Professor Nick Buenfeld specialises in the long-term performance of concrete structures.Working as a graduate engineer on the design of large structures, he was struck by the mismatch between Society's need for durable infra-structure and the lack of evidence that this could be achieved. He joined Imperial as an MSc student interested in discovering more, stayed for a PhD and has since been a Research Fellow, Lecturer, Reader and, since 2000, Professor of Concrete Structures.

Nick established and heads a multi-disciplinary group advancing understanding of deterioration processes to develