Dr Ali Abbas

Associate Professor

Structural analysis and design

Department of Engineering & Construction , School Of Architecture, Computing And Engineering

Course Leader for MSc Civil Engineering and MSc Structural Engineering.

Qualifications

PhD in Civil Engineering (Structural Engineering), from Imperial College London
Diploma of Imperial College (D.I.C.) in Structural Engineering/Concrete Structures
PG Cert in Advanced Study in Learning and Teaching (CASLAT), Imperial College London

Areas Of Interest

Numerical and Experimental Modelling of Structural Systems
Behaviour and design of Concrete Structures
Low-carbon concrete
Self-healing and Bio-concretes
Fibre-Reinforced Concrete
Concrete Ground-Floor Slabs (such as Industrial Floors, Road and Airfield Pavements)
Seismic and Impact Modelling of Concrete Structures
Artificial Intelligence applications in structural engineering

OVERVIEW

Dr Ali Abbas is an Associate Professor of Structural Engineering and Course Leader for MSc Civil Engineering and MSc Structural Engineering. He has a broad interest in structural analysis and design with the overriding aim of improving current design guidelines. A key research theme is on low-carbon concrete and innovations in new bio-concretes to address the climate emergency. He has strong links with industry and has led several successful collaborative research projects funded by UK funding bodies. Before joining UEL, he was a Lecturer at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Imperial College London and prior to that spent several years in industry working on a variety of structural engineering projects with Atkins. He completed his PhD research degree at Imperial College London and has over 40 publications in leading journals and international conferences. Successfully supervised over 8 PhD research projects and numerous MSc and UG research projects.

Dr Abbas was instrumental in developing the MSc courses with Industrial Placement and is ACE Academic Lead overseeing the delivery of the placements on these key courses. He is also the Academic Lead for postgraduate courses in engineering and leads the MSc courses in civil engineering and structural engineering including revalidation and professional accreditation activities. Dr Abbas leads the teaching of structural design on undergraduate and MSc courses and has won a national prestigious design competition (including the Sustainability Prize) with MSc students five times in the last eight years, in 2023, 2022, 2019, 2018 and 2016 . He has also won several international prizes with undergraduate students

External roles

Member of the fib (International Federation for Structural Concrete) Commission 4 (COM4): Concrete & Concrete Technology Task Group TG4.8 on Low Carbon Concrete.
Member of the Institution of Structural Engineers (IstructE) Research Panel + Design Practice Com. (2020-22).

Industry partners

Collaboration with Biozeroc on the World’s First On-site Integration of BioConcrete Manufacturing.
Collaboration with JP Concrete, a leading manufacturer of precast retaining walls, on low-carbon concrete and innovative new designs of concrete walls.
Collaboration with Lytag, the main manufacturer of recycled lightweight aggregate concrete in UK examining lightweight concrete structures reinforced with steel fibres.
Recently, augmented with a collaborative project with ARUP, a leading global engineering consulting firm, to make this innovative construction material more sustainable.

CURRENT RESEARCH

Dr Abbas is an expert in structural analysis and design and has broad research interest in structural engineering, encompassing numerical and experimental modelling. Led projects on low-carbon concrete, recycled lightweight concrete, self-healing and bio concretes, fibre-reinforced concrete and its application in pile-supported and suspended slabs, as well as under seismic and impact conditions. Specialist in non-linear finite-element modelling of concrete structures. A further interest on application of Artificial Intelligence in structural engineering. Seminal research work on concrete industrial ground-floor slabs, with proposed design guidelines.

Areas of Interest and Expertise

Numerical and Experimental Modelling of Structural Systems
Behaviour and design of Concrete Structures
Low-carbon concrete
Self-healing and Bio-concretes
Fibre-Reinforced Concrete
Concrete Ground-Floor Slabs (such as Industrial Floors, Road and Airfield Pavements)
Seismic and Impact Modelling of Concrete Structures
Artificial Intelligence applications in structural engineering

