Dr Ana Blanco

I conduct research in advanced cementitious composites (fibre reinforced concrete, ultra-high performance concrete, sprayed concrete and self-healing concrete), diagnosis and repair of civil infrastructure (concrete dams and tunnels).

I have participated in 6 publicly-funded, peer-reviewed research grants worth £0.97 M on topics related to advanced cementitious composites and infrastructure. I have published over 30 refereed publications and supervised PhD dissertations to successful completion and ongoing dissertations. Since 2009 I have participated in or led 20+ enterprise projects worth more than £0.71 M with major stakeholders in the construction sector, addressing issues related to my research field. I am a member of several scientific committees in international organisations about infrastructure and advanced materials.

I welcome enquiries from postgraduates who wish to study for a PhD in my research areas.

Current research activity 

• Sprayable self-healing high-performance cementitious composites
• (Nano) Advanced nanomaterials: production, characterisation, modelling, properties and applications. In collaboration with Universidade Federal do Parana, Brazil (CAPES) http://www.prppg.ufpr.br/site/print/en/nanomateriais-avancados-preparacao-caracterizacao-modelagem-estudo-de-propriedades-e-aplicacoes/[AB1] 

Recently completed research projects 

• MAPMIT (RTC-2015-3185-4): Sprayed multi-functional materials for reinforcement and monitoring of transport infrastructures (Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness) https://www.atem.upc.edu/mapmit/
• CONSFIB (BIA2010-17478): Construction processes with fibre reinforced concrete (Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness)

