Do the Best for Environmental Protection by Exploring New Engineering Material
Story of 2021/2022 Outstanding CEE graduate – Zhang Shouchen
探討工程新物料，為綠色環保盡力
2021/2022土木及環境工程系優秀畢業生故事 – 張首辰

Alternative material

Nowadays, billions of tons of concrete are produced every year in the world, and the carbon dioxide emissions from traditional production processes are estimated to account for 8% of the world’s total annual carbon dioxide emissions. Therefore, scientists are looking for alternative materials to reduce carbon emissions, and Engineered Geopolymer Composite (EGC) is more environmentally friendly than traditional building materials, with great durability and it can become an alternative to cement.

Potentials of new material

Zhang Shouchen is a 2021/2022 outstanding UG graduate of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering of FST. He studies the compressive strength of PVA fibre-reinforced on engineering geopolymer composites (EGC) by means of experiments and prediction models. After many experiments, the final verification of PVA Fiber-reinforced metakaolin with various contents of slag or river sand precursor materials and alkaline excitation solutions of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) with different mixing ratios can enhance the compressive strength of engineering geopolymer composites (EGC). The compressive strengths of the specimens were analyzed and compared in combination with the feedforward backpropagation (BP) neural network prediction model, so that more people could understand the function and potentials of this new material.

Memorable college life

Zhang Shouchen said that civil and environmental engineering is one of the disciplines with a long history and the most capable subject of applying the latest technologies and sciences. It is also a discipline that emphasizes the spirit of cooperation, because it is impossible to build skyscrapers alone. Zhang Shouchen who is from mainland China, was attracted by UM’s English and international environment at first, now he has become the student of the Honors College and an outstanding graduate of the department. Looking back to the learning journey at UM, he has visited Fudan University in Shanghai and East China Normal University for exchanges, “UM provides us a broad learning platform, and various opportunities for international exchanges. While in line with international standards, it also closely cooperates with local enterprises in Macau, providing us with various opportunities for internships in Macau,” he said. He also thanked FST professors for their patient guidance, which enabled him to understand the latest research, assist him to find out his directions in the field of civil construction materials, and complete the final year project. He will continue his learning journey by pursing a master’s degree in the coming future.

水泥的替代材料

現時全球每年生產約數十億噸混凝土，傳統生產過程所產生的二氧化碳排放量，估計佔全球每年二氧化碳排放總量的8%。因此科學家欲尋找替代材料，以減低碳排放量，而材料工程地質聚合物複合材料 (Engineered Geopolymer Composite, EGC) 比傳統的水泥材料更環保，其膠凝材料來源於工業廢渣,是一種綠色環保的建築材料，且具有出色的機械性能和耐久性能，可成為目前水泥的替代材料。

新材料的潛力

張首辰是本學年土木及環境工程系優秀本科畢業生，憑藉實驗和預測模型研究PVA纖維增強 (PVA fibre-reinforced)對工程地質聚合物复合材料 (EGC) 的抗壓強度，經過反復實驗最終驗證PVA纖維增強的偏高嶺土與各種含量的礦渣或河砂的前體材料和不同混合比例氫氧化鈉 (NaOH) 的鹼性激發溶液可增強工程地質聚合物複合材料(EGC) 的抗壓強度，研究更結合前饋反向傳播（BP）神經網絡預測模型對試件的抗壓強度進行分析和比較，令更多人了解這種新材料的功能及可塑性。

難忘的大學生涯

張首辰表示土木及環境工程是一門歷史悠久以及最能夠應用最新技術及科學的學科之一，同時也是一門講求合作精神的學科，因為不可能憑一己之力去建造摩天大樓。來自內地的他最初被澳大的英語及國際化環境吸引，現時作為榮譽學院的學生及學系優秀畢業生，回望四年本科生涯，他曾到上海復旦大學及華東師範大學交流，他說:「澳大為我們提供廣闊的平台，全英教學和各種的國際交流等不同的機會。在與國際接軌的同時，又與澳門本地企業緊密合作，為我們提供各種實習和感悟澳門的契機。」他又感謝學院教授的耐心指導，令他了解到了土木建築材料領域最新的研究內容和方向同時也協助他完成了畢業設計項目，未來他將攻讀碩士學位繼續學習之旅。