Professor Buick Davison
BEng, PhD
School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering
Professor of Structural Engineering
j.davison@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 5354
+44 114 222 5354
Room E105, Sir Frederick Mappin Building (Broad Lane Building)
Full contact details
Professor Buick Davison
School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering
Room E105
Sir Frederick Mappin Building (Broad Lane Building)
Mappin Street
߲ݴý
S1 3JD
School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering
Room E105
Sir Frederick Mappin Building (Broad Lane Building)
Mappin Street
߲ݴý
S1 3JD
- Profile
-
Buildings contribute greatly to resource depletion, energy use and associated harmful emissions. I’m interested in the way in which we construct buildings and how we can do it more sustainably.
Professor Buick Davison
Professor Buick Davison is a Chartered Engineer and a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers. He gained his BEng (1st class) degree from the Department and was awarded the Mappin Medal 1980. He completed his PhD with us in 1987.
He joined the academic staff in 1993 after a number of years in practice as a Structural Engineer where he gained first-hand experience in the design and construction of numerous projects including sports stadia, factories and multi-storey buildings.
Buick’s research interests lie in the behaviour of steel-framed structures, in particular the influence of joints connecting steel frames together influence the overall behaviour of the structure.
He also focusses on sustainability issues in structural engineering by investigating the environmental burden of construction practices.
He has authored more than 150 refereed journal and conference papers and held research grants from the EU, EPSRC, Building Research Establishment, Steel Construction Institute and Corus.
- Research interests
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- Component based models of the behaviour of steel beam-to column connections in fire
- Steel connections subject to dynamic loading
- Use of robots and automation in steel construction
- Additive manufacturing of steel connections
- Robustness of steelwork connections in multi-storey buildings at elevated temperatures
- Deconstruction of framed buildings
- Publications
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Books
- Steel Designers' Manual. Wiley-Blackwell.
- The Steel Designers' Manual. Blackwell Science.
- Steel designers' manual. Wiley-Blackwell.
Edited books
- Steel Designers' Manual. Wiley-Blackwell.
Journal articles
- . Fire Safety Journal, 104172-104172.
- . Resources, Conservation & Recycling Advances, 18, 200158-200158.
- . Engineering Structures, 247, 113156-113156.
- . Engineering Structures, 245, 112899-112899.
- . ce/papers, 4(2-4), 2425-2433.
- . Steel Construction, 13(3), 143-143.
- . Thin-Walled Structures, 143.
- . International Journal of Fatigue.
- . International Journal of High-Rise Buildings, 7(4), 343-362.
- . Welding in the World, Le Soudage Dans Le Monde, 62(6), 1255-1272.
- . Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Structures and Buildings, 171(5), 349-350.
- . ce/papers, 1(2-3), 4447-4456.
- . Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers (London), 170(2), 91-103.
- . Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers: Structures and Buildings, 170(3), 157-158.
- . Engineering Structures, 132, 695-713.
- . Journal of Constructional Steel Research, 128, 233-244.
- . Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Structures and Buildings, 169(7), 546-546.
- . Journal of Structural Fire Engineering, 6(4), 247-254.
- . Journal of Structural Fire Engineering, 6(3), 197-212.
- . Engineering Fracture Mechanics, 136, 38-57.
- . Building and Environment, 85, 182-189.
- . International Journal of Advanced Structural Engineering, 6(4), 161-168.
- . Journal of Constructional Steel Research, 103, 37-48.
- . Journal of Constructional Steel Research, 95, 162-171.
- . Engineering Structures, 49, 973-982.
- . Journal of Structural Fire Engineering, 4(1), 1-8.
- . Journal of Constructional Steel Research, 86, 54-65.
- . Journal of Constructional Steel Research, 80, 243-251.
- . Engineering Structures, 49, 1059-1067.
- . Structural Engineering International: Journal of the International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering (IABSE), 22(4), 449-461.
- . Building and Environment, 57, 387-395.
- Application of a general component-based connection element in structural fire analysis. 11th International Conference on Steel Space and Composite Structures, 191-198.
- . Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers: Engineering and Computational Mechanics, 165(4), 219-221.
- . Engineering Structures.
- . Experimental Mechanics, 52(8), 1097-1109.
- Design for deconstruction and material reuse. Energy, 164(EN4), 195-204.
- Supporting design for deconstruction through environmental assessment methods. Architectural Science, 3, 1-18.