• Casanovas-Rubio, MDM, Pujadas, P, Pardo-Bosch, F, Blanco-Alvarez, A, Aguado, A (2019) Sustainability assessment of trenches including the new eco-trench: A multi-criteria decision-making tool, Journal of Cleaner Production, 238, 117957, ISSN: 0959-6526. DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.117957.
• Cavalaro, SH, Blanco, A, Pieralisi, R (2019) Holistic modelling approach for special concrete: from fresh- to hardened-state, RILEM Technical Letters, pp.84-90, ISSN: 2518-0231. DOI: 10.21809/rilemtechlett.2018.67.
• Campos, A, Lopez, CM, Blanco, A, Aguado, A (2018) Effects of an internal sulfate attack and an alkali-aggregate reaction in a concrete dam, Construction and Building Materials, 166, pp.668-683, ISSN: 0950-0618. DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2018.01.180.
• Blanco, A, Cavalaro, SH, Segura, I, Segura-Castillo, L, Aguado, A (2018) Expansions with different origins in a concrete dam with bridge over spillway, Construction and Building Materials, 163, pp.861-874, ISSN: 0950-0618. DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2017.12.161.
• Blanco, A, Pardo-Bosch, F, Cavalaro, SH, Aguado, A (2018) Lessons learned about the diagnosis of pathologies in concrete dams: 30 years of research and practice, Construction and Building Materials, 197, pp.356-368, ISSN: 0950-0618. DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2018.11.143.
• Blanco, A, Pujadas, P, Fernandez, C, Cavalaro, SH, Aguado, A (2017) Eco-trench: a novel trench solution based on reusing excavated material and a finishing layer of expansive concrete, Materiales de Construccion, 67(328), ISSN: 0465-2746. DOI: 10.3989/mc.2017.05316.
• Rambo, DA, Blanco, A, Figueiredo, AD, Santos, ERD, Filho, RDT, Gomes, O (2017) Study of temperature effect on macro-synthetic fiber reinforced concretes by means of Barcelona tests: An approach focused on tunnels assessment, Construction and Building Materials, 158, pp.443-453, ISSN: 0950-0618. DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2017.10.046.
• Galeote, E, Blanco, A, Cavalaro, SH, Fuente, ADL (2017) Correlation between the Barcelona test and the bending test in fibre reinforced concrete, Construction and Building Materials, 152, pp.529-538, ISSN: 0950-0618. DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2017.07.028.
• Pujadas, P, Blanco, A, Cavalaro, SH, Fuente, ADL, Aguado, A (2017) The need to consider flexural post-cracking creep behavior of macro-synthetic fiber reinforced concrete, Construction and Building Materials, 149, pp.790-800, ISSN: 0950-0618. DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2017.05.166.
• Blanco, A, Aire, C, Pujadas, P, Cavalaro, SH (2017) Luong test for the characterization of the shear post-cracking response of fiber reinforced concrete, Construction and Building Materials, 149, pp.207-217, ISSN: 0950-0618. DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2017.05.135.
• Rodriguez, G, Blanco, A, Pujadas, P, Aguado, A (2017) Self-compacting concrete in the Temple of Sagrada Familia, Journal of Architectural Engineering, 23(3), ISSN: 1076-0431. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)AE.1943-5568.0000249.
• Fuente, ADL, Blanco, A, Armengou, J, Aguado, A (2017) Sustainability based-approach to determine the concrete type and reinforcement configuration of TBM tunnels linings. Case study: Extension line to Barcelona Airport T1, Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology, 61, pp.179-188, ISSN: 0886-7798. DOI: 10.1016/j.tust.2016.10.008.
• Campos, A, Lopez, CM, Blanco, A, Aguado, A (2016) Structural diagnosis of a concrete dam with cracking and high nonrecoverable displacements, Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities, 30(5), ISSN: 0887-3828. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)CF.1943-5509.0000869.
• Garcia, T, Blanco, A, Cavalaro, SH (2016) Shear behaviour of sprayed concrete, Construction and Building Materials, 124, pp.722-731, ISSN: 0950-0618. DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2016.07.050.
• Blanco, A, Pujadas, P, Fuente, ADL, Cavalaro, SH, Aguado, A (2016) Influence of the type of fiber on the structural response and design of FRC slabs, Journal of Structural Engineering (United States), 142(9), ISSN: 0733-9445. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)ST.1943-541X.0001515.
• Blanco, A, Segura, I, Cavalaro, SH, Chinchon-Paya, S, Aguado, A (2016) Sand-cement concrete in the century-old Camarasa Dam, Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities, 30(4), ISSN: 0887-3828. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)CF.1943-5509.0000823.
• Canadell, S, Blanco, A, Cavalaro, SH (2016) Comprehensive design method for earthbag and superadobe structures, Materials and Design, 96, pp.270-282, ISSN: 0264-1275. DOI: 10.1016/j.matdes.2016.02.028.
• Pujadas, P, Blanco, A, Cavalaro, SH, Aguado, A (2015) Performance-based procedure for the definition of controlled low-strength mixtures, Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, 27(11), ISSN: 0899-1561. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)MT.1943-5533.0001283.
• Pujadas, P, Blanco, A, Cavalaro, SHP, Aguado, A, Grünewald, S, Blom, K, Walraven, JC (2014) Plastic fibres as the only reinforcement for flat suspended slabs: Parametric study and design considerations, Construction and Building Materials, 70, pp.88-96, ISSN: 0950-0618. DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2014.07.091.
• Pujadas, P, Blanco, A, Cavalaro, S, de la Fuente, A, Aguado, A (2014) Fibre distribution in macro-plastic fibre reinforced concrete slab-panels, Construction and Building Materials, 64, pp.496-503, ISSN: 0950-0618. DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2014.04.067.
• Pujadas, P, Blanco, A, Cavalaro, SHP, de la Fuente, A, Aguado, A (2014) Multidirectional double punch test to assess the post-cracking behaviour and fibre orientation of FRC, Construction and Building Materials, 58, pp.214-224, ISSN: 0950-0618. DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2014.02.023.
• Pujadas, P, Blanco, A, Cavalaro, S, Aguado, A (2014) Plastic fibres as the only reinforcement for flat suspended slabs: Experimental investigation and numerical simulation, Construction and Building Materials, 57, pp.92-104, ISSN: 0950-0618. DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2014.01.082.
• Blanco, A, Cavalaro, SH, Fuente, ADL, Grunewald, S, Blom, CBM, Walraven, JC (2014) Application of FRC constitutive models to modelling of slabs, Materials and Structures/Materiaux et Constructions, 48(9), pp.2943-2959, ISSN: 1359-5997. DOI: 10.1617/s11527-014-0369-5.
• Blanco, A, Pujadas, P, Fuente, ADL, Cavalaro, SH, Aguado, A (2014) Assessment of the fibre orientation factor in SFRC slabs, Composites Part B: Engineering, 68, pp.343-354, ISSN: 1359-8368. DOI: 10.1016/j.compositesb.2014.09.001.
• Blanco, A, Pujadas, P, Cavalaro, SH, Aguado, A (2014) Methodology for the design of controlled low-strength materials. Application to the backfill of narrow trenches, Construction and Building Materials, 72, pp.23-30, ISSN: 0950-0618. DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2014.09.008.
• Blanco, A, Pujadas, P, Cavalaro, SH, Fuente, ADL, Aguado, A (2014) Constitutive model for fibre reinforced concrete based on the Barcelona test, Cement and Concrete Composites, 53, pp.327-340, ISSN: 0958-9465. DOI: 10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2014.07.017.

