Dr Behzad Nematollahi

School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering

Lecturer in Concrete Technology

Researcher wearing brown blazer, glasses and smiling
Profile picture of Researcher wearing brown blazer, glasses and smiling
b.nematollahi@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 5064
Room F118, Sir Frederick Mappin Building (Broad Lane Building)

Full contact details

Dr Behzad Nematollahi
School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering
Room F118
Sir Frederick Mappin Building (Broad Lane Building)
Mappin Street
Sheffield
S1 3JD
Profile

My research focuses on enabling free-form construction of structures with complex geometries and enhancing resilience and sustainability of our infrastructure under natural disasters.

Dr Behzad Nematollahi

Behzad joined the Department in January 2022. Previously, he was a Lecturer and Australian Research Council DECRA Fellow in Australia. He has a PhD in Civil Engineering specialized in concrete technology and sustainable construction materials from Swinburne University of Technology in Australia, and an MSc in Structural Engineering from University Putra Malaysia. Further, he has about 4 years of industry experience as a Civil/Structural Engineer and Construction Supervisor.

Behzad received his DECRA Fellowship in 2018 focusing on development of 3D-printable high-performance fibre-reinforced low carbon concretes. DECRA is a highly prestigious Fellowship funded by the Australian Research Council with a success rate of 16%.

Behzad has 13 years of research experience in 3D concrete printing, low-carbon concrete, geopolymer concrete, ultra-high performance concrete, and strain-hardening cementitious composites. He has also 10 years of teaching experience in several civil and structural engineering modules. In recognition of his teaching excellence, he received the Excellent Academic Teacher recognition in 2015 and 2016 from Swinburne University of Technology.

Research interests

Behzad has research interest and expertise in:

(a) Sustainable (low carbon) concrete materials, such as geopolymer concrete;

(b) High-performance fibre-reinforced cementitious composites, such as strain-hardening cementitious composites (SHCC) and ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC); and

(c) State-of-the-art digital fabrication with concrete technologies, such as 3D concrete printing.

Combination of expertise and high-quality research in (a), (b), and (c) has enabled Behzad to develop new generation of concrete materials and innovative construction methods, which:

(i) leads to simultaneous increase in resilience and sustainability of buildings and civil infrastructure under natural disasters (e.g. cyclones, floods and earthquakes) and manmade attacks; and

(ii) enables free-form construction of sustainable, commercially viable, and architecturally elegant buildings and civil infrastructure with complex geometries that are not currently possible or too expensive to build.

Publications

Books

  • Sanjayan J, Nazari A & Nematollahi B (2019) . Elsevier.
  • (2019) . Elsevier.

