12/10/2026
The School of Engineering regularly welcomes leading international professors and researchers, bringing fresh ideas, experiences, and perspectives. As part of these visits, “Engineering Talks” are promoted and open to the community, creating unique opportunities to engage with cutting-edge knowledge and international networks.
NEXT TALK:
Narges Azadvar
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellow, School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, University of Sheffield (UK)
19 October 2026, 11h00
Azurém Campus, Building 1 | Room 2.009 (Sala de Reuniões 1 DEC)
Title: Composite Strengthening of Existing Structures: From FRP and TRM Seismic Retrofitting to Low-Carbon Textile-Mortar Systems
Info: Strengthening and rehabilitation of existing structures are increasingly important for improving seismic resilience and extending the service life of the built environment. This seminar traces a research journey from conventional fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) systems to textile-reinforced mortar/concrete (TRM/TRC) and, more recently, low-carbon inorganic-matrix composites. It covers experimental and numerical studies on FRP- and TRC-strengthened reinforced-concrete columns under axial and cyclic loading, and on TRM-strengthened masonry walls under combined seismic actions. The final part introduces the ongoing Marie Skłodowska-Curie project STRENGTH (University of Sheffield), which is developing AR-glass textile-reinforced geopolymer mortar as a low-carbon strengthening solution, with a focus on textile-mortar bond behaviour and interface modelling. The session closes with open technical questions and opportunities for collaboration.
Dr Narges Azadvar is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Sheffield, specialising in advanced composite systems and low-carbon materials for structural strengthening. She holds a PhD in Structural Engineering (2021) and has worked on more than 20 academic and industry-supported projects in structural rehabilitation, cementitious composites and finite-element modelling. She has published on FRP/TRC-strengthened concrete columns and TRM-strengthened masonry walls, co-authored two book chapters and developed a patented strengthening system. Her current MSCA project, STRENGTH, focuses on AR-glass textile-reinforced geopolymer mortar for low-carbon strengthening of substandard structures.
Organiser/Promoter: Pier Giovanni Benzo, investigador de pós-doutoramento (projeto CirWind, coord. Prof. José Sena-Cruz), Departamento de Engenharia Civil
Partnership: Departamento de Engenharia Civil / ISISE-Institute for Sustainability and Innovation in Structural Engineering