- . Proceedings of Institution of Civil Engineers: Energy, 164(4), 195-204.
- . Journal of Structural Engineering, 137(1), 80-87.
- . The Open Construction and Building Technology Journal, 4(1), 88-104.
- Educating structural engineers and architects together at the University of ߲ݴý - 10 years on. Structures and Architecture - Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Structures and Architecture, ICSA 2010, 898-906.
- . Open Construction and Building Technology Journal, 4, 88-104.
- The safety of common steel beam/column connections in fire. Structural Engineer, 88(21), 26-35.
- . Energy and Buildings, 42(10), 1582-1591.
- . Journal of Constructional Steel Research, 65, 1279-1289.
- . Engineering Structures, 31(3), 697-708.
- . Journal of Constructional Steel Research, 65(3), 723-736.
- . Engineering Structures, 31(3), 651-663.
- Component modelling of flexible end-plate connections in fire. International Journal of Steel Structures, 9, 1-15.
- . Journal of Constructional Steel Research, 64(5), 515-525.
- . Steel Designers' Manual: The Steel Construction Institute: Sixth Edition, 1-1337.
- . Fire Safety Journal, 43, 50-62.
- . Fire Safety Journal, 42(6-7), 408-415.
- . Fire Safety Journal, 42, 498-506.
- . Journal of Constructional Steel Research, 60(6), 867-896.
- . Journal of Constructional Steel Research, 60(6), 841-865.
- . Fire and Materials, 28(2-4), 83-94.
- Displacement measurements in studies of steel T stub connections. Journal of Constructional Steel Research, 57, 647-659.
- Modelling of plane composite frames in unpropped construction. Engineering Structures, 22, 287-303.
- . Construction and Building Materials, 14, 179-188.
- Moment-capacity and rotational stiffness of endplate connections to concrete-filled tubular columns with flowdrilled connectors. J CONSTR STEEL RES, 50(1), 35-48.
- Composite beam behaviour in braced frames. Journal of Constructional Steel Research, 49, 271-289.
- . Journal of Constructional Steel Research, 50(3), 305-328.
- . Journal of Constructional Steel Research, 50(1), 1-14.
- . Journal of Constructional Steel Research, 50(1), 15-34.
- Connection flexibility and beam design in non-sway frames. American Institute of Steel Construction Engineering Journal, 25, 99-108.
- Appraisal of results of partially restrained steel columns in non-sway frames. Journal of Structural Engineering, 123.
- Behaviour of nonsway frames with semi-rigid connections under beam loads. Journal of Structural Engineering, Madras, India, 24, 123-133.
- Semi-rigid action of composite joints. The Structural Engineer, 68, 489-499.
- Rotational response of steel beam to column connections in steel structures: Recent research advances and their application to design part II. Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering, 14, 263-272.
- Connection flexibility and beam design in non-sway frames. Engineering Journal, 25(3), 99-108.
- . Journal of Structural Engineering (United States), 113(9), 2032-2050.
- . Journal of Constructional Steel Research, 8(C), 17-54.
- . Journal of Constructional Steel Research, 8(C), 55-69.
- Column behaviour in PR construction - experimental behaviour. ASCE Journal of Structural Engineering, 113, 2032-2050.
- Reserve capacity and vertical extension potential in steel framed buildings. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers: Structures and Buildings.
- . Building Research & Information, 1-15.
Chapters
- , Applications of Fire Engineering (pp. 257-262). CRC Press
- , Design, Fabrication and Economy of Metal Structures (pp. 651-656). Springer Berlin Heidelberg
- Experimental investigation of the robustness of fin plate connections in fire (pp. 722-727).
- Chapter 5: Design of composite steel and concrete structures, Guide to the structural Eurocodes for students of structural design
- Chapter 5: Composite floors, Composite Construction (pp. 121-160). Taylor & Francis
- , Composite Construction Spon Press
- Experimental and analytical studies of steel T-stubs at elevated temperatures In Virdi KS (Ed.), Abnormal Loading on Structures - Experimental and Numerical Modelling (pp. 306-316). Spon Press
- Overview of Connection Behaviour, Structural Connections - Stability and Strength
Conference proceedings papers
- Drivers, barriers and enablers: construction sector views on vertical extensions. JOURNAL OF PLANNING LITERATURE, Vol. 38(4) (pp 620-620)
- . IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, Vol. 1078(1) (pp 012079-012079)
- The Potential of Vertical Extensions: A Case Study Analysis. CENTRAL EUROPE TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE BUILDING 2022 (CESB22)
- . Procedia Structural Integrity - 25th International Conference on Fracture and Structural Integrity, Vol. 18 (pp 255-261). Catania, Italy, 12 June 2019 - 14 June 2019.