PUBLICATIONS

Peer Reviewed Journal Papers

Al-Naimi, H K and Abbas, A A, Constitutive model for plain and steel-fibre-reinforced lightweight concrete under compression, Structural Concrete, 2023. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/suco.202200646. Print ISSN: 1464-4177, Online ISSN: 1751-7648.
Neufville, R, Abdalla, H, Abbas, A, Potential of Connected Fully Autonomous Vehicles in Reducing Congestion and Associated Carbon Emissions. Sustainability 2022, 14, 6910. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su14116910.
Kanavaris, F, Gibbons, O, Walport E, Shearer, E, Abbas, A A, Orr, J and Marsh, B. Reducing embodied carbon dioxide of structural concrete with lightweight aggregate, Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering Sustainability, August 2021, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1680/jensu.21.00021.
Albarram, A J, Qureshi, J, and Abbas, A A, Effect of Rib Geometry in Steel–Concrete Composite Beams with Deep Profiled Sheeting, International Journal of Steel Structures, April 2020, ISSN 1598-2351, DOI https://doi.org/10.1007/s13296-020-00333-5.
Behinaein P, Cotsovos, D M, Abbas, A A, Behaviour of steel-fibre-reinforced concrete beams under high-rate loading, Computers and Concrete, September 2018, Vol. 22, No 3, pp. 337-353, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.12989/cac.2018.22.3.337.
Abbas, A A, Syed Mohsin, S, Cotsovos, A simplified finite element model for assessing steel fibre reinforced concrete structural performance, Computers and Structures, Vol. 173, September 2016, pp. 31-49, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.compstruc.2016.05.017.
Abbas, A A, Syed Mohsin, S, Cotsovos, D M, Ruiz-Teran, A M, Statically-indeterminate SFRC columns under cyclic loads, Advances in Structural Engineering, Oct. 2014, Vol. 17, No. 10, pp. 1403-1417, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1260/1369-4332.17.10.1403.
Abbas, A A, Syed Mohsin, S, Cotsovos, D M, Ruiz-Teran, A M, Shear behaviour of SFRC simply-supported beams, ICE Proc. Structures and Buildings, Sep. 2014, Vol. 167, No. SB9, pp. 544-558, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1680/stbu.12.00068.
Abbas, A A, Syed Mohsin, S, Cotsovos, D M, Seismic response of steel fibre reinforced concrete beam-column joints, Engineering Structures, Feb. 2014, Vol. 59, pp. 261-283, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2013.10.046.
Abbas, A A, Syed Mohsin, S, Cotsovos, D M, Nonlinear analysis of statically-indeterminate SFRC columns, Structural Concrete, Vol. 15, No. 1, pp. 1-12, March 2014, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/suco.201300004.
Abbas, A A, Pullen, A D, Cotsovos, D M, Structural response of RC wide beams under low-rate and impact loading, Magazine of Concrete Research, 2010, Vol. 62, No. 10, pp. 723-740, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1680/macr.2010.62.10.723.
Pullen, A D, Abbas, A A, Experimental investigations of partially-damaged RC beams and columns, Structural Concrete, 2010, Vol. 11, No. 3, pp. 139-148, https://www.icevirtuallibrary.com/doi/abs/10.1680/stco.2010.11.3.139.
Abbas, A A, Pavlovic, M N, Kotsovos, M D, Discussion: Elastic analysis of ground-floor slabs under multiple loads, ICE Proc. Structures and Buildings, 2008, Vol. 161, No. SB1, pp. 41-41, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1680/stbu.2007.160.3.151.
Abbas, A A, Pavlovic, M N, Kotsovos, M D, Post-elastic behaviour of ground-floor slabs. Part 1: Plain-concrete slabs, Magazine of Concrete Research, 2007, Vol. 59, No. 6, pp. 387-400, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1680/macr.2007.59.6.387.
Abbas, A A, Pavlovic, M N, Kotsovos, M D, Post-elastic behaviour of ground-floor slabs. Part 2: Fabric-reinforced concrete slabs, Magazine of Concrete Research, 2007, Vol. 59, No. 6, pp. 401-411, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1680/macr.2007.59.6.401.
Abbas, A A, Pavlovic, M N, Kotsovos, M D, Elastic analysis of ground-floor slabs under multiple loads, ICE Proc. Structures and Buildings, 2007, Vol. 160, No. SB3, pp. 151-164, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1680/stbu.2007.160.3.151.
Abbas, A A, Pavlovic, M N, Kotsovos, M D, Aisle-width considerations in ground-floor slabs, Structural Concrete, 2007, Vol. 8, No. 3, pp. 125-131, https://www.icevirtuallibrary.com/doi/abs/10.1680/stco.2007.8.3.125.
Abbas, A A, Pavlovic, M N, Kotsovos, M D, Permissible-stress design of ground-floor slabs, ICE Proc. Structures and Buildings, 2004, Vol. 157, No. SB6, pp. 369-384, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1680/stbu.2004.157.6.369.

