Dr. Sumaiya Afroz

Email: afroz.buet@gmail.com
PABX No: 7224
Room No:
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Dr. Sumaiya Afroz

Assistant Professor
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Specialization: Structural Engineering

Sumaiya Afroz is currently affiliated with Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), where she works as an Assistant Professor. She completed her PhD from the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, Australia in 2023. Her research primarily centers on concrete technology, with a particular emphasis on developing and optimizing low-carbon concrete solutions to mitigate environmental impact. In her research, she engaged cutting-edge technology in understanding cement chemistry to explore the fundamental aspects of the interactions among cement and supplementary cementitious material interaction at the micro level. Additionally, she researched on understanding and mitigating shrinkage—a critical factor that can lead to cracking and structural issues over time. She also investigates the durability of concrete, aiming to enhance its resistance to environmental factors, thereby improving its long-term performance and sustainability.

Dr. Afroz published 18 research articles in reputed journals in her field. She also attended several conferences at home and abroad. She received the Graduate Research Award for an outstanding PhD thesis from UNSW (Sydney). She worked closely with Cement Concrete & Aggregates Australia (CCAA) in an academia-industry collaboration during her PhD. After returning to BUET, she is working in different committees and consultation teams as a low carbon concrete expert. She is also a member of the International Union of Laboratories and Experts in Construction Materials, Systems and Structures (RILEM) and part of a technical committee.

Education

  • Doctor of Philosophy (Civil and Environmental Engineering), the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, Australia, 2023
  • Master of Science in Civil Engineering (Structural), Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Bangladesh, 2018
  • Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Bangladesh, 2015

Research Interest

  • Civil Engineering Materials, Concrete Durability, Bio-concrete, Shrinkage, Cracking, Material Characterization, Limestone Calcined Clay

Research Awards

  • DEAN OF GRADUATE RESEARCH AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING PHD THESIS from the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, Australia in 2023
  • One of three Highly Commended PhD theses submitted to the Concrete Institute of Australia’s National Bursary Award in 2023

Professional Work at National and International Levels

  • Replacing (Supplying. Installation, Testing and Commissioning) of Pot Bearing and Shock Transmission Device/Seismic Device for 4.8 km long Bangabandhu Bridge (2024-date)
  • Payra-Gopalganj-Aminbazar 400kV Double Circuit Transmission Line (2nd phase) Project on Turnkey Basis (2024-date)
  • Vetting of Civil BoQs under Project of Expansion and Strengthening of Power System Network (ESPSN) under DPDC Area (2023-date)
  • Fire affected building at Narsingdi (2024)
  • Damaged concrete slab of a 2-storied building at Norsinghopur, Asulia, Savar(2024)