- THE EFFECT OF STEEL JOINTS ON FRAME BEHAVIOUR IN FIRE. Proceedings of International Conference on Engineering Research and Practice for Steel Construction 2018
- A new conceptual design optimization tool for frame structures. Proc. IASS Symposium 2018
- (pp 263-273)
- Computational layout design optimization of frame structures. Proc. IASS Annual Symposium 2017
- Static Strength of aluminium-to-steel thin welded joints: preliminary results. BSSM 12th International Conference on Advances in Experimental Mechanics, 29 August 2017 - 31 August 2017.
- Educating Engineers for the Challenges of Low Carbon Design. Sustainable Structures Symposium. Portalnd, Oregon, 17 April 2014 - 18 April 2014.
- Designing for deconstruction - will it catch on?. Sustainable Structures Symposium. Portland, Oregon, 17 April 2014 - 18 April 2014.
- Dynamic behaviour of web cleat steel connections. 11th International Conference on Steel Space and Composite Structures (pp 269-278)
- Robustness of joints to composite columns in fire. 11th International Conference on Steel, Space and Composite Structures (SS12). Qingdao, China, 12 December 2012 - 14 December 2012.
- A structural fire engineering prediction for the Veseli fire tests, 2011. Proc. Applications of Structural Fire Engineering (pp 411-416). Prague
- Elevated temperature tests on joints to composite columns. 6th European Conference on Steel Structures (pp 1593-1598). Budapest
- Making the case for design for deconstruction. 17th Annual International Sustainable Research Development Conference - Moving Towards a Sustainable Future - Opportunities and Challenges (pp 186-187). New York, USA
- Investigating the robustness of steel beam-to-column connections. 10th International Conference on Steel, Space and Composite Structures. East Mediterranean University, North Cyprus
- Component-based element for endplate connections in fire. Proceedings of the Applications of Structural Fire Engineering 2011 (pp 195-200). Prague
- A structural fire engineering prediction for the Veseli fire tests, 2011. Applications of Structural Fire Engineering (pp 411-416). Prague
- Changing environmental assessment methods to encourage material reuse. 9th International Detail Design in Architecture Conference (pp 55-66). Preston - November 2010.
- Educating structural engineers and architects together at the University of ߲ݴý - 10 years on. Structures and Architecture (pp 877-885). Guimaraes, Portugal
- Dynamic testing of semi-rigid steel beam-column connections. COST C26 International Conference on Urban Habitat Constructions Under Catastrophic Events (pp 145-149). Naples
- The fire safety of joints in composite structures. Fire Safety Engineering in the UK: The State of the Art. Edinburgh
- Changing environmental assessment methods to encourage material reuse. 9th International Detail Design in Architecture Conference 2010: Innovative Detailing: Materials & Construction Methods for a Low Carbon Future (pp 55-66). Lancaster
- Ductility of simple steel connections in fire. International Colloquium on Stability and Ductility of Steel Structures (pp 441-448). Rio de Janeiro
- Educating structural engineers and architects together at the University of ߲ݴý - 10 years on. Structures and Architecture (pp 877-885). Guimaraes, Portugal
- Experimental Study on Flexible End Plate Connections in Fire. 5th European Conference on Steel Structures (pp 1007-1012). Graz, Austria
- Experimental Investigation of the Tying Capacity of Web Cleat Connections in Fire. 5th European Conference on Steel Structures (pp 1013-1018). Graz, Austria
- Experimental investigation of the behaviour of flush endplate connections in fire. Structures in Fire Workshop (pp 150-157). Singapore
- Experimental investigation of the tying capacity of web cleat connections in fire. 5th European Conference on Steel Structures (pp 1013-1018). Graz, Austria
- Experimental Investigation of the Behaviour of Flush Endplate Connections in Fire. Structures in Fire Workshop (pp 150-157). Singapore
- Experimental study on flexible end plate connections in fire. 5th European Conference on Steel Structures (pp 1007-1012). Graz, Austria
- Experimental Study on Flexible End Plate Connections in Fire. 5th European Conference on Steel Structures (pp 1007-1012). Graz, Austria
- Experimental Investigation of the Tying Capacity of Web Cleat Connections in Fire. 5th European Conference on Steel Structures (pp 1013-1018). Graz, Austria
- Robustness of steel connections. 6th International Workshop on Connections in Steel Structures (pp 455-466). Chicago
- Modelling of flexible end plate connections in fire using cohesive elements. Structures in Fire Workshop (pp 127-138). Singapore
- Experimental investigation of the Behaviour of Flush Endplate Connections in Fire. Structures in Fire Workshop (pp 150-157). Singapore
