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Diane Gardner

Dr Diane Gardner

Reader - Teaching and Research

School of Engineering

Overview

I am a Reader in Civil Engineering and Leader of the Resilient Structures and Construction Materials (RESCOM) research group in the Department of Civil Engineering, Cardiff University. I am a Chartered Engineer and have more than 16 years experience in the development and experimental investigation of sustainable, cementitious, biomimetic construction materials that have the benefit of greater longevity with reduced impact on the environment. I am also a director on the EPSRC funded Resilient Materials for Life (RM4L) Programme grant and an Associate Editor of Structures .

My research is mainly focused on sustainable cementitious materials motivated by minimising the environmental and economic burden associated with the continual need for repair and maintenance of our nation’s civil engineering infrastructure. Three key strands of my research are as follows:

  • Experimental investigations of the durability cementitious materials, containing alternative or cement free binders.
  • The use of vascular and mini vascular networks in concrete structures to afford them a self-healing response when exposed to damage.
  • The flow properties and characteristics of a range self-healing agents and their interaction with the host matrix.

I graduated with a first class MEng Civil Engineering with a Year in Spain from the University of Wales, Cardiff, in 2002, having spent one year at the Universitat Politécnica de Catalunya, Barcelona. I remained at Cardiff University for a PhD in the field of the durability of cementitious materials, graduating in 2005. My PhD research, sponsored by Carillion PLC considered, through an extensive laboratory investigation, the influence of strength and moisture content on concrete permeability with a view to reducing the time taken to perform a permeability test. I developed an analytical and a finite difference numerical model to simulate the experimental arrangement in order to readily obtain intrinsic permeability coefficients, which allowed the testing of smaller specimens and hence shortened the permeability testing time.

Following my PhD, I worked for Hyder Consulting for 3 years as a bridge engineer, although I was also involved in a number of tower foundation and tunnel designs as well as the refurbishment design of several underground stations. My experience of bridge rehabilitation schemes renewed my interest in the durability of concrete structures and I returned to Cardiff University in 2009 as a Lecturer.

Publication

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

  • De Nardi, C., Gardner, D., Jefferson, A., Selverajoo, T. and Evans, G. 2019. The development of mini-vascular networks for self-healing concrete. Presented at: Conference on Durable Concrete for Infrastructure under Severe Conditions, Ghent, 10 - 11 September 2019Proceedings of LORCENIS Conference: Durable Concrete for Infrastructure under Severe Conditions : Smart Admixtures, self-responsiveness and nano-additions. Ghent: Magnel Laboratory for Concrete Research pp. 19-23.
  • Maddalena, R. and Gardner, D. 2019. The healing touch. Construction and Civil Engineering Magazine(167)
  • Maddalena, R., Taha, H. and Gardner, D. 2019. Enhanced self-healing using conventional supplementary cementitious materials. Presented at: 39th Cement and Concrete Science Conference 2019, Bath, England, 9-10 September 201939th Cement and Concrete Science Conference 2019. University of Bath pp. 43-46.

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2008

2007

2005

2000

Articles

Conferences

Research

Contracts

Title People Sponsor Value Duration
The development of self-healing concrete structures and the quantification of their value in the context of enhancing the delivery of a major highway project.

Gardner D, Maddalena R

National Highways 30000 01/10/2021-01/10/2024
Resilient Materials For Life (RM4L)

