Advanced Fiber-Reinforced Cementitious Matrices: Enhancing Performance and Longevity of Concrete Structures

Dr. Nehdi joined the University of Guelph as Dean, College of Engineering and Physical Sciences (CEPS) in September 2024. An experienced academic leader, Nehdi served as Chair of the Department of Civil Engineering, McMaster University. Prior, Nehdi was a Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Western University from 2007 to 2021. Nehdi is an award-winning researcher and educator in sustainable civil engineering, particularly cement and concrete research, sustainable construction and the application of AI in materials and structures research. He has written more than 500 research publications and was listed by Elsevier and the Shanghai Global Ranking in the world’s most impactful civil engineers. Nehdi received his B.A.Sc. from Laval University and M.A.Sc. from Sherbrooke University, and holds a PhD from the University of British Columbia, all in civil engineering. He is a fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering, the Engineering Institute of Canada, the American Concrete Institute, the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering, and the Asia Pacific Artificial Intelligence Association.

Mr. Prashant Kumar holds a Master of Engineering degree in Structural Engineering from Thapar University and a Bachelor of Technology in Civil Engineering from Uttar Pradesh Technical University. He has worked as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering, COER University, Roorkee, India from the past 6.5 years. He is also currently pursuing a PhD degree in Structural Engineering with CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee, India. His research interests include concrete technology, retrofitting techniques, corrosion prevention techniques, and artificial intelligence applications to resolve civil and structural engineering challenges.

Aman Kumar holds a Master’s degree in Construction Technology and Management from the National Institute of Technical Teachers’ Training and Research, Chandigarh, and a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from I.K. Gujral Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar. He is currently pursuing a PhD at McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada. Before that, Kumar was a Project Associate at the CSIR – Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee, India. He also accrued practical experience by covering a variety of roles in industry, including as a Structural Health Monitoring Engineer with Aimil Ltd., New Delhi, and as a Quality Control Engineer with Ambuja Cements Ltd., Chandigarh. Aman has also served as an Assistant Professor at the Indo-Global College, Punjab, where he taught earthquake engineering, estimation & costing, and concrete technology. His professional expertise spans non-destructive testing (NDT), structural health monitoring, fiber-reinforced polymers, fiber-reinforced cementitious matrices, and AI and ML applications for structural engineering.