Journal articles

  • Oh T, Na YK, Kim S, Chun B, Nematollahi B & Yoo D-Y (2025) . Construction and Building Materials, 498, 143970-143970.
  • Kar A, Chottemada PG, Han鱉i L, Kalyana Rama JS, Kara De Maeijer P, Nematollahi B, Ramagiri KK, Rossi L, ajna A, Zhang S , Zhang M et al (2025) . Materials and Structures, 58(7).
  • Zhao XA, Nematollahi B, Chougan M & Xiao J (2025) . Case Studies in Construction Materials, 22, e04644-e04644.
  • Al-Noaimat YA, Chougan M, Sambucci M, Valente M, Tirill簷 J, Albar A, Nematollahi B & Ghaffar SH (2025) . Cleaner Engineering and Technology, 27, 100991-100991.
  • Bos F, Menna C, Robens-Radermacher A, Wolfs R, Roussel N, Lombois-Burger H, Baz B, Weger D, Nematollahi B, Santhanam M , Zhang Y et al (2025) . Materials and Structures, 58(5).
  • Liu Y, Hu X, Du Y, Nematollahi B & Shi C (2024) . Journal of Building Engineering, 98, 111241-111241.
  • Huang B-T, Zhang Z-L, Nematollahi B, Yu J, Dai J-G & Xu L-Y (2024) . Frontiers in Materials, 11.
  • de Souza EA, Borges PHR, Stengel T, Nematollahi B & Bos FP (2024) . Journal of Building Engineering, 87, 108985-108985.
  • (2024) . ACI Structural Journal.
  • Nematollahi B, Ichimiya K & Kunieda M (2023) . Journal of Advanced Concrete Technology, 21(Special_Issue), S1-S81.
  • Arunothayan AR, Nematollahi B, Khayat KH, Ramesh A & Sanjayan JG (2023) . Cement and Concrete Composites, 136, 104854-104854.
  • Kondepudi K, Subramaniam KVL, Nematollahi B, Bong SH & Sanjayan J (2023) . Cement and Concrete Composites, 135, 104838-104838.
  • Bong SH, Nematollahi B, Nerella VN & Mechtcherine V (2022) . Cement and Concrete Composites, 134, 104780-104780.
  • Chougan M, Hamidreza Ghaffar S, Nematollahi B, Sikora P, Dorn T, Stephan D, Albar A & Al-Kheetan MJ (2022) . Materials & Design, 223, 111183-111183.
  • Kondepudi K, Subramaniam KVL, Nematollahi B, Bong SH & Sanjayan J (2022) . Cement and Concrete Composites, 131, 104581-104581.
  • Mechtcherine V, van Tittelboom K, Kazemian A, Kreiger E, Nematollahi B, Nerella VN, Santhanam M, de Schutter G, Van Zijl G, Lowke D , Ivaniuk E et al (2022) . Cement and Concrete Research, 157, 106800-106800.
  • Bong SH, Nematollahi B, Xia M, Ghaffar SH, Pan J & Dai J-G (2022) . Construction and Building Materials, 331, 127282-127282.
  • Arunothayan AR, Nematollahi B, Ranade R, Khayat KH & Sanjayan JG (2022) . Cement and Concrete Composites, 125, 104281-104281.
  • Zhu B, Nematollahi B, Pan J, Zhang Y, Zhou Z & Zhang Y (2021) . Cement and Concrete Composites, 121, 104039-104039.
  • Bong SH, Xia M, Nematollahi B & Shi C (2021) . Cement and Concrete Composites, 121, 104060-104060.
  • Sanjayan JG, Nematollahi B, Xia M & Marchment T (2021) . Construction and Building Materials, 291, 123704-123704.
  • Nematollahi B, Sanjayan J & Shaikh FUA (2021) . Construction and Building Materials, 291, 123705-123705.
  • Mechtcherine V, Buswell R, Kloft H, Bos FP, Hack N, Wolfs R, Sanjayan J, Nematollahi B, Ivaniuk E & Neef T (2021) . Cement and Concrete Composites, 119, 103964-103964.
  • Arunothayan AR, Nematollahi B, Ranade R, Bong SH, Sanjayan JG & Khayat KH (2021) . Cement and Concrete Research, 143, 106384-106384.
