Messaoud Saïdani

Coventry University | CU · Clean Growth and Future Mobility

The susceptibility of concrete to elevated temperatures is a paramount concern in civil engineering, especially in fre-related scenarios. This material often sufers mechanical weaknesses such as fracturing and reduced durability under high temperatures. Despite its ubiquitous use, concrete’s vulnerability to thermal stress presents signifcant chall...

This paper presents a new analytical approach for calculating the stiffness of the loaded face of a rectangular hollow section RHS column in beam-column connections with and without concrete infill, as well as with flush and extended endplates, to determine the behavior curve of these types of connections. The approach, based on Eurocode 03's compo...

This study investigates a sustainable coating method for modified expanded polystyrene (MEPS) beads to improve the thermal insulation of lightweight concrete intended for wall application. The method employed in this study is based on a novel coating technique that represents a significant advancement in modifying Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) beads f...

The strength of the Cold Formed Steel Members (CFS-M) assembly with screws connection has governed the global behavior of CFS Shear Wall Panel (CFS-SWP). Hence, the development of a Finite Element Modeling (FEM) with a reliable simulation taking into account the strength performances of these member assemblies strongly relies on experimental data....

Recent research on self-healing concrete has shown some drawbacks and conflicts between the different techniques such as difficulty in casting, healing agent release, preparation complexity, high safety requirements against bacteria protection, undesirable expansion, and uncertainty in healing product generation. Despite these limitations, the hybr...

The high kaolinite content of metakaolin makes it valuable to other industries, thereby affecting its availability and affordability for the production of limestone calcined clay cement (LC3). This work presents a study on the potential utilization of low-grade clay in place of pure metakaolin in the preparation of LC3 for mortar formulations. CEM...

The present article presents a practical method to determine the effective length factor of multi-storey frames based on a rigorous analytical approach applied to a basic model judiciously parameterized in terms of geometry and load arrangement. The adopted novel model considers the different interactions and effects of varying the boundary conditi...

Citation: Menadi, S.; Hadidane, Y.; Benzerara, M.; Saidani, M.; Khorami, M.; Belouettar, R.; Slimani, F.; Gouider, N.; Rehab-Bekkouche, S. Optimizing Polymer-Stabilized Raw Earth Composites with Plant Fibers Reinforcement for Historic Building Rehabilitation. Buildings 2023, 13, 2681. https://doi.org/10.3390/ Abstract: This research focuses on the...

Gravity load-carrying members of a structure are often subjected to low-velocity impact during construction and subsequent service life. In contrast to quasi-static situations, dynamic impacts introduce impulsive loading that must be carefully addressed by considering the strain-rate characteristics of materials. The performance of reinforced concr...

This paper investigates the use of the Algerian Beni Saf natural Pozzolan (BSP) to produce a geopolymer (GP) as a complete replacement material for the traditional binder of OPC. No such study has been carried out on using the Algerian BSP for GP synthesis, especially as the latter's properties have a high dependency on the precursor material chara...

Identifying sustainable alternatives and addressing the environmental impacts of cement production are becoming increasingly vital. Alternative materials, such as fly ash, can be used as a partial replacement for cement in concrete and mortar. This study will examine the impact of early-age heat of hydration on compressive strength of mortar when c...

This research consists of an investigation into the non-linear behaviour of reinforced concrete L-shaped shear walls subjected to seismic loading. Despite their popularity, the numerical modelling of the seismic performance of these walls is relatively sparse. Furthermore, the Algerian seismic design code RPA99 make no reference to this type of...

This paper investigates the use of the Algerian Beni Saf natural Pozzolan (BSP) to produce a geopolymer (GP) as a complete replacement material for the traditional binder of OPC. No such study has been carried out on using the Algerian BSP for GP synthesis, especially as the latter's properties have a high dependency on the precursor material chara...

In the design of in-plane stressed thin plates, the load condition where the distributed edge shear is locally applied along the plate boundaries is often encountered and has thus far not been well investigated. This load configuration can induce buckling instability. The problem of shear buckling instability in such applications has so far receive...

Expanded polystyrene (EPS) has been used and studied for decades in lightweight concrete. Because EPS beads are incredibly light, using these beads in concrete will cause the particles to segregate. Furthermore, the hydrophobic nature of EPS materials weakens the bond between them and cement paste. This research will investigate the compressive str...