Undergraduate

• Structural engineering & Engineering materials modules in the civil engineering programmes;
• Integrated design project; and
• Supervision of dissertations on topics aligned to my research interests

Postgraduate

• Supervision of dissertations on topics aligned to my research interests

Current projects 

• Development of advanced cementitious composites in the UK (Thorp Precast Ltd)
• Assessment of the durability in tunnel segments – Phases I (Acciona-Ghella Joint Venture)

Recently completed projects

• Optimised quality control for fibre reinforced concrete (Ghella S.p.A, Norway)
• Conductive concrete for protection against lightning (Ingesco, Spain)
• Evaluation of the state of concrete dams of the UPH Ebro-Pirineos, Spain (Endesa-Enel, Spain)
• Development of high-performance concrete and mortar for Sagrada Familia, Spain (The Foundation of the Temple of Sagrada Familia, Spain)

This was followed by three years as a postdoctoral researcher at UPC, involving research and enterprise projects in hydraulic infrastructure maintenance and development of high-performance cementitious composites for underground infrastructure. In 2015, I co-founded a spin-out company that develops enhanced cementitious materials and provides advanced design and maintenance solutions for civil and urban infrastructure. I joined the spin-out company as a project leader in 2017 while combining my part-time research at UPC. 

In February 2018, I joined the School of Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering (ABCE) at Loughborough University as a Lecturer in Infrastructure Engineering. I am a member of the Structures and Materials Group and the Enterprise Committee.

Professional affiliations

• Member, Technical Committee of BSI B/517/11 Fibres for concrete
• Member, Spanish Association of Structural Engineering (ACHE)
• Member, Committee of Concrete Dams of the Spanish National Committee on Large Dams (SPANCOLD)
• Graduate Member of The Institution of Civil Engineers
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)

Awards

• Torres Quevedo 2017 (Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities)
• BE-DGR Studentship 2011 (Agency for Management of University and Research Grants, AGAUR)
• FI-DGR Studentship 2010-2013 (Agency for Management of University and Research Grants, AGAUR)

External activities

•  Reviewer of the British Council Newton Fund (2018-present)
• External examiner, PhD programme of the Polytechnic School at Universidade de Sao Paulo, Brazil (2019-present)
• Guest lecturer at the MSc Programme ‘Management and Safety of Dams and Basins’ directed by SPANCOLD and certified by the Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Spain (2016-2018)
• Member, Task Group TG1.6 for Ultra-High-Performance Fibre Reinforced Concrete of ACHE (2016-2018)

Key collaborators

My research and enterprise activities are conducted with a range of academic and stakeholder partners, including:

• Universities: University of Leeds (UK); Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Universidad de Leon (Spain); Universidade de Sao Paulo, Universidade Federal do Parana, Universidade Sao Judas Tadeu (Brazil); Universidad de la Republica (Uruguay); Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (Mexico)
• Industry: Mott MacDonald, Thorp Precast, IQE, BASF
• Graduate Member of The Institution of Civil Engineers
• Member, International Federation for Structural Concrete (fib)
• Member, Spanish Association of Structural Engineering (ACHE)
• Member, Committee of Concrete Dams of the Spanish National Committee on Large Dams (SPANCOLD)