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Novel materials

This section of the website explores the use of novel materials in construction.

Topics covered include:

  • Developments and good practice
  • Practical uses as a structural material
  • Climate impact, carbon emissions and sustainable design
 
 

Resources and events

Course
Perspective view of underground parking.

Deep basement design and construction - October 2026

Deep basement design and construction - October 2026
This course gives guidance on the key design and constructability considerations when planning the construction of deep (greater than 5 meters) basements. It covers various types of embedded walls for both bottom-up and top-down construction.
Date – 15 October 2026
Location – Online
Price – £315 - £465 + VAT
Course
highrise apartment blocks

Eurocode 4: composite design

Eurocode 4: composite design
This course supports the practising designer with composite design to Eurocode 4. It enables an understanding of the essential requirements of this code in structural design and how the code operates.
Date – 12 October 2026
Location – 47-58 Bastwick St, London, EC1V 3PS
Price – £315 - £465 + VAT
Regional
A circular ceiling with bamboo poles radiating from a central red fixture.

25 years tinkering with bamboo connections

25 years tinkering with bamboo connections
A technical talk on using bamboo as a structural material.
Date – 22 September 2026
Location – Online
Price – Free
Training
mound of excavated soil

Structural potential of excavated earth

Structural potential of excavated earth
This technical lecture explores the core principles of regenerative design and how the utilisation of site excavation for load bearing purposes can transform the construction industry. The lecture highlights earth as the only truly local construction material.
Date – 25 March 2026
Author – Various
Price – Free
News

News release: Bamboo guidance

News release: Bamboo guidance
The Institution of Structural Engineers’ (IStructE) new guidance focuses on the design of permanent bamboo structures. This new design guide is a significant milestone in realising the benefits of bamboo to widen its adoption.
Date – 19 January 2026
Author – Dr David Trujillo CEng, Kent Harries PEng, Sebastian Kaminski CEng, Engr. Luis Felipe Lopez CEng.
Report
Image showing bond stress-slip curves for the specimens with glass-FRP & stainless steel bars

Bond performance of glass- and basalt-FRP and stainless steel bars in low-carbon geopolymer concrete

Bond performance of glass- and basalt-FRP and stainless steel bars in low-carbon geopolymer concrete
A poster from a project funded by the Institution’s 2024/25 MSc Research Grants.
Date – 1 December 2025
Author – Libin Wang, Matthew Frank, Aly Elhitamy
Price – Free
Manuals

Manual for the design of bamboo structures to ISO 22156:2021

Manual for the design of bamboo structures to ISO 22156:2021
This Manual provides much needed design guidance for the structural use of bamboo, to help this sustainable material be used in accordance with ISO 22156.
Date – 28 November 2025
Author – D Trujillo et al
Price – £34.95
Training
Bamboo sturcture with an arched roof.

Current practices and future of structural use of bamboo

Current practices and future of structural use of bamboo
This technical lecture explored the current state-of-the-art in the structural use of bamboo around the world, including codes, guides and barriers, and where the sector may be heading.
Date – 24 September 2025
Author – Sebastian Kaminski & David Trujillo
Price – Free
The Structural Engineer
A view of a road bridge over the M6 motorway

Modular FRP-steel bridges for the UK road network

Modular FRP-steel bridges for the UK road network
This article introduces the design package for a modular FRP-steel hybrid road bridge, including the lessons learned from previous FRP bridges and how they underpinned the project requirements.
Date – 3 September 2025
Author – Matthew Poulton and Wendel Sebastian
Price – £9.95

Featured events and resources

Guidance

Essential Knowledge Text No.8 New structural materials

Essential Knowledge Text No.8 New structural materials

This text presents a range of emerging materials, both natural and man-made which, in the right circumstances, can offer significant advantages over traditional materials.

Date – 1 October 2018
Author – M. Evernden
Price – £0/£24.95/£38.95