AD Jefferson, DR Gardner, M Harbottle, IC Mihai, RE Davies, A Paul

With Bath, Bradford and Cambridge Universities

EPSRC 4,837,625 03/04/2017 - 02/04/2022
KTP: A coupled Thermo-Hygro-Mechanical finite element model for concrete structures Jefferson A, Gardner D MOMENTA with Finite Element Analysis Ltd 269644 25/03/2010 - 24/03/2013
Capillary flow of autogenic healing agents in discrete cracks in cementitous materials Gardner D EPSRC 100261 01/09/2012 - 30/11/2013
Materials for life (M4L): Biometric multi-scale damage immunity for construction materials Gardner D, Lark R Costain Ltd 53039 01/10/2013 - 30/09/2016
Sand from Surplus Quarry Material Gardner D, Lark RJ KAYASAND 69709 02/08/2010 - 01/08/2012
Self healing materials Gardner DR Institute of Civil Engineers 750 27/06/2009 - 27/07/2009
Self-healing geotechnical structures through microbiological action Harbottle M, Gardner D BRE 60000 01/10/2013 - 30/09/2016
Structural and Geoenvironmental applications of waste quarry dust (President's scholarship) Lark R, Gardener D, Kayasand UK Ltd 18500 01/01/2010 - 30/09/2013
Materials for life (M4L): Biomimetic multi-scale damage immunity for construction materials Lark R, Gardner D, Jefferson A, Harbottle M EPSRC 1672025 01/04/2013 - 31/03/2016
Low carbon composites for the construction industry Lark R, Jefferson AD, Gardner D Alun Griffiths Contractors 33000 01/10/2010 - 30/09/2013

Supervised Students

Title Student Status Degree

The development of self-healing concrete structures and the quantification of their value in the context of enhancing the delivery of a major highway project.

MOORE Thomas Current PhD
A Standardization In Assessing The Efficiency Of Self-Healing Techniques SALMAN Salah Current PhD
The development and manufacture of mini-vascular networks to provide biomimetic multi scale damage immunity for construction materials EVANS Gwilym Current PhD
The Effect Of Steel Bar Corrosion On The Bond Strength Of Concrete Manufactured With Cement Replacement Materials ELBUSAEFI Adel Ali Graduate PhD
An Investigation into Flow Properties of Self-Healing Agents In Damaged Zones of Cementitious Materials HOFFMAN Andrea Graduate MPhil
Numerical Investigation into Moisture Transportation in Cementitious Materials for Self-Healing MA Chuansan Current PhD
An Investigation of the strength of brickwork walls when subject to flood loading. HERBERT Daniel Graduate PhD
STRUCTURAL AND GEOENVIRONMENTAL APPLICATION APPLICATIONS OF WASTE QUARRY DUST PILEGIS Martins Graduate PhD
CAPILLARY FLOW OF AUTOGENIC AND AUTONOMIC HEALING AGENTS IN DISCRETE CRACKS IN CEMENTITIOUS MATERIALS. JAYAPRAKASH Monica Current PhD
MATERIALS FOR LIFE - SELF HEALING CONGLOMERATIVE MATERIALS. TEALL Oliver Graduate PhD
LOW CARBON COMPOSITES FOR THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY DAVIES Robert Elfed Graduate PhD
SELF-HEALING IN SOILS. BOTUSHAROVA Stefani Petrova Graduate PhD
Investigation of a Novel Self-Healing Cementitious Composite Material System HAZELWOOD Tobias Graduate PhD

Teaching

I am a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. My current teaching is as follows:

Module Leader EN2400 Structural Analysis and Design (2nd year) - 40 Credits

Project Supervisor EN3300 Major projects (3rd year) - 30 Credits

Dissertation Supervisor ENT725 and ENT509 Case study & dissertation (MSc) - 80 Credits

Biography

EDUCATION

2005: PhD in Concrete Durability, Cardiff University

2002: MEng CIvil Engineering with a Year in Spain (First Class), University of Wales, Cardiff.

Honours and awards

EPSRC nominated winner of the "You Heard it Here First" event showcasing exciting new fields of endeavour (self-healing concrete) at the British Science Festival (2013)

Best 3rd year postgraduate research student in the Cardiff School of Engineering Civil Engineering Department (2005)

The Institution of Structural Engineers Jubilee Prize for the best 3rd year undergraduate student in Structural Engineering in the Cardiff School of Engineering (2001)

Professional memberships

2013: Chartered Engineer Member of the Insitution of Civil Engineers (CEng, MICE)

2011: Fellow (FHEA) Higher Education Academy

Academic positions

2020-present: Reader in Civil Engineering, Cardiff Univeristy

2014-2020: Senior Lecturer in Civil Engineering, Cardiff Univeristy

2009-2014: Lecturer in Civil Engineering, Cardiff Univeristy

2002-2005: PhD Student and Postgraduate Demonstrator, Cardiff University

Committees and reviewing

  • Associate Editor, Structures
  • Grant Reviewer and Panel Member, EPSRC
  • Associate College Member, EPSRC