Research Fellow in Concrete Materials Technology
Dr Nan Zhang is a Research Fellow at Swinburne University of Technology (SUT), specialising in concrete materials technology, including 3D concrete printing, automation in construction, advancing sustainable concrete, and incorporation of waste streams for value-added concrete applications. Before transitioning to academia and earning his PhD from SUT, Nan worked as a senior R&D engineer at the Technical Centre of China State Construction Engineering Corporation for seven years. This experience provided him with practical insights and expertise in concrete applications, enabling him to effectively address real-world challenges. He is passionate about tackling evolving challenges in the construction industry through innovative solutions.
The recent project collaborates with Paintback company. Additionally, my PhD was supported by an ARC discovery project.
Swinburne University of Technology
Jay Sanjayan
The name of my PhD project is ‘Innovation of Quick Concrete Mix Processes for 3D Printing’. I’m involved as research fellow in the following project Development of Technologies for the Beneficial Use of Reclaimed Water-based Paint in Concrete (Phase 1).
I have 7 years of industry experience and 4 years of academic experience in concrete materials technologies. Especially, I have engaged in 3D concrete printing since 2014. These multiple experiences can provide me with practical insights and expertise in effectively addressing real-world challenges, so I am passionate about tackling evolving challenges in the construction industry through innovative solutions.
I am involved in this Smartcrete CRC project as a research fellow.
My PhD innovates Quick Nozzle Mixing Technology as a novel solution to address the rheological challenge between buildability and pumpability in 3D Concrete Printing. This innovation, the first of its kind, allows for direct production of fresh concrete from dry raw materials in the nozzle and achieves printing without the need for pumping. The success of this technology is expected to promote the automated process of 3D concrete printing, paving the way for more efficient construction methods.
I would like to do research as an academic collaborating with industry partners to address practical challenge.
For the SmartCrete CRC project, our research is expected to find the sustainable solution for recycling reclaimed water-based paints (RWBP) in Australia. The rapid industrialisation and urbanisation have significantly increased the production of RWBP. However, improper disposal of RWBP poses serious environmental risks, such as groundwater contamination. In the United States, the annual cost of recycling or disposing of RWBP is approximately A$3.2 per liter, with 60 to 130 million liters remaining unused. In Australia, Paintback Limited alone collects around 9,000 tonnes of unwanted paint annually for responsible disposal and innovative reuse. Despite these efforts, sustainable recycling methods for RWBP remain a challenge. Given that concrete is one of the most widely used construction materials globally, incorporating RWBP into concrete is considered a potential solution for large-scale waste consumption and disposal. Previous studies, however, have shown that RWBP significantly reduces compressive strength, the critical parameter for concrete. As a result, RWBP-incorporated concrete has not yet been applied in practical construction. This project is to address these industry challenges.
