Research at the NRFIS is underpinned by the academic expertise of the research groups and specialist centres located within the Civil Engineering Building.
Research groups:
Construction Engineering Group
The Construction Engineering Group are part of the The Laing O'Rourke Centre for Construction Engineering and Technology at the University of Cambridge.
Geotechnical and Environmental Group
The Geotechnical and Environmental Research Group is home to nine academic staff, a computer officer, seven technicians, two administrative staff, two post graduate researchers and 56 graduate students. The interests of the group are wide, ranging from the fundamental mechanics of soils to encompass applications such as construction processes; infrastructure such as tunnels and shafts; environmental engineering; petroleum engineering structures such as offshore piles and pipelines; sustainable and renewable energy technologies like offshore wind farms and earthquake engineering including soil liquefaction.
The Group has extensive facilities for laboratory testing, centrifuge modelling, and numerical analysis. They operate both at the National Research Facility for Infrastructure Sensing where they have the Geomechanics Laboratory and the high Pressure Testing Laboratory and at the Schofield Centre where they undertake Geotechnical Process and Construction Modelling.
The Structures Group is a sub-division within Civil Engineering with around 70 'core' members including graduate students, research associates and academic, technician and administrative staff. The Group also reflects an extended community of MEng students, affiliated, honorary and emeritus staff, and interested parties from other groups and organisations.
Structures Group research themes reflect interests in structural mechanics, design, multi-material systems, material efficiency and structural aspects of construction and through-life behaviour. The Group has strong research links with other parts of the Division, Department, and University, and high impact industrial collaboration.
The Structures Group covers a wide range of Part I and Part II teaching – activities such as the IA Structural Design Course is always a firm favourite among current and former undergraduate students. The Group also provides technical and academic support to the Division through its stewardship of the Department's large-scale Structures Lab facilities.
Centres:
Center for Smart Infrastructure and Construction (CSIC)
CSIC is an Innovation and Knowledge Centre funded by EPSRC, Innovate UK and industry. CSIC develops cutting edge sensing and data analysis models to provide a powerful platform for delivering data to enable smarter whole-life asset management decisions, for both new infrastructure and existing assets. CSIC collaborates with partner organisations across policy, standards and industry adoption to effect transformative change, deliver benefits to all stakeholders and establish the UK as a global leader in digital construction.
Laing O'Rourke Centre for Construction Engineering and Technology
The Laing O'Rourke Centre for Construction Engineering and Technology at the University of Cambridge is a partnership between the Department of Engineering, Cambridge Judge Business School and Laing O'Rourke, the UK's largest privately owned construction company.
The Centre was created as the result of a generous donation by Laing O'Rourke. The donation has funded a new Chair in Construction Engineering, a Master’s degree programme and supports research and undergraduate teaching within the Department of Engineering.
The goal of the Centre is to precipitate innovation and provide a new vision for the shape of tomorrow's construction industry.
Academic Staff:
Individual academics, staff and students working within the research groups/centres can be searched from their group pages (see quick links) or via Civil Engineering people directory.
