Zeyad Mahmood's Exciting Civil Engineering Internship

"I am Zeyad Mahmood, a Civil Engineering master’s student at the University of Manitoba. After completing my undergraduate degree in Construction Engineering, I am specializing in construction materials by conducting research on Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCMs).

As a Mitacs Accelerate Program Intern, my goal is to develop and evaluate agricultural waste utilization to produce low-carbon concrete. My research studies the utilization of oat husk ash as agricultural waste from cold climate regions and its implication on durability properties of concrete mixtures. It encompasses different durability evaluations, such as sulfate attack, freeze–thaw cycling, corrosion resistance, alkali–silica reaction, acid exposure, salt‑induced surface scaling, and physical salt attack. 

Studying this solution provides insight into low-carbon alternatives, creating opportunities for cities worldwide to meet global warming potential (GWP) targets while maintaining mechanical performance and durability. The outcomes of this work are expected to support the development of durable concrete systems by demonstrating the viability of reclaimed industrial and agricultural by-products as SCMs. The findings aim to facilitate broader adoption of blended GUL-based mixtures that achieve meaningful reductions in environmental impact while satisfying the long-term durability requirements of resilient infrastructure."

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