- A component-based approach for modelling the effect of fire on steel joints. Progress in Mechanics of Structures and Materials - Proceedings of the 19th Australasian Conference on the Mechanics of Structures and Materials, ACMSM19 (pp 451-456)
- Comparative study of the behaviour of BS 4190 and BS EN ISO 4014 bolts in fire. 3rd International Conference on Steel and Composite Structures (ICSC07) (pp 587-592). Manchester
- Experimental investigation of the behaviour of fin plate connections in fire. Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Steel and Composite Structures, ICSCS07 - Steel and Composite Structures (pp 541-547)
- Development of a component model approach to fin-plate connections in fire. Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Steel and Composite Structures, ICSCS07 - Steel and Composite Structures (pp 549-555)
- Finite element modelling of fin plate steel connections in fire. 4th International Workshop Structures in Fire (pp 315-326). Aveiro, Portugal
- A compoent based approach for modelling the effect of fire on joints. 19th Australian Conference on the Mechanics of Structures and Materials. Canterbury, New Zealand
- The development of a component-based connection element for endplate connections in fire. 4th International Workshop Structures in Fire (pp 345-356). Aveiro, Portugal
- Is catenary action sufficient to resist progressive collapse in a steel framed building. 4th European Conference on Steel and Composite Structures (pp 155-162). Maastricht
- Analysis of the response of structural bolts subjected to rapid rates of loading. 4th European Conference on Steel and Composite Structures (pp 147-154). Maastricht
- A study of progressive collapse in multi-storey steel frames. ASCE Structures Congress Metropolis and Beyond. New York
- Structural Integrity of Steel Connections Subjected to Rapid Rates of Loading. ASCE Structures Congress Metropolis and Beyond. New York
- High-temperature experiments on joint component behaviour. 4th International Conference on Advances in Steel Structures (pp 1041-1046). Shanghai
- Is catenary action sufficient to resist progressive collapse in a steel framed building. 4th European Conference on Steel and Composite Structures (pp 155-162). Maastricht
- High temperature experiments on joint components "C the behaviour of the compression zone in the column web. 4th European Conference on Steel and Composite Structures (pp 9-17). Maastricht
- Structural integrity of steel connections subjected to rapid rates of loading. ASCE Structures Congress Metropolis and Beyond. New York
- A study of progressive collapse in multi-storey steel frames. ASCE Structures Congress Metropolis and Beyond. New York
- . Structures 2004
- Rapid construction of small passenger interchanges: Ideas for a transportable travel environment. Transportable Environments III 3rd International Conference on Portable Architecture and Design (pp 70-77). Toronto, Canada
- A component approach to modelling steelwork connections in fire: Behaviour of column webs in compression. ASCE Structures Congress. Nashville
- Numerical and analytical studies of joint component behaviour in fire. 3rd International Workshop on Structures in Fire (pp 383-396). Ottawa
- Component-based studies on the behaviour of steel joints at elevated temperatures. 3rd European Conference on Steel Structures (pp 1469-1478). Coimbra, Portugal
- Component studies for steelwork connections in fire. 5th International Conference on Stability and Ductility of Steel Structures (pp 769-776). Budapest, Hungary
- Experimental and analytical studies of steel joints at elevated temperatures. 2nd international Workshop on Structures in Fire (pp 21-33). Christchurch, New Zealand
- Behaviour of beam-columns with semi-rigid connections and its implication to the design concept. Speciality Conference on The Conceptual Approach to Structural Design. Singapore
- Bridge between structural engineering and architecture: An interdisciplinary approach. Structural Morphology Conference. Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
- Steel frames using hollow columns and open section beams. Eurosteel 99, Proceedings of 2nd International Conference on Steel Structures (pp 191-194). Praha, Czech Republic
- A new degree programme in structural engineering and architecture, architecture and engineering - the teaching of architecture for multidisciplinary practice. Proceedings of 17th European Association for Architectural Education Conference (pp 349-356). Plymouth
- Structural systems and rotation capacity. COST C1 International Conference, Control of Semi-Rigid Behaviour of Civil Engineering Structural Connections. Belgium
- A new degree programme in structural engineering and architecture. International Conference on Engineering Education. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Educating students to engineer a new architecture. International Conference on Engineering a New Architecture. Aarhus, Denmark
- Limit state behaviour of composite frames. 2nd World Conference on Steel Construction. Spain
