Trial Lecture
- 14.08.2026 at 10:00
- Title of the trial lecture: TBA
Public defense
The candidate will defend her thesis on 14.08. at 12:00.
Ordinary opponents
- First opponent: Enrique Hernández Montes, Professor, University of Granada, Spain
- Second opponent: Ingrid Lande, Associate Professor, University of Agder
Leader of the evaluation committee
Jian Dai, Associate professor, Department of Built Environment, OsloMet
Leader of the public defense
Yonas Zewdu Ayele, Head of the Department of Built Environment, OsloMet - Oslo Metropolitan University, Oslo, Norway
Supervisors
- The main supervisor was Mahdi Kioumarsi, Professor, Faculty of Technology, Art and Design, Department of Built Environment, OsloMet
- The co-supervisor was Behrouz Shafei, Associate Professor, Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
Summary
Bridges are vital parts of our infrastructure, but they come with a high environmental impact. Traditional concrete materials are carbon-intensive, and frequent maintenance adds to their climate footprint. This research explores how we can reduce that impact by designing longer-lasting materials and using smarter tools for planning and assessment.
The project developed a comprehensive framework that brings together three components:
1. Low-carbon Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) designed to reduce emissions while maintaining durability,
2. A conceptual framework for AI-assisted damage detection to support timely and efficient maintenance, and
3. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to measure the environmental footprint of both the materials and the long-term repair strategies.
Experimental testing and environmental analysis showed that optimized UHPC mixes can reduce embodied carbon by up to 40% compared to conventional concrete. And due to their extended service life, UHPC overlays can reduce overall climate impact by more than 77% over a 100-year period.
This research offers practical insights for making bridge infrastructure more sustainable. It shows that durable materials, smart monitoring, and lifecycle-based planning are key to reducing emissions and ensuring more climate-resilient construction systems.