Selected Publications

Peer-reviewed Journal

  1. Dhandapani, Y., Machner, A., Wilson, W., Kunther, W., Afroz, S., Kim, T., Zunino, F., Joseph, S., Kanavaris, F., Castel, A. and Thienel, K.C., 2024. Performance of cementitious systems containing calcined clay in a chloride-rich environment: a review by TC-282 CCL. Materials and Structures, 57(7), p.154.
  2. Afroz, S., Kim, T. and Castel, A., 2023. Distinct Effect of Hydration of Calcined Kaolinitic Clay–Limestone Blended Cement on Microstructure and Autogenous Shrinkage. Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, 35(12), p.04023481.
  3. Afroz, S., Nguyen, Q.D., Zhang, Y., Kim, T. and Castel, A., 2023. Cracking of limestone calcined clay blended concrete and mortar under restrained shrinkage. Construction and Building Materials, 386, p.131599.
  4. Zhang, Y., Afroz, S., Nguyen, Q.D., Kim, T., Nguyen, D., Castel, A., Nairn, J. and Gilbert, R.I., 2023. Autogenous shrinkage of fly ash and ground granulated blast furnace slag concrete. Magazine of Concrete Research, 75(6), pp.283-295.
  5. Afroz, S., Zhang, Y., Nguyen, Q.D., Kim, T. and Castel, A., 2023. Shrinkage of blended cement concrete with fly ash or limestone calcined clay. Materials and Structures, 56(1), p.15.
  6. Afroz, S., Nguyen, Q.D., Zhang, Y., Kim, T. and Castel, A., 2022. Evaluation of cracking potential parameters for low to high grade concrete with fly ash or slag. Construction and Building Materials, 350, p.128891.
  7. Zhang, Y., Afroz, S., Nguyen, Q.D., Kim, T., Castel, A. and Xu, T., 2023. Modeling blended cement concrete tensile creep for standard ring test application. Structural Concrete, 24(2), pp.2170-2188.
  8. Zhang, Y., Afroz, S., Nguyen, Q.D., Kim, T., Castel, A. and Xu, T., 2023. Modeling blended cement concrete tensile creep for standard ring test application. Structural Concrete, 24(2), pp.2170-2188.
  9. Afroz, S., Zhang, Y., Nguyen, Q.D., Kim, T. and Castel, A., 2022. Effect of limestone in General Purpose cement on autogenous shrinkage of high strength GGBFS concrete and pastes. Construction and Building Materials, 327, p.126949.
  10. Nguyen, Q.D., Afroz, S., Zhang, Y., Kim, T., Li, W. and Castel, A., 2022. Autogenous and total shrinkage of limestone calcined clay cement (LC3) concretes. Construction and Building Materials, 314, p.125720.
  11. Zhang, Y., Afroz, S., Nguyen, Q.D., Kim, T., Eisenträger, J., Castel, A. and Xu, T., 2021. Analytical model predicting the concrete tensile stress development in the restrained shrinkage ring test. Construction and Building Materials, 307, p.124930.
  12. Afroz, S., Manzur, T., Borno, I.B., Hasanuzzaman, M. and Hossain, K.A., 2021. Potential of starch as organic admixture in cementitious composites. Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, 33(2), p.04020449.
  13. Afroz, S., Manzur, T. and Hossain, K.M.A., 2020. Arrowroot as bio-admixture for performance enhancement of concrete. Journal of Building Engineering, 30, p.101313.
  14. Nguyen, Q.D., Afroz, S. and Castel, A., 2020. Influence of calcined clay reactivity on the mechanical properties and chloride diffusion resistance of limestone calcined clay cement (LC3) concrete. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 8(5), p.301.
  15. Manzur, T., Huq, R.S., Efaz, I.H., Afroz, S., Rahman, F. and Hossain, K., 2019. Performance enhancement of brick aggregate concrete using microbiologically induced calcite precipitation. Case Studies in Construction Materials, 11, p.e00248.
  16. Manzur, T., Rahman, F., Afroz, S., Huq, R.S. and Efaz, I.H., 2017. Potential of a microbiologically induced calcite precipitation process for durability enhancement of masonry aggregate concrete. Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, 29(5), p.04016290.

Technical paper

  1. Afroz, S., Kim, T., Li, W. and Castel, A., 2022. Effect of fly ash and GGBFS on concrete self-healing and reinforcement corrosion in chloride environments. Concrete in Australia.
  2. Nguyen, Q.D., Afroz, S., Li, W. and Castel, A., 2021. Chloride diffusion resistance of limestone calcined clay cement (lc3) based-concrete. Concrete in Australia.

Conference Proceedings

  1. Afroz, S., Zhang, Y., Nguyen, Q.D., Kim, T. and Castel, A., 2022. Shrinkage of limestone calcined clay cement (LC3). International Conference on Calcined Clays for Sustainable Concrete (CCSC 2022), Lausanne, Switzerland.
  2. Afroz, S., Zhang, Y., Nguyen, Q.D., Kim, T., Castel, A. and Gilbert, R.I., 2021. Shrinkage Behaviour of High Strength Slag Blended Cement-based Concrete. Concrete Institute of Australia’s Biennial National Conference, Perth, Australia.
  3. Afroz, S., Zhang, Y., Nguyen, Q.D., Yao, Z., Kim, T., Castel, A. and Gilbert, R.I., 2021. Does High-volume Fly Ash or GGBFS Replacement Make Concrete More Susceptible to Cracking? Concrete Institute of Australia’s Biennial National Conference, Perth, Australia.
  4. Afroz, S., Rahman, F. and Manzur, T., 2016. A Simple Laboratory Process to Culture Indigenous Urease Positive Bacteria for MICP. In Proceedings of the 1st Bangladesh Civil Engineering Summit, BUET, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
  5. Afroz, S., Rahman, F., Iffat, S. and Manzur, T., 2015, December. Sorptivity and strength characteristics of commonly used concrete mixes of Bangladesh. In Proceedings of the International Conference on Recent Innovation in Civil Engineering for Sustainable Development (IICSD-2015) (pp. 39-44).

Workshops

  1. Afroz, S., November 2022. Shrinkage of limestone calcined clay cement (LC3). Joint Workshop for Research Exchange and Collaboration in Construction Materials – UNIST and UNSW, Sydney, Australia
  2. Afroz, S., Castel, A., Zhang, Y., Nguyen, Q.D., Kim, T., Xu, T., May 2022. R7-RING test method & Performance Based Specification, CCAA/UTS ASR research workshop, UTS TECH LAB, Sydney, Australia
  3. Castel, A. and Afroz, S., February 2021. Shrinkage, cracking, self-healing and corrosion in blended cement concrete, CCAA/UTS workshop, UTS TECH LAB, Sydney, Australia