- Experimental testing of flowdrill connectors with concrete filled HS columns. 7th International Symposium on Tubular Structures. Budapest, Hungary
- Full scale testing for semi rigid response in steel frames. Joint I Struct E/City University International Seminar on Structural Assessment: The Role of Large and Full Scale Testing. London
- Testing of simple flowdrill connections. IABSE Conference on Semi Rigid Structural Connections. Istanbul, Turkey
- Joint representation in semi rigidly jointed non-sway steel frames. Structural Stability Research Council, 5th International Colloquium (pp 109-120). Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- A simplified approach to the design of columns in simple construction. Stability of Steel Structures Conference (pp 57-65). Budapest, Hungary
- The design of columns in simple construction under variable loading. Stability of Steel Structures Conference (pp 65-72). Budapest, Hungary
- Development of a computer program for the analysis of composite frames with partial interaction. 4th Pacific Structural Steel Conference. Singapore
- Behaviour of partially restrained members in non-sway frames: Comparison of experimental and analytical results. Proceedings of 5th East Asia-Pacific Conference of Structural Engineering and Construction (pp 1947-1952). Gold Coast, Queens land, Australia
- Behaviour of flowdrilled connections in multi-storey frames with tubular columns. Nordic Steel Construction Conference (pp 773-780). Malmo, Sweden
- An economic comparison of the use of open and closed section columns in low rise multi-storey buildings. 6th International Symposium on Tubular Structures (pp 133-142). Melbourne
- The influence of composite flooring on the structural performance of steel beam to column connections. IABSE Symposium on Connections in Structural Steelwork (pp 90-95). Moscow
- Experimental determination of moment rotation response to semi-rigid beam to column joints. Structural Stability Research Council Annual Technical Session. Minneapolis
- Analytical and experimental studies of semi-rigid connected braced steel frames. Structural Stability Research Council Annual Technical Session. Minneapolis
- Structural performance of steel frames with semi-rigid connections. Challenges to Structural Engineering, 12th IABSE Congress. Helsinki
- Semi-rigid connections in isolation and in frames. State of the Art Workshop on Connections, Strength and Design of Steel Structures. Cachan, France
- Large scale tests on column subassemblages and frames. State of the Art Workshop on Connections, Strength and Design of Steel Structures. Cachan, France
- . Applications of Structural Fire Engineering
- Steel Designers' Manual. Wiley-Blackwell.
- Research group
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Resources, Infrastructure Systems and built Environments Discipline
Steel & Composite Structures
- Grants
- Professional activities and memberships
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Professor Davison’s is co-editor of the Steel Designers’ Manual (6th and 7th editions). He was a member of the Institution of Structural Engineers steering group for the EC3-based steel design handbook and has contributed to a number of steel design teaching initiatives.
His keen interest in the design of contemporary buildings led to the development of the dual accredited Structural Engineering and Architecture programme.
He worked with Professor Bernard Johnston (a Royal Academy of Engineering Visiting Professor) to introduce a new Architectural Engineering Design programme which, recognising the impact of buildings on the environment, has key themes of the development of the skills required to implement integrated, environmentally sensitive designs and the use of leading-edge building simulation techniques.
The ethos of the course is to provide students with a thorough understanding of fundamental principles, an appreciation and some experience of practical application and the inspiration to improve, to innovate and to be creative.
He is a Director of the Royal Academy of Engineering Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Building Design, one of only four in the UK.
Buick is also Deputy Head of the Department and Director of Learning and Teaching (Strategy).
- PhD opportunities
Timber-steel Hybrid Construction For Modern Multi-storey Building
This project will investigate practical methods of creating a suitable shear connection at the interface of the slab and beam.
Reversible Shear Connectors For Use In Composite Construction
This project will develop new connection techniques to facilitate quick and cost-effective demountable composite steel-framed buildings.
If you're interested in one of these projects, or would like to self-propose a project, please contact Buick at the above email. Current PhD opportunities in the department can be viewed here.