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NICENanotechnology In Civil Engineering – is a research lab focused on integrating nanoscale
appraoches to civil engineering problems.

There is a huge separation of scales between the fields of nanotechnology (typically concerned with
the manipulation of individual atoms and molecules) and civil engineering (commonly associated
with infrastructure systems such as buildings and highways at the macro-functional level). But need this be the status quo?

Nanotechnology In Civil Engineering is (intentionally) broad in scope, to allow the pursual of a diverse range of research topics and challenges. Being said, our research can be categorized by two main thrusts:

1. Bringing Civil Engineering to Nanotechnology: using traditional and developed stuctural analysis and mechanical appoaches to nanoscale materials systems. As experts in stuctual analysis and design, civil engineers can apply a unique skill set to materials at the nanoscale. That is to say, we attempt to push the limits of macroscale stuctural analysis, such as beam theory applied to individual atoms.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Bringing Nanotechnology to Civil Engineering: while Civil Engineers are typically concerned with “big problems” such as structural design, environmental sustainability, or transportation, advancements in nanotechnology can contribute to the solutions, especially from a materials perspective. As such, we investigate, design, an characterize novel materials systems for potential civil-related applications, such as:



 

Example: Buckling analysis of multilayer graphene composites
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