• Composites and manufacturing methods. 
• Composite mechanics and laminate theory.. 
• Chemical and physical characterization of polymers and composites.
• Composites durability and recycling. 
• Analysis and design of concrete structures with fiber reinforced polymer composite reinforcements, relevant codes and standards.
• Analysis and design of concrete structures retrofitted and strengthened with fiber reinforced polymer composites, relevant codes and standards. 
• A site visit to a polymer and polymer composite factory may be arranged depending on the available resources.

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This module will cover:

• The purpose of modelling and types of model, including their use in design.
• Continuum mechanics concepts.
• Finite element modelling, including the use of commercial packages.
• Underlaying mathematical foundations of numerical methods.
• Basics of programming.
• Multiphysics modelling, including heat transfer and mass transport.
• Multiscale modelling, including an introduction to atomistic and meso-scale methods.
• Discrete Element Methods.
• Case studies, including geomaterials and structural analysis.
• Relevant research at Imperial College.

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You will be supervised by at least one member of academic staff within the Materials section of the Civil & Environmental Engineering Department. A number of students may be co-supervised by external parties or may have the opportunity to undertake their research project as part of an industry placement. You may either choose from a list of projects provided or propose your own topic in agreement with relevant member of staff. The research project may be analytical, theoretical, experimental or numerical in nature, or a combination of these. You will be required to work full-time on the project commencing in the summer term immediately following the completion of the MSc examinations through to mid-September. You will also be required to attend research project induction providing training on:

• Health and safety, and risk assessment
• Conducting literature review
• Formulating research problem
• Research design, data collection and analysis
• Database searching and reference management
• Use of Turnitin
• Technical writing
• Presentation skills

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The programme material covers cutting-edge techniques, develops key skills and prepares you for the future. The training exposes you to analytical, numerical and laboratory-based approaches to problem solving and prepares you with the skills and training for the broader application of the knowledge you acquire. In addition to the training, it introduces you to a network of staff and fellow students, building lifelong global connections.   

Up to 10% of the taught material is delivered by industry experts.  

The programme will be taught in excellent, modern facilities including:

• Brand-new Advanced Infrastructure Materials Laboratory (AIM)
• Lecture rooms
• Computer laboratories
• Civil Engineering library 
• Breakout Student Space (BOSS)

Yes, there are Departmental and other scholarships available for the very best students. If you are interested in receiving a scholarship, then early application is strongly recommended. 

Visit this webpage for information about scholarships and funding opportunities.

Yes, there are Departmental and Statoil-funded scholarships available for the very best students. If you are interested in receiving a scholarship, then early application is strongly recommended. Please click on the link below for further information.

https://www.imperial.ac.uk/study/pg/fees-and-funding/scholarships/scholarships-search-tool/

We are a newly formed group of enthusiastic and engaged academics. We excel at teaching and research and we are looking forward to teaching the next cohort of leading Materials Engineers. Click on the link below for more information about the people within our section.

https://www.imperial.ac.uk/infrastructure-materials/people/

Assessments include individual and group courseworks; laboratory and design projects; oral presentations; written examinations and a research dissertation. To complete the requirements of the degree, all assessments must be undertaken to the appropriate level. Successful candidates will be awarded the MSc degree of Imperial College London.

Information on how to apply and the link to apply can be found here: Application Information

• A good Upper Second or First Class Degree result (or International equivalent), in engineering or another numerate discipline, or Masters level degree qualification
• Good mathematical skills (B or above at A-level or equivalent qualification)
• Relevant Postgraduate industrial experience is favoured
• English Language qualification (where relevant)

Please also check that your previous study meets the minimum academic requirements by country index. 

Note: The Department may set higher requirements than those specified by the College as minimum entry requirements and that places are not guaranteed for any applicant.  Relevance of degrees and eligibility can be checked with the Department.  

Applicants for whom English is not their first language will be required to present an English language qualification, passed at the appropriate level. This may follow the application if not available at the time of submission. Please see the College English language requirements for postgraduate applicants for information. Please also check that your previous study meets the minimum academic requirements by country index. 

Please visit the international students website for more information: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/study/international-students/visas-and-immigration/