At ambient temperature, concrete exhibits excellent mechanical properties. However, understanding the behavior of concrete under high-temperature conditions is crucial, especially for civil engineering applications during fire incidents. The growing use of plastic-based products has led to a significant increase in polymer waste, posing environment...

The construction industry in every country plays an important role in the economic and social development of that country. In the UK, 400 million tonnes of materials are used for construction purposes. Of these 400 million tonnes of materials, 100 million tonnes of waste are produced, and 25 million tonnes are deposited in landfills, contributing t...

The effective buckling length factor is an important parameter in the elastic buckling analysis of steel structures. The present article aims at developing a new method that allows the determination of the buckling factor values for frames. The novelty of the method is that it considers the interaction between the bracing and the elastic supports f...

This study investigates a novel idea of adding rice husk powder (RHP) into natural rubber latex foam (NRLF) as a way of creating an end product with improved characteristics, marketability, and disposal opportunities. Many sectors have attempted the recycling of RHP, but never with NRLF. This study intends to examine how the mechanical and physical...

This paper is concerned with investigating the plastic behavior of gap K-joints of truss girders, made from thin-walled rectangular hollow section members. The novelty of the method is that it offers a rigorous numerical model that may be generalized to cover similar joints with different parameters to the one covered in this study. An experimental...

This research proposes a method aimed at investigating the detection of bridge damage areas using a rigorous method based on mathematical models of dynamic finite elements. Strengthening of the reinforced concrete (RC) is proposed for increasing the strength of RC structures when they present material degradation. It includes reinforcement with car...

The availability of some supplementary cementitious materials, especially fly ash, is of imminent concern in Europe due to the projected closure of several coal-fired power generation plants. Pure kaolinitic clays, which arguably have the potential to replace fly ash, are also scarce and expensive due to their use in other industrial applications....

The presence of mortar makes recycled aggregate (RA) a heterogeneous material compared to its parallel homogeneous natural aggregate (NA). Consequently, the mix proportioning method most suitable for RA reuse for structural applications has long been debated. This study presents an unconventional mix proportioning method involving recycled fine agg...

Construction risk can be described as the possibility of an incident that will harm the project's feasibility. Different threats that impact businesses may be found in the construction industry as elsewhere. Moreover, construction projects face significant risks, which put building projects at the risk of cost, over time, and poor standard of execu...

The distribution of seismic loading to each storey of a building depends on a number of factors, mainly on the periods, mode shapes and modal participation. The estimation of these dynamic characteristics is essential in analyzing the seismic response of multi-storey buildings. Based on a rigorous dynamic analytical model of the building, this rese...

The use of waste materials from industrial products to support green building and environmentally friendly construction needs more attention and becomes a common thought. The use of waste materials such as Cement Kiln Dust (CKD) or often referred to as Bypass Dust (BPD), as a concrete substitution material, has been done a lot and not a few have gi...

This paper investigates the use of the Algerian Beni Saf natural Pozzolan (BSP) to produce a geopolymer (GP) as a complete replacement material for the traditional binder of OPC. No such study has been carried out on using the Algerian BSP for GP synthesis, especially as the latter’s properties have a high dependency on the precursor material chara...

The growing need to reduce dead weight of structural elements to allow long spanning structures, has always been a key driver in the construction industry's quest to finding materials that can lead to such accomplishments. This paper is concerned with investigating the mechanical properties of a novel lightweight cementitious material made from a m...

The stability of structures is an important aspect that the designer must pay particular attention to in order to ensure safety against collapse. This investigation is concerned with analytical and numerical analyses of the dynamic buckling of plane structures. A rigorous mechanical model is proposed, consisting of a beam-column element with nodal...

Building on weak soils is very challenging in engineering projects, especially highway and railway projects. In order to overcome these problems, especially in the construction of embankments and abutments, it is necessary to reduce the settlement of soil and increase the bearing capacity. This paper investigates the characteristics of expanded pol...

This paper aims to explore and to make explicit of the existing safety climate assessment tools and dimensions. The concept of safety climate is firstly discussed with a review of different safety climate factors from the published literature. A qualitative research method was employed to explore the safety climate factors through a systematic revi...