  • El Alouani M, Saufi H, Moutaoukil G, Alehyen S, Nematollahi B, Belmaghraoui W & Taibi M (2021) . Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 9(2), 105095-105095.
  • Arunothayan AR, Nematollahi B, Ranade R, Bong SH & Sanjayan J (2020) . Construction and Building Materials, 257, 119546-119546.
  • Bong SH, Nematollahi B, Xia M, Nazari A & Sanjayan J (2020) . Materials Letters, 263, 127236-127236.
  • Zhu B, Pan J, Nematollahi B, Zhou Z, Zhang Y & Sanjayan J (2019) . Materials & Design, 181, 108088-108088.
  • Alzeebaree R, evik A, Nematollahi B, Sanjayan J, Mohammedameen A & G羹lan ME (2019) . Construction and Building Materials, 215, 1015-1032.
  • Xia M, Nematollahi B & Sanjayan J (2019) . Automation in Construction, 101, 179-189.
  • Mastali M, Dalvand A, Sattarifard AR, Abdollahnejad Z, Nematollahi B, Sanjayan JG & Illikainen M (2019) . Composites Part B: Engineering, 162, 134-153.
  • Wongsa A, Sata V, Nematollahi B, Sanjayan J & Chindaprasirt P (2018) . Journal of Cleaner Production, 195, 1069-1080.
  • Sanjayan JG, Nematollahi B, Xia M & Marchment T (2018) . Construction and Building Materials, 172, 468-475.
  • Nematollahi B & Sanjayan J (2018) , 154-161.
  • Nematollahi B, Qiu J, Yang E-H & Sanjayan J (2017) . Ceramics International, 43(17), 15616-15625.
  • Nematollahi B, Qiu J, Yang E-H & Sanjayan J (2017) . Ceramics International, 43(8), 5999-6007.
  • Nematollahi B, Sanjayan J, Qiu J & Yang E-H (2017) . Construction and Building Materials, 131, 552-563.
  • Nematollahi B, Sanjayan J, Qiu J & Yang E-H (2017) . Archives of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, 17(3), 555-563.
  • Nematollahi B, Ranade R, Sanjayan J & Ramakrishnan S (2017) . Archives of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, 17(1), 55-64.
  • Nematollahi B, Sanjayan J & Shaikh FUA (2016) . Composites Part B: Engineering, 89, 253-265.
  • Nematollahi B, Sanjayan J & Shaikh FUA (2015) . Ceramics International, 41(4), 5696-5704.
  • Nematollahi B, Sanjayan J & Ahmed Shaikh FU (2015) . Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, 27(10).
  • Nematollahi B, Sanjayan J & Shaikh FUA (2014) . Construction and Building Materials, 70, 54-64.
  • Nematollahi B & Sanjayan J (2014) . Materials & Design, 57, 667-672.
  • Nematollahi B, Voo YL & Saifulnaz M. R R (2014) . KSCE Journal of Civil Engineering, 18(5), 1470-1480.
  • Nematollahi B, Voo YL & Saifulnaz M. R R (2014) . KSCE Journal of Civil Engineering, 18(5), 1481-1495.
  • Behzad Nematollahi (2012) . International Journal of Civil and Structural Engineering, 2(3).
  • Bong SH, Nematollahi B, Nazari A, Xia M & Sanjayan J () . Materials, 12(20), 3410-3410.
  • Nematollahi B, Xia M & Sanjayan J () . Frontiers in Materials, 6.
  • Bong SH, Nematollahi B, Nazari A, Xia M & Sanjayan J () . Materials, 12(6), 902-902.
  • Nematollahi B, Vijay P, Sanjayan J, Nazari A, Xia M, Naidu Nerella V & Mechtcherine V () . Materials, 11(12), 2352-2352.
  • Nematollahi B & Sanjayan J () . Research Journal of Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology, 7(7), 1464-1468.

