Welcome to SIERA Group

The SIERA Group at UBC combines theoretical civil engineering knowledge from the lecture hall with hands-on experience in the lab and the field. Our aim is to advance the performance of concrete and drive the creation of new, innovative and cost-effective solutions to increase the service-life of concrete structures and reduce the energy emissions of the concrete industry. We research, develop and test construction materials and their chemical, physical, mechanical and behavioral properties.

Current areas of research focus on Sustainable Concrete Infrastructure with emphasis on nano-modified fiber reinforced composites, ultra-high performance concrete materials, waste recycling, fracture analysis, earthquake strengthening and sensor based structural health monitoring. We investigate all properties of concrete from nanoscale to full size, both in the lab and in the real world, including but not limited to concrete durability, shrinkage, early-age properties of concrete and the pursuit of high-performance civil engineering materials. Our state of the art laboratory can prepare and test chemical, mineralogical, physical, and durability properties of concrete materials. Our researchers are actively participating in the development of ASTM, ACI, CSA, AASHTO, and RILEM standards.