欧美福利100000

Sustainable Materials and Construction Technologies Research Centre (SMaCT) is a Research Centre within the Department of Civil Engineering Technology, School of Civil Engineering and the Built Environment, Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment (FEBE) at the 欧美福利100000 of Johannesburg (UJ). The Centre is dedicated to advancing sustainable development in the built environment. Its core mission is to broaden knowledge, promote innovation, and conduct research on a range of products and materials that support sustainability. The centre鈥檚 work contributes directly to the delivery of social infrastructure across the country.听e鈥檚 impactful work contributes directly to the delivery of social infrastructure across the country.听

听SMaCT听responds to South Africa鈥檚 growing demand for resilient,听affordable听and sustainable infrastructure in the context of rapid听urbanisation听and climate change.听The Centre focuses on construction materials听and methods, innovative building听technologies听and听digital construction, with a strong emphasis on environmental sustainability and social impact.听

听Key focus areas include:听

• Development and testing of sustainable construction materials听

• Construction automation听

• Sustainable 3D concrete printing (3DCP) for housing and social infrastructure听

• Strengthening partnerships between academia,听government听and industry听

• Training and Development in the Built Environment听

Through research,听training听and strategic partnerships,听SMaCT听positions UJ as a catalyst for innovation in the built environment听thereby听advancing the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR)听in construction听while contributing to national priorities.听

Strategic Intent听

SMaCT鈥檚听strategic intent is to immensely contribute to the performance improvement of products and processes in the built environment through alternative and sustainable building technologies.听

The Centre鈥檚听strategic听objectives听are to:听

• Broaden, promote, and research a variety of products and materialsutilizedin听the built environment, with particular emphasis on products/materials and processes that promote sustainable听development;听听
• Develop testing protocols and perform tests for performance-based buildingstandards;
• Position the school as a catalyst for research and continuous product and process innovation in the built environment through strong partnerships with public and privateorganizations;
• Promote 4IR in construction through relevant and impactful research that disrupts the current delivery of social infrastructure, including human settlements andclinics;
• Contribute to the university鈥檚 research output through the publication of research book manuscripts, journals, bookchaptersand conference听papers;听听
• Mentor and supervise postdoctoral research fellows who will be engaged in various areas of research; and
• Influence government policies on the adoption and implementation of advanced construction technologies.

听Strategic Focus Areas听

1. Sustainable Materials听听

• Development of innovative听construction materials听听

• Innovative materials听testing facilities听听

• Lifecycle听analysis听听

• Manufacturing听construction materials to support local economies and reduce import dependency听

1. Construction Automation听听

• Automation of construction processes to improve safety,听quality听and productivity听

• Innovation in design,听delivery听and maintenance of infrastructure听

1. 3D Printing听听

• Sustainable 3D printing of houses and social infrastructure using locally听sourced听materials听

• Digital twins, BIM and computational design for smarter planning and delivery听

• Scaling up innovative technologies for broader market adoption听

Facilities & Services听

SMaCT听is听establishing听advanced laboratory and infrastructure capacity to support research, prototyping, material听testing听and听3D听Printing.听

Services that can be offered include:听

• Advisory support on IBTs and performance-based design听

• Collaborative development and demonstration of听new technologies听

• Customised听training for industry,听government听and communities听