Six sigma has long been deemed a quality initiative in the construction industry. There exists a limited use of six sigma within the UK construction industry and there are many reasons for this. Primarily there seems to be a misconception about the capabilities of six sigma in construction-specific context. Very little research has been done for si...

The shortage of social housing is on the rise and there is an urgent need for houses in recent days to fulfil UK's need. There are many complications regarding this issue and some of them being is to save time and money and build good quality units. Year in and year out the UK can't seem to achieve their target to fulfil the large demand. The Briti...

The shortage of social housing is on the rise and there is an urgent need for houses in recent days to fulfil UK's need. There are many complications regarding this issue and some of them being is to save time and money and build good quality units. Year in and year out the UK can't seem to achieve their target to fulfil the large demand. The Briti...

This paper raises various challenges and barriers faced by women in UK construction industry. Women working in construction industry are observed to be very low when compared to men. It was observed that currently women work force in construction sector is less than 15%, of which most of them are observed to be working in planning and office-based...

Naturally occurring clays can produce an amorphous siliceous material possessing pozzolanic properties if is heated at an appropriate temperature. Calcination at the right temperature is crucial since it affects the formation of relevant phases, pozzolanic reactivity, hydration kinetics and consequently, increase the strength and durability of conc...

Building Information Modelling has been identified as a new and revolutionary tool capable of improving the performance of the construction sector. With a growing population and overurbanization, there is an increasing demand for construction projects in Lebanon, thus hindering the environment and consuming natural resources. The Lebanese construct...

Timber has recently gained global popularity as a material for taller building typologies. It is a material much less intensive in resource and energy use and accounts for far less greenhouse gas emissions over its life cycle in comparison to steel and concrete; the two most dominating materials in the Canadian construction industry. Mass-timber is...

The construction industry sector has ranked third after the tourism and communications sectors in 2017 in the contribution toward the Egyptian economy. Moreover, it was found that the construction industry's contribution to the GDP of Egypt was 4.8%. Even though, there are several reasons to study the time overruns problem in the construction indus...

The change from a traditional utilization based society to a sustainable society is urgently needed because of the contamination of the natural environment, the depletion of the natural resources and the reduced capacity of the final waste disposal arrangements. Concrete is regarded as an advanced and major construction material which needs continu...

This paper presents the study carried out using the extended Equivalent Mortar Volume (EMV) mix design technique, for concrete made of recycled aggregates (RA) and steel fibre (SF). The expansion of the EMV approach is necessary to encourage the use of fine recycled aggregates (FRA) in concrete manufacture. To this end, the same replacement ratio o...

This research investigates the impact of mix design methods on the mechanical characteristics of steel fibre-reinforced concrete (SFRC) made with recycled aggregates (RA) obtained from a precast waste concrete. The experimental campaign was carried out in two phases. In phase I, three types of steel fibre (SF) differing only in shape were examined....

Infrastructure development projects in Oman are at a peak which results in a huge requirement for the construction materials. Aggregates are one of the most common materials naturally available and used in both cement and asphalt concrete apart from being used as under laying material. The evaluation of aggregates physical, chemical and mechanical...

There are various types of lightweight concrete that already exist today. In producing lightweight concrete, the use of added materials in lightweight concrete has been widely studied. Among of those materials, fly-ash and silica based material are commonly being used as additive material in concrete. The purpose of this literature research is to d...

In 2015, the UN member countries, on mutual understanding, identified 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), to be achieved by 2030. According to several reports, some countries are reflecting good progress, but overall, no country is on track towards achieving all the UN SDGs. This paper aims to show the progress and commitment of the UAE toward...

The use of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) is undoubtedly on the increase and further research is required for more appropriate mix design methods. This paper presents the result of investigations into the mix design of RAC. The study examined experimentally two conventional and one unconventional mix design methods. The conventional methods incl...

In this paper, an investigation aimed at characterising the behaviour of headed shear studs in push-out testing is presented. The study aims to contribute to the limited knowledge of GFRP-concrete composites, highlighting the predominant failure mode and the underlying variables relevant for predictive analytical equations. Two phases of experiment...

Considering the importance of energy for social and economic development, access to clean, affordable and reliable energy has been adopted as one of the United Nations sustainable development goals that all countries aim to achieve by 2030. However, much of the world's energy is still produced from fossil fuels and thus the progress towards clean a...

