Ramesh Poudel
Bachelor of Engineering, Honours
I always have a keen fascination for engineering, particularly in exploring and investigating the construction of buildings and infrastructure that shape communities. My strong desire to work in a challenging environment and solve complex engineering problems has attracted me to start a career in engineering. Through engaging in projects, I have not only acquired academic knowledge and experience but also cultivated skills essential for my prospective profession. Post-graduation, I aspire to contribute to significant industry projects across various fields, continually enhancing my engineering expertise.
Experimental investigation on fire performance of high strength reinforced concrete columns protected by novel fly-ash-based fire protection material
Columns with high-strength concrete (HSC) are gaining popularity, especially in high-rise buildings, as they can bear larger loads compared to columns made with normal-strength concrete. This, in turn, helps maximize valuable space. However, HSC typically consists of a microstructure with low permeability, leading to excessive spalling when exposed to fire.
Fire protection coatings, such as spray-applied fire-resistant materials (SFRMs), can be employed to enhance the fire performance of these columns. A fly ash-based SFRM has recently been developed by Prof. Zhong Tao's research group in collaboration with an industry partner.
In this context, fire tests were conducted on reinforced concrete (RC) columns made with 100 MPa concrete, under the supervision of Dr. Utsab Katwal and Prof. Zhong Tao. It was observed that the unprotected RC columns failed within 36 minutes, whereas the protected columns, with an average SFRM thickness of 23 mm, resisted fire for almost 2 hours. This demonstrates the effectiveness of the novel SFRM in improving the fire performance of RC columns with HSC. This research further supports the commercialization of the SFRM.
