Dr Jacek Kwasny
Principal Investigators
Prof. Marios Soutsos (current) m.soutsos@qub.ac.uk
PI in projects: i, ii, iii, iv; Co-I in project: v
Prof. David Cleland d.cleland@qub.ac.uk
PI in project: v and vii
Prof. Muhammed Basheer P.A.M.Basheer@leeds.ac.uk
PI in project: vi, and Co-I in project: vii
Details of any grant/funding connected with the research
(i) 鈥淕lass cUllet conversIon To wAteRglass and used, with cement bypass flue dust, for cementless concrete building products (GUITAR)鈥, funded by Innovate UK, under competition
call 鈥淚SCF Transforming foundation industries: Building a resilient recovery鈥,
This project is undertaken between QUB and four industrial partners: Regen Waste Ltd (lead), Mannok Build Ltd, T&J Recycling Ltd, Ecocem GB Ltd.
The total grant offer: 拢474K. Status: ongoing.
(ii) 鈥淐onverting waste glass into waterglass鈥, Invest Northern Ireland funded PoC project,
Total grant value: 拢111K. Status: ongoing.
(iii) 鈥淟ow Carbon footprint Precast Concrete products for an energy efficient built environment
(LowCoPreCon)鈥, Funded by Innovate UK (Newton Fund)/RCUK/MIGHT (ref nr: 102721).
Project partners: Monash University Malaysia, University of Malaya, Creagh Concrete Products Ltd, Macrete Ltd, Sunway Building Materials and Ikhmas Jaya Group Berhad
Total grant value: 拢910K. Status: active.
(iv) 鈥淒evelopment and Commercialisation of banahCEM Geopolymer Binder (phase II)鈥
R&D project funded by Invest Northern Ireland. Project partner: Banah UK Ltd.
Total grant value: 拢116K, Status: finished.
(v) 鈥淒evelopment and Commercialisation of banahCEM Geopolymer Binder (phase I)鈥
R&D project funded by Invest Northern Ireland. Project partner: Banah UK Ltd.
Total grant value: 拢235K. Status: finished.
(vi) 鈥淩educing CO2 emissions through reduced Portland cement contents and CO2 sequestration in concretes鈥, Carbon Trust funded project (ref. no.: 0912-035).
Project partner: Creagh Concrete Products Ltd.
Total grant value: 拢509K. Status: finished.
(vii) 鈥淟ightweight, low energy concretes for use in novel structures鈥, Technology Strategy Board funded research project.
Project consortium: QUB, City University London, Creagh Concrete Products Ltd, Macrete Ltd, Network Rail (Department for Regional Development) and Arup
Total grant value: 拢2.1m. Status: finished.
Research Summary
Jacek specialises in concrete technology and his research is focused on providing comprehensive solutions for the concrete industry, in particular mitigating its environmental impact.
The main areas of his research include:
- development of low carbon binders for use in concrete, including cement-free binders such as alkali activated materials and geopolymers,
- sustainable lightweight construction materials,
- CO2 curing and CO2 sequestration in cement鈥恇ased materials,
- recycling of industrial by鈥恜roducts and waste materials in concrete,
- rheology of concrete.
UKRI project website:
Impact of Research
The impact of Jacek鈥檚 research has been three-fold:
a) encouraging cost-effective improvements in resource management within the concrete industry through conservation of natural resources and use of waste or by-product materials,
b) valorisation and upcycling of waste materials, and
c) promoting use of concrete formulated with cement-free binders.
This has been achieved through collaborative projects with main stakeholders of NI concrete industry.