The change from a traditional utilization based society to a 11 sustainable society is urgently needed because of the contamination of the 12 natural environment, the depletion of the natural resources and the reduced 13 capacity of the final waste disposal arrangements. Concrete is regarded as an 14 advanced and major construction material which n...

This paper discusses the recent investigation into the composite action of pultruded Glass Fibre Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) and concrete hybrid systems, under static push-out tests. The experimental study carried out in two phases sought to determine the characteristic load-slip behaviour of the GFRP-concrete composites, modes of failure and associa...

Purpose This paper aims to review the effect of using recycled aggregates (RA) on the properties of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) following the steady rise in global demand for concrete and the large generation of construction and demolition waste. Design/methodology/approach This study reviewed relevant literature of research work carried out...

The current paper aims at investigating the dynamic response of rigid and semi-rigid connections of steel structures built in high seismic areas. A nonlinear dynamic analysis model, which is an extension to the simplified and direct mechanical model used in the static analysis, is proposed and discussed. The novelty of the model consists in the int...

This paper presents an investigation into the flexural behaviour of basalt FRP reinforced concrete beams through experimental and analytical methods. To achieve the research objectives, four concrete beams reinforced with steel and four identical concrete beams reinforced with BFRP bars were tested under four-point bending. The main parameters exam...

The vibrations of structures and infrastructures are serious concerns to both engineers and architects. A number of researchers have been focused on structural vibration control in the past three decades over the world and fruit achievements have been made. This special collection aims to establish a platform for practising engineers to present and...

The construction projects in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)-member countries are peaking as the region is in the stage of improving its infrastructures. This briefing presents the current status of occupational safety and health in the region by providing a brief comparison with some of the advanced countries where improved safety performance is gu...

In designing in-plane stressed thin plates, the loading condition where the uniform distributed edge forces are locally applied along one or more of the plate’s boundaries is often encountered. We investigated the optimal grid pattern that can be used in the analysis of the displacement and stress fields of a simply supported thin plate partially c...

One of the main problems affecting the flow of cement bulk powder is the formation of cohesive arching at the outlet of the hopper, causing blockage of the silo opening and bridge formation. A simple concept is established which outlines these complications. In this context, the interactions of particles lead to a high degree of consolidation of th...

Construction is one of the most hazardous and complex industries worldwide which result into the most fatal accidents and occupational illnesses. It is also regarded as a major industry in not only in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries but worldwide and it is rapidly growing. This study reports an assessment of different body parameter includ...

In this research, a new approach was carried out to investigate the effect of incorporating cellulose fibres and silica fume into low-density oil well cement. Mechanical properties, durability and microstructure of the specimens were studied through various tests including; triaxial, flexural, tensile and compressive strength, cement sheath equival...

Much work has been conducted in the past on the influence of the rigidity of structural joints on the behavior of steel frames. Buckling of a column is fundamental to the design of load bearing structures mainly when the analysis of such frames takes into account the effect of the connection flexibility. The present work deals with such an effect o...

Research Bulletin, Issue 5, Jan - April 2018 of the Built and Natural Environment Research Centre and the School of Energy, Construction and Environment. Coventry University, UK.

A review carried out has shown that recycled aggregate is suitable for the production of concrete for structural applications. Recycled aggregate is majorly used for secondary purpose due to the adhering mortar which renders it inferior compared to its companion natural aggregate. Efforts have been made by previous researchers to overcome the negat...

This study investigates the evolution of intrinsic interfacial de-bonding of Roller Compacted Steel Fibre Reinforced Polymer Modified Concrete (RC-SFR-PMC) bonded on substrate Ordinary Portland Cement Concrete (OPCC), using both experimental and numerical techniques. The relative effects of evolving material inhomogeneity and composite dimensional...

This paper presents a numerical investigation on the flexural performance of a novel cementitious reinforced GEM-TECH material using finite element method. A discrete nonlinear FE model using the commercial software ANSYS was employed to model a steel-reinforced GEM-TECH beam. Element SOLID65 was used to model the cementitious material while LINK18...

This is the 4th Issue of the Research Bulletin for the Built and Natural Environment Research Centre and the School of Energy, Construction and Environment.

