Spyridon Paschalis

Design/methodology/approach This research has measured, using National Student Survey (NSS) criteria, student experiences on an interdisciplinary project on a civil engineering programme. It benchmarks the quality of learning and student understanding and perceptions of learning. The method is based upon a literature review and questionnaire survey of students.
Purpose In line with business goals of customer satisfaction, higher education institutions of learning consider excellent student experience a priority. Teaching and learning are important aspects of satisfaction that are monitored annually by universities using tools such as the NSS. NSS results are useful for educational planning and informing consumer choices. This research measured undergraduate student experiences on an interdisciplinary project using the NSS framework. Hinged on diversity, the purpose was to investigate whether full time, part time and degree apprenticeship students with varied work experience enhance their learning studying together on an interdisciplinary project.
Findings Results indicate good amounts of peer influence on learning in a simulated interdisciplinary team setting supported by a mix of diverse work experience in students’ background.
Originality/value Sections of the NSS are extended with additional questions to capture the impact that full-time, part-time and degree apprenticeship study modes, closely associated with students’ background of job experience, have on teaching and learning.

Strengthening of Reinforced Concrete (RC) beams is of high importance for the structural upgrade of existing buildings. The majority of the existing RC structures need to be upgraded either because they are designed with old or without seismic code provisions or because of existing damages. In this study the effectiveness of the use of traditional RC layers is compared with the use of Ultra High Performance Fibre Reinforced Concrete (UHPFRC) layers. Experimental investigation has been conducted on beams strengthened with these two techniques and the effectiveness of the examined methods has been evaluated via comparisons of the load-deflection and the interface slip results.

The safety of structures is of high importance affecting people’s lives. Structural evaluation, and possibly intervention, is considered necessary for old structures, structures which have been affected by accidental actions and also for structures in high seismic risk areas. Research should now focus on the development of new sustainable techniques which increase the safety of existing structures, and at the same time minimize the necessary to build new structures and to consume new materials and resources. The present research investigates the effectiveness of an advanced material, such as Ultra High Performance Fiber Reinforced Concrete (UHPFRC), for the strengthening of existing Reinforced Concrete (RC) structures. For this reason, an extensive experimental study on the properties of the material and the application for strengthening of RC beams has been conducted. More specifically, parameters such the effect of fiber content on the performance, the workability and the cost of the material have been investigated first. Based on the analysis, an optimum mixture design has been selected and has been applied for strengthening of RC beams using different configurations. The results indicated that the strengthening with UHPFRC is a well promising technique and the performance of the strengthened elements has been increased in all the examined cases.

Ultra High Performance Fiber Reinforced Concrete (UHPFRC) is a cementitious material with enhanced mechanical characteristics. The superior mechanical properties of UHPFRC compared to conventional concrete, as well as the ease of preparation and application, make the use of this material attractive for strengthening applications. In the present study, an extensive experimental investigation on full scale Reinforced Concrete (RC) beams strengthened with UHPFRC layers has been conducted. Additional UHPFRC layers with and without steel bars have been added to the RC beams and the efficiency of the examined technique has been examined through flexural tests. An additional investigation has been conducted on the interface characteristics between UHPFRC and concrete through push-off tests. Finally, finite element analysis has been conducted and crucial parameters of the examined technique have been investigated. The results of the present study indicated that the strengthening with UHPFRC layers is a well promising technique, as in all the examined cases the performance of the strengthened elements was improved. Also, a good interface connection between UHPFRC and concrete was identified, with low measurements of slips at the interface