Book Chapters

Abbas, A A, Pavlovic, M N, Kotsovos, M D, Recent advances in the design of industrial ground-floor slabs with special emphasis on permissible deformations, Book Chapter 7, in Structural Materials and Engineering, Nova Science Publishers, New York, 2009, pp. 245-279, ISBN: 978-1606929278.

Conference Keynote Speeches

Abbas, A A, Keynote Speech: The Role of Engineering Modelling in Ensuring a Resilient, Smart & Sustainable Infrastructure, iCITES 2018 International Conference on Innovative Technology, Engineering and Sciences, Pekan, Pahang, Malaysia, 1–2 March, 2018.

Conference Proceedings

Abbas, A A, Mahadevan, M, Prajapati, S, Ayati, B and Kanavaris, F, Development of low-carbon lightweight concrete using pumice as aggregate and cement replacement, RILEM International Conference on Synergising Expertise Towards Sustainability and Robustness of Cement-based Materials and Concrete Structures (SynerCrete'23), 15-16 June 2023, Milos, Greece.
Olugbenga B S and Abbas, A A, Load-Carrying Capacity of SFRC Suspended Slabs with Different Support Conditions, RILEM-fib X International Symposium on Fibre Reinforced Concrete, RILEM-fib X International Symposium on Fibre Reinforced Concrete, Valencia, Spain, P. Serna et al. (Eds.): BEFIB 2020, RILEM Book series 30, pp. 1-14, 2021. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58482-5_54.
Kanavaris, F, Gibbons, O, Walport E, Shearer, E, Abbas, A A, Orr, J and Marsh, B, Reducing the carbon footprint of lightweight aggregate concrete, International Conference on Low Carbon Cement and Concrete, October 5-6, 2020, University of Kentucky, USA. https://whova.com/embedded/session/liclc_202010/1158283.
Olugbenga B S and Abbas, A A, Load-Carrying Capacity of SFRC Suspended Slabs with Different Support Conditions, RILEM-fib X International Symposium on Fibre Reinforced Concrete, RILEM-fib X International Symposium on Fibre Reinforced Concrete, Valencia, Spain, P. Serna et al. (Eds.): BEFIB 2020, RILEM Bookseries 30, pp. 1–14, 2021. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58482-5_54.
Al-Naimi, H K and Abbas, A A, A constitutive model for steel-fibre-reinforced lightweight concrete, RILEM-fib X International Symposium on Fibre Reinforced Concrete, RILEM-fib X International Symposium on Fibre Reinforced Concrete, Valencia, Spain, P. Serna et al. (Eds.): BEFIB 2020, RILEM Book series 30, pp. 1-18, 2021. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58482-5_81.
Al-Naimi, H K and Abbas, A A, Structural behaviour of steel-fibre-reinforced lightweight concrete, RILEM-fib X International Symposium on Fibre Reinforced Concrete, RILEM-fib X International Symposium on Fibre Reinforced Concrete, Valencia, Spain, P. Serna et al. (Eds.): BEFIB 2020, RILEM Book series 30, pp. 1-15, 2021. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58482-5_65.
Al-Naimi, H K and Abbas, A A, Shrinkage of steel-fibre-reinforced lightweight concrete, RILEM-fib X International Symposium on Fibre Reinforced Concrete, Valencia, Spain, P. Serna et al. (Eds.): BEFIB 2020, RILEM Book series 30, pp. 1-9, 2021. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58482-5_33.
Al-Naimi, H K, Abbas A A, Ductility of steel-fibre-reinforced recycled lightweight concrete, COMPDYN 2019 7^th ECCOMAS Thematic Conference on Computational Methods in Structural Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering, M. Papadrakakis, M. Fragiadakis (eds.), Crete, Greece, 24-26 June 2019.
Albarram, A J, Qureshi, J, Abbas, A A, Effect of large stud shear connectors on the behaviour of composite beams with 146 mm deep decking, Proceeding of the 3^rd International Conference on Structural Architectural and Civil Engineering, Pattaya, Thailand, 8-9 July 2017, pp. 99-103.