Serviceability behavior of Normal Strength Concrete (NSC) and High Strength Concrete (HSC) T-beams was experimentally evaluated. The crack pattern was observed, the effect of flange dimensions (breadth and thickness) on the crack pattern and load-deflection response was evaluated experimentally for 10 beams comprising the two studied groups, NSC an...

In this research, Glass Fibres (GL), Kraft pulp Fibres (KF) and Nano Silica Fume (NSF) were used to produce Cement Composite Board (CCB). Fifteen groups of mix proportions were produced to investigate the effects of fibre content and size along with the effect of NSF on interaction, bonding and mechanical properties of CCB. Density, Water Absorptio...

Research Bulletin, Issue 3, of the Built Environment Research Centre and the School of Energy, Construction and Environment, Coventry University, UK.

The present work deals with the effect of beam-column joint flexibility on the elastic buckling load of plane steel frames. A simple and effective mechanical model is proposed and the corresponding stiffness matrix is presented. The model consists in the development of comprehensive approach taking into account, simultaneously, the effects of the j...

This study critically accessed the pore structure of Aer-Tech material through a scanning electronic microscopy test carried out on two basic mix samples, specimen with fibre glass and specimen without fiber glass. The research results had shown that mix with fiber glass have even distribution of fine and close pores resulting to high compressive s...

This study critically accessed the pore structure of Aer-Tech material through a scanning electronic microscopy test carried out on two basic mix samples, specimen with fibre glass and specimen without fiber glass. The research results had shown that mix with fiber glass have even distribution of fine and close pores resulting to high compressive s...

Welcome to the Second Issue of Coventry University's School of Energy, Construction and Environment Research Bulletin that brings you the latest news about research and research activities in the School.

This is the first issue of the Research Bulletin of the School of Energy, Construction and Environment at Coventry University.

The Aer-Tech material was initially envisaged as a void filling and fireproofing material, but recent research findings has shown great structural potential. The structural effect of Aer-Tech material conforms with the analogy as stated in (Moseley, Hulse and Bungey.1999) that areas of tension on a reinforced Aer-Tech material are prone to undergo...

The growing need for a better and effective way of reducing structural weight and high cost in productivity of concrete products has led to a great innovation in the use of lightweight concrete such as foam concrete which is known to be in use for about thirty to forty years, but its low quality characteristics has in no small measure hinder its wi...

Analysis is given for the plastic analysis of a built-in beam.

In this paper the behaviour of the normal concrete and concrete with different types of fibre (steel, macro-polypropylene and micro-polypropylene fibres) have been studied; in terms of the compressive strength, split tensile strength, density, and the workability for concrete grade 30 without admixture. Varied fibre content to determine the optimum...

This was a presentation given in a research seminar a the University of Liverpool in March 2016. The presentation covered an overview of the research being carried out at the University of Coventry by the structural and materials engineering research group.

This article sets out to investigate and rank the factors that affect labor productivity in the Egyptian construction industry. To achieve this, a quantitative research methodology is adopted and it entails the use of structured survey questionnaires. The data obtained was analysed using the relative importance index. The results from the analysis...

This is a powerpoint presentation on the plastic theory of structures, covering the basic concepts as well as tutorial questions for beams and frames.

Abstract This research project was aimed at critically investigating the problems and challenges arising from teaching engineering students and how these impact on achievement of students’ full potential. It proposes practical solutions to dealing with these problems. This study aimed to investigate the actual root of the problems encountered, expl...

The impact of consolidation and interparticle forces on cohesive cement powder Djamel Turkia, Nouria Fatahb, Messaoud Saidanic aUniversité de Tiaret, Laboratoire de Genie Electrique et des Plasma, Tiaret Algeria bUnité de Catalyse et Chimie de Solides, UMR CNRS 8181, ENSC Lille, France cCoventry University, Faculty of Engineering and Computing, C...

: This paper will review a maiden research on the GEM-TECH material that established the optimum mix for the material for the best strength to weight ratio and also examine the proposed procedures that is being followed in an ongoing research that would examine the mechanical and structural behaviour of the material when used in structural sections...

The present paper investigates the behaviour of welded T-end connections to Rectangular Hollow Section (RHS) members in pure tension. A series of tests in the laboratory and finite element modelling were carried out. The experimental programme consisted of testing to failure of a total of 19 specimens with varying parameters, namely the tube si...