Dr. Xu Dai Honored with Royal Academy Fellowship for Innovative Fire Engineering Research

Dr. Xu Dai Honored with Royal Academy Fellowship for Innovative Fire Engineering Research

(IN BRIEF) Dr. Xu Dai of the University of Liverpool has been awarded the prestigious RAEng/Leverhulme Trust Research Fellowship for his pioneering work in structural fire engineering. His research focuses on understanding and mitigating fire-induced structural collapses, with the goal of improving global building safety standards. The fellowship will allow Dr. Dai to advance his work on “travelling fires” and develop new methods to prevent structural failures during such events.

(PRESS RELEASE) LIVERPOOL, 19-Aug-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — Dr. Xu Dai, a leading researcher in structural fire engineering from the University of Liverpool, has been awarded the esteemed Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng) Leverhulme Trust Research Fellowship. This accolade recognizes his pioneering work on understanding and preventing extreme fire-induced structural collapses, a critical area of study with far-reaching implications for building safety worldwide.

Dr. Dai’s fellowship will focus on the phenomenon of “travelling fires,” which are fires that spread progressively across large sections of a building, posing significant challenges to structural integrity. His research aims to improve building design by developing advanced methods to predict and prevent the critical failures of steel-concrete composite floor structures under such conditions.

Advancing Building Safety Globally

The RAEng/Leverhulme Trust Research Fellowship will enable Dr. Dai to dedicate a full year to his research, leveraging cutting-edge modeling and experimental techniques to bridge the fields of structural and fire engineering. His work has the potential to revolutionize performance-based design in construction, ultimately reducing the risk of catastrophic structural failures during fires.

“I am honored to receive this fellowship, which will allow me to focus entirely on my research,” said Dr. Dai. “My goal is to develop methods that can be applied globally to mitigate the devastating impacts of fire on building structures.”

Recognition of Excellence in Engineering

Dr. Dai is among only seven recipients of the RAEng/Leverhulme Trust Research Fellowship this year, highlighting the highly competitive nature of this award. The fellowship supports innovative engineering research that offers substantial benefits to society and the economy.

Professor Anne Trefethen FREng, Chair of the RAEng/Leverhulme Trust Research Fellowships panel, expressed her admiration for this year’s awardees: “The diversity and impact of the research being conducted by this year’s fellows is truly impressive. We are proud to support Dr. Dai and his colleagues in their efforts to address some of the most pressing challenges in engineering today.”

Implications for the Future

Dr. Dai’s research is expected to contribute significantly to the field of fire safety engineering, offering new insights into the behavior of materials and structures under extreme conditions. His work will not only enhance the safety of buildings but also influence future standards and regulations in construction.

The University of Liverpool, known for its strong emphasis on impactful research, is proud of Dr. Dai’s achievements and looks forward to the advancements his fellowship will bring to the field of structural fire engineering.

About the Royal Academy of Engineering Leverhulme Trust Research Fellowships

The RAEng/Leverhulme Trust Research Fellowships are awarded to outstanding researchers in the engineering field. These fellowships provide recipients with the opportunity to focus on their research for up to a year, with the aim of producing work that delivers tangible benefits to society and the economy.

Media Contacts:

Joanne Carr
Deputy Director of Communications and Public Affairs
T: +44 (0)7825 434900
E: jocarr@liverpool.ac.uk

Catrin Owen
Media Relations Manager – Humanities and Social Sciences
T: +44 (0)7721 834238
E: catrin.owen@liverpool.ac.uk

Sarah Stamper
Media Relations Manager – Science and Engineering
T: +44 (0)7970 247396
E: sarah.stamper@liverpool.ac.uk

Jennifer Morgan
Media Relations Manager – Health and Life Sciences
T: +44 (0)7775 547589
E: J.L.Morgan@liverpool.ac.uk

Alison Cornmell
Media Relations Manager – Health and Life Sciences
T: +44 (0) 7771 700680
E: Alison.Cornmell@liverpool.ac.uk

SOURCE: University of Liverpool