Dr Abbas Solouki

Research Interests 

Abbas’s research interests are, but not limited to, the production of geopolymer binder and ultra-low carbon binder alternatives for pavement construction and repair. 

Strategic Themes 

Sustainability 

Development of low carbon concretes via innovative binders and reuse of waste for use in pavement applications. 

Research Project 

The non-stop growth of highway construction and its developments could hugely affect the global supply of natural resources. According to reports in the UK, about 48% of the construction and demolition (C&D) waste is related to mineral by-products. Prevention and reuse are at the top of the waste management hierarchy in the UK, where it is suggested to use fewer natural resources in the design and manufacturing stages. Coupling it with the fact that recycling waste material into pavements could only reduce the use of natural aggregates to some extent, this question arises that can we move towards minimizing or zeroing the produced waste and reducing the need for new aggregates? Could there be the possibility of reusing the extracted materials during repairs and maintenance as a quarry for these operations? 

Title: Zero waste geopolymer pavements 

Theme: Smart Materials 

Abstract: The non-stop growth of highway construction and related repairs could hugely affect the global supply of natural resources. Recycling waste materials such as waste fines, construction and demolition waste, clays, excavation soil, reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) and recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) could mitigate this issue and provide zero-waste and zero-carbon paving solutions. However, utilization of such material is still very limited, where for instance 8.4% by weight of the RAP in Europe is stockpiled, and up to 20% is down-recycled as aggregates in unbound layers. In other cases, the application of the mentioned waste on concrete pavements has not been fully investigated. The research aims at recycling the most pertinent material such as RAP, RCA, and local waste into concrete pavements from a multi-scale perspective. Fundamental project details such as available resources, materials, data, and equipment, potential waste streams, and possible trial site locations will be identified through literature review and discussion with industrial partners. Producing and or optimization of rapid curing repair solutions through decarbonization would be one of the main goals. After the optimization of the ultra-low carbon binder, the incorporation of RAP and RCA into in-house produced geopolymer binders and its on-site implementation will be evaluated. Extensive laboratory and large-scale testing will be conducted before Field trials. On-site trials will be planned and carried out with the industry partners’ help and monitored using radio frequency identification (RFID) sensors. The obtained data will be then utilized to optimize pavement design, promoting the future application of such pavements. In addition, efforts will be made to automate design solutions through machine learning algorithms to provide instant solutions for recycling available waste stockpiles. Finally, Life-cycle analysis will provide insight into the environmental, economic, and CO2 footprint of the project. The outcomes of the study are expected to improve the understanding of geopolymer and ultra-low carbon pavements and provide a field-ready technology for potential large-scale adoption. 

Biography 

Dr. Abbas Solouki is an MSCA Future Roads Fellow at Cambridge University, specializing in the field of pavement engineering and sustainable infrastructure. With a strong focus on geopolymer binders, ultra-low carbon alternative concrete, and material characterization, Dr. Solouki is at the forefront of developing smart and resilient pavement solutions. His expertise also extends to high-performance materials for pavements and bitumen rheology. His academic journey began with a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from Sistan and Baluchestan University. He pursued his Master's degree in Highway and Transportation Engineering at Universiti Putra Malaysia and completed his Ph.D. in Pavement Engineering at the University of Bologna. During his Ph.D. studies, he was honored as a Marie Curie Fellow and had the exceptional opportunity to pursue an industrial Ph.D., combining work and study. Throughout his career, Dr. Solouki has undertaken significant projects focused on sustainable practices in pavement engineering. His notable contributions include the development of geopolymer paving blocks and semi-flexible pavements through the recycling of clay and silt waste. Additionally, as a research assistant in Malaysia, he played a vital role in a national project aimed at establishing a comprehensive code for highway construction in the country. His research findings have been published in 13 papers, with him serving as the first author in 10 of them. His dedication to advancing knowledge in his field is further highlighted by his back-to-back Marie Curie fellowships, demonstrating his commitment to academic excellence and innovation. With his multidisciplinary expertise and a passion for sustainable infrastructure, Dr. Solouki continues to make significant contributions to the field of pavement engineering, paving the way for smarter, greener, and more resilient transportation systems.