QUT Wind and Fire Lab

This lab engages a team of postgraduate and post-doctoral researchers and academics specialising in structural, wind and fire engineering research. The 15-member team conducts both fundamental and applied research in structural, wind and fire engineering (including bushfires) and disseminates information through publications, seminars, workshops and conferences. It undertakes multidisciplinary research related to the safety of steel buildings against wind and fire disasters, fire resistant materials, wind and fire/bushfire resistant construction and disaster resilience in general, and provides first-class education on these topics.

Facilities: This lab is housed within QUT’s multi-million-dollar Central Analytical Research Facility, Banyo Test Facility and GP Campus Laboratories. They have access to three gas furnaces (0.3mx0.3m to 3mx3m) for fire testing, 1mx1mx3m electric furnace and Instron machines for elevated-temperature testing, 1.7mx2.0m radiator panel for bushfire testing, elevated-temperature mechanical and thermal property equipment, and 2mx4m air-box for wind testing. Such first-class facilities allow them to test from small-scale materials to full-scale structural, fire and wind testing of roof, wall and floor systems. They also have excellent High Performance Computing facilities.

Contact: Prof. Mahen Mahendran, 0434 070 139, +61 7 3138 2543, m.mahendran@qut.edu.au, https://research.qut.edu.au/wafel/