Business News

University researcher invited to speak at leading industry business conference

Thu, 10 May 2012 11:43:00 BST

Dr Jiye Chen will offer an insight into his expertise when he addresses the 12th annual Composites UK conference in Manchester.

Dr Jiye Chen from the University’s Advanced Composite Structures team has been invited to talk about his work on carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) Panel Systems in Buildings at this major industry event. The event is being organised by Composites UK and is to be held in Manchester on the 10th and 11th May 2012.

An advanced CFRP based floor panel system was developed recently by the research team of advanced composite structures at the School of Civil Engineering and Surveying. The CFRP panel was designed as a pultruded beam with an open cross-section. This allowed the team to investigate the use of novel CFRP floor panels as a primary component in a floor system. They aim is to create a panel which can replace traditional concrete floor slabs in buildings.

The panel created can be easily installed in buildings because of its lightweight features, and integrated with the suspending ceiling, ventilation and lighting systems of buildings. This investigation has provided a potential new building material for the low carbon construction industry which will save energy and reduce CO2 emissions.

The two-day conference and exhibition will showcase the UK's strengths and capabilities in composites, bringing together active members of the composites community to highlight the latest technological developments in the industry and academic research.