TWO RECENT GRADUATES of UTT's Bachelor of Applied Science (B.A.Sc.) in Civil Engineering Systems conducted sustainability research in concrete for their capstone project. Akeel Mandol, a valedictorian at UTT's 2023 Presentation of Graduates Ceremony, investigated the recycling of plastic drinking water bottles into reinforcing fibres for concrete. Emmanuel Roach, a student from Tobago, researched the conversion of mud volcano effluent into metakaolin for supplementing Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) in concrete. These research projects have potential environmental and economic benefits to Trinidad and Tobago and have tremendous scope for further investigations. Support from two of our industry partners, Alescon Ready-mix Limited and Trinidad Cement Limited (TCL) Group, was integral to completing these research projects.

Alescon Ready-mix Limited supported Mr Mandol with materials, moulds and testing facilities, whilst Mr Roach received OPC and aggregate from the TCL Group. Alescon Ready-mix Limited also provided testing facilities while the Project Management and Civil Information Systems laboratories at UTT San Fernando Campus were temporarily out of commission.