About
From molecular behavior to structural design.
The Concrete Engineering Laboratory of Nagoya University (NUCE) comprises a structural Group that researches reinforced concrete structures from a structural perspective and a materials Group that studies them from a materials perspective.
Structural Group
Yo Hibino
Reinforced concrete structures offer excellent durability, fire resistance, and seismic performance, making them widely adopted in construction today. Our laboratory focuses specifically on research related to structural safety. Since reinforced concrete structures are built individually, the structural safety of a single building cannot inherently be demonstrated. No technology has been developed that can fully evaluate performance non-destructively. Furthermore, if a building is destroyed in an experiment, it becomes unusable. In this sense, when considering the safety of individual buildings, we must rely on verification through analysis. On the other hand, analysis can produce any result based on modeling the structure and material properties. Through destructive testing of large members, partial frames, and entire frames, we aim to clarify the mechanisms ensuring the safety of building structures. We also want students to gain a tangible understanding of how structures fail and develop the sensibility of a structural expert who does not rely solely on analytical models. Regarding design, we hope students learn not to design structures that are easy to model, but rather to model structures effectively. We believe this can be achieved through research into the fundamental nature of structures.
The remarkable advances in material strength and analysis technology have made us recognize anew the importance of force flow patterns, which previously seemed unnecessary to consider, and the importance of appropriately modeling structures without being swayed by computers. It is a crucial task to clearly understand force flow patterns from the overall reinforced concrete structure down to the member level, including connections, and to reflect this in modeling the reinforcement details, members, and restoring force characteristics of reinforced concrete structures. This is not only relevant for new reinforced concrete buildings but also for effectively utilizing existing structures—promoting seismic retrofitting and space expansion to leverage the existing building stock. It is considered an essential discipline for the future diversification of Japan’s construction market. Furthermore, evaluating structural safety requires a critical focus on seismic response as an external force. Our research focuses on measuring the seismic behavior of actual structures to validate analytical models, while also enabling immediate assessment of damage levels during major earthquakes to ensure the safety and peace of mind of building occupants.
Materials Group
Go Igarashi, Abudushalamu Aili, Ippei Maruyama
The Materials Group broadly addresses issues related to construction materials. Specifically for concrete, it develops models predicting various phenomena—from cement hydration reactions to water and heat transfer, shrinkage and creep, structural cracking, and durability—spanning scales from nanometers to meters and time scales from seconds to centuries. As applied research, the group is also engaged in practical studies for environmentally friendly concrete using concrete glass as aggregate, research on technologies for reducing carbon dioxide emissions and constructing high-quality concrete by incorporating various industrial by-products into concrete, and practical research on ultra-high-strength concrete. In recent years, we have clarified the century-old question of why concrete shrinks. Based on these findings, we are developing materials and investigating more detailed methods for predicting concrete performance. Furthermore, the scope of building materials science extends beyond materials engineering. For example, we model aging phenomena that cause materials to appear worn, exploring how to control aesthetics. We also study how to economically evaluate new materials when they are developed. The scope of the building materials field is broad, and virtually any endeavor can become research. It is a place where intellectually curious students can thrive.
Our group, together with the Structural Group, adopts a research approach that thoroughly pursues the essence of things. We want students to understand, through research, the thought processes and habits that enable immediate responses to new needs. This involves approaching questions like “Why does this happen?” and “What could occur?” from both material and structural perspectives. Furthermore, a key feature of our laboratory’s research is its emphasis on teamwork. Leadership within teams and the relationship between the organization and the individual are skills that can be naturally acquired by belonging to this laboratory.
Message to Students
Research-based education is not merely about learning research methods or acquiring specific concrete knowledge. Through research and experimentation, you can gain exposure to various essential aspects of life. I want you to understand that the lessons learned through hands-on experimentation are particularly profound.
- Methods for learning from the past to create new things
- How to express originality
- The importance of planning
- Leadership to motivate others
- Skills for selecting, integrating, and synthesizing information
- An international perspective
Graduate School Admissions
You must take the entrance examination for the Graduate School of Environmental Studies at Nagoya University. Please refer to the Graduate School of Environmental Studies’ admissions information for details on the examination process. Please note that for the Master’s program, as stated in the application guidelines, even for the Special Selection for International Students, answers on the examination must be written in Japanese. For further details, please check the websites of the Graduate School of Environmental Studies and the Department of Architecture.