Albarram, A J, Qureshi, J, and Abbas, A A, Developing the strength and ductility of shear stud connection in deep profiled decking, Proceeding of the 2017 World Congress on Advances in Structural Engineering and Mechanics, Ilsan, South Korea, 28 August-1 September 2017, pp. 1-12.
Albarram, A J, Qureshi, J, and Abbas, A A, Behaviour Of Composite Beams with Narrow and Wide Parallel Ribbed Steel Decking, Proceeding of the 382^nd International conferences on Engineering and Natural Science (ICENS) London, United Kingdom 7-8 May 2018.
Behinaein P, Abbas, A A, Cotsovos, D M, FE modelling of SFRC beams under impact loads, ECCOMAS Congress 2016 VII European Congress on Computational Methods in Applied Sciences and Engineering, M. Papadrakakis, V. Papadopoulos, G. Stefanou, V. Plevris (eds.), Crete Island, Greece, 5-10 June 2016.
Abbas, A A, Cotsovos, D M, Numerical investigation of the behaviour of RC wide beams under impact loads, COMPDYN 2015 5th International Conference on Computational Methods in Structural Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering, M. Papadrakakis, V. Papadopoulos, V. Plevris (eds.), Crete Island, Greece, 25-27 May 2015.
Abbas, A A, Syed Mohsin, S, Cotsovos, D M, Steel-fibre-reinforced concrete beams under cyclic loads, 8th RILEM International Symposium on Fibre-Reinforced Concrete BEFIB2012, J. Barros et al. (eds.), Guimarães, Portugal, 19-21 September 2012.
Syed Mohsin, S, Abbas, A A, Cotsovos, D M, Shear Behaviour of Steel- fibre-reinforced concrete beams, 11th International Conference on Concrete Engineering and Technology 2012, Putrajaya, Malaysia, 12-14 June 2012.
Abbas, A A, Cotsovos, D M, Pullen, A D, Wide RC beams under low and high loading rates, 9th HSTAM International Congress on Mechanics, Limassol, Cyprus, 12-14 July 2010.
Abbas, A A, Syed Mohsin, S, Cotsovos, D M, A comparative study on modelling approaches for fibre-reinforced concrete, 9th HSTAM International Congress on Mechanics, Limassol, Cyprus, 12-14 July 2010.
Abbas, A A, Syed Mohsin, S, Cotsovos, D M, Numerical modelling of fibre-reinforced concrete, The International Conference on Computing in Civil and Building Engineering icccbe 2010, University of Nottingham, June 30-July 2 2010.
Cotsovos, D M, Zeris, C A, Abbas, A A, Finite element modelling of structural concrete, Computational Methods in Structural Dynamics COMPDYN 2009, Rhodes, 22-24 June 2009.
Abbas, A A, Analysis and design of industrial ground-floor slabs using the finite element method, Young Researchers Conference, IStructE, 2001.

Media Contributions

Abbas, A A, Ronan Point: 'Grenfell Tower also had construction defects', Newham Recorder, 18 May 2018.
Abbas, A A, Offsite Construction: a closer look at the pros and cons of offsite construction, Builder and Engineer, Issue 1945, April-May 2016, pp. 18-19.
Jayaratne, R, Abbas, A A, Concrete fuels climate change – but there's a nature-friendly way to defend coasts from rising seas, Yahoo!News (originally appeared in the Conversation).

FUNDING

Recent successful grant capture:

UKRI Innovate UK – Sustainable bio-based materials and manufacture: CR&D
Sep 2023 – Sep 2025, Project Title: World's first on-site integration of BioConcrete manufacturing, £125,689.
UKRI Innovate UK – Accelerated Knowledge Transfer to Innovate (AKT2I) Pilot Scheme
Dec 2022 – March 2023, Project Title: Novel self-healing concrete for marine applications with rapid setting anti-corrosion properties for high durability – SEARAC, £34,981.
Royal Academy of Engineering – Visiting Professors Scheme
Oct 2023 – Aug 2026, Project Title: Multi-disciplinary sustainable design approach to address the climate emergency, £29,030.