Book chapters

  • Bong SH, Nematollahi B, Nerella VN & Mechtcherine V (2022) , RILEM Bookseries (pp. 126-132). Springer International Publishing
  • Arunothayan R, Nematollahi B, Bong SH, Ranade R & Sanjayan J (2020) , RILEM Bookseries (pp. 355-362). Springer International Publishing
  • Nematollahi B, Xia M & Sanjayan J (2020) , RILEM Bookseries (pp. 417-425). Springer International Publishing
  • Xia M, Nematollahi B & Sanjayan J (2020) , RILEM Bookseries (pp. 457-464). Springer International Publishing
  • Bong SH, Nematollahi B, Xia M, Nazari A, Sanjayan J & Pan J (2020) , RILEM Bookseries (pp. 363-372). Springer International Publishing
  • Arunothayan AR, Nematollahi B, Sanjayan J, Ranade R, Bong SH & Khayat K (2020) , RILEM Bookseries (pp. 389-397). Springer International Publishing
  • Xia M, Nematollahi B & Sanjayan J (2020) , RILEM Bookseries (pp. 1011-1019). Springer International Publishing
  • Nematollahi B, Bong SH, Xia M & Sanjayan J (2020) , RILEM Bookseries (pp. 93-102). Springer International Publishing
  • Bong SH, Nematollahi B, Arunothayan AR, Xia M & Sanjayan J (2020) , RILEM Bookseries (pp. 23-31). Springer International Publishing
  • Sanjayan JG & Nematollahi B (2019) , 3D Concrete Printing Technology (pp. 1-11). Elsevier
  • Xia M, Nematollahi B & Sanjayan J (2019) , RILEM Bookseries (pp. 245-254). Springer International Publishing
  • Bong SH, Nematollahi B, Nazari A, Xia M & Sanjayan JG (2019) , RILEM Bookseries (pp. 3-11). Springer International Publishing
  • Nematollahi B, Xia M, Bong SH & Sanjayan J (2019) , RILEM Bookseries (pp. 190-199). Springer International Publishing
  • Marchment T, Sanjayan JG, Nematollahi B & Xia M (2019) , 3D Concrete Printing Technology (pp. 241-264). Elsevier
  • Xia M, Nematollahi B & Sanjayan JG (2019) , 3D Concrete Printing Technology (pp. 265-280). Elsevier
  • Xia M, Nematollahi B & Sanjayan JG (2019) , 3D Concrete Printing Technology (pp. 223-240). Elsevier
  • Nematollahi B, Xia M, Vijay P & Sanjayan JG (2019) , 3D Concrete Printing Technology (pp. 371-388). Elsevier

Conference proceedings

  • Nematollahi B & Sanjayan J (2018) Effects of type of activator on fiber-matrix interface properties and tensile behavior of strain-hardening geopolymer composites. Fib Symposium (pp 2304-2312)
  • Nematollahi B, Xia M & Sanjayan J (2017) . Proceedings of the International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction (IAARC), 28 June 2017 - 1 July 2017.
  • Nematollahi B & Sanjayan J (2016) Influence of type of fiber on tensile performance of one-part dry-mix strain hardening geopolymer composite (SHGC). Proceedings of the 11th Fib International Phd Symposium in Civil Engineering Fib 2016 (pp 831-838)
  • Nematollahi B & Sanjayan J (2016) Influence of type of fiber on tensile performance of one-part dry-mix strain hardening geopolymer composite (Shgc). Fib Symposium (pp 831-838)
  • Das J, Pratama MM, Nematollahi B & Guadagnini M () . Proceedings of the Eighth International Conference on Durability of Concrete Structures
  • Nematollahi B, Xia M, Sanjayan J & Vijay P () . Materials Science Forum, Vol. 939 (pp 155-162)
  • Xia M, Nematollahi B & Sanjayan J () . Materials Science Forum, Vol. 939 (pp 177-183)
  • Nematollahi B, Sanjayan J, Chai JXH & Lu TM () . Key Engineering Materials, Vol. 594-595 (pp 629-633)

Preprints

  • Bong SH, Nematollahi B, Mechtcherine V, Li VC & Khayat KH (2022) , MDPI AG.
  • Bong SH, Nematollahi B, Naidu Nerella V & Mechtcherine V (2022) , MDPI AG.
  • Arunothayan R, Nematollahi B, Ranade R, Bong SH & Sanjayan J (2019) , MDPI AG.
Research group

Concrete Structures

Steel & Composite Structures

Intelligent Infrastructure

Grants

PhD opportunities

3D-printable fibre-reinforced low-carbon concrete for additive construction

Development of low-carbon and low-cost textile reinforced concrete

Development of low-cost ultra-high performance low-carbon concrete

Strain-hardening geopolymer composites for sustainable and durable construction

3D-printable strain-hardening cementitious composites using Limestone Calcined Clay Cement (LC3)

Rheological properties of geopolymer/alkali-activated concrete

Structural performance of reinforced concrete beams made of ultra-high performance geopolymer concrete

If you're interested in one of these projects, or would like to self-propose a project, please contact Behzad at the above email. Current PhD opportunities in the department can be viewed here.