NUST Team wins 2nd Position at international fib Innovative Concrete Solution Competition
Undergraduate students of the NUST Institute of Civil Engineering (NICE) have achieved an extraordinary feat on the global stage by securing second place in the First International fib YMG Competition, organised by the International Federation for Structural Concrete (fib). The fib advocates for the sustainable and innovative use of structural concrete worldwide. The competition, aimed at international students by the FIB Young Members Group, intended to identify innovative solutions in concrete and construction and evaluated on technical merits, creativity, sustainability, and practicality. The event provided a platform for students to showcase their skills and network with professionals in the concrete industry, recognizing excellence in concrete technology and design.
The exceptional team of undergraduate students, comprising Fazal Hussain, Shayan Ali Khan, Ameer Hamza, and Fazal Rehman, under the supervision of Associate Professor Rao Arsalan Khushnood (HoD Research SCEE), emerged victorious amidst stiff competition from 100 top teams from 45 countries. Remarkably, they were the only undergraduate team to achieve this notable feat, showcasing their exceptional skills and dedication to their craft.
The competition consisted of three phases and two awards, and the team qualified for all of them, ultimately securing both the most public likes and best project awards. Their innovative project focused on lightweight infill panels made from bloated and processed indigenous Pakistani clays, setting new benchmarks in civil engineering. The panels have the potential to replace kiln-fired bricks, reducing CO2 emissions in developing countries while also decreasing the cost of steel in buildings by up to 13% due to their lightweight and better seismic response. Their groundbreaking idea has received global and national recognition, demonstrating their unwavering commitment to maturing the concept further and establishing a successful startup that could revolutionize the construction industry in Pakistan.
The team’s accomplishment is significant, considering they were the only undergraduate team and the sole representatives from Pakistan, highlighting the excellence of NUST’s education and research. The team’s success is a testament to their hard work, perseverance, and innovation, and it is a remarkable milestone of which we are immensely proud. We look forward to seeing them achieve even greater accomplishments and set new standards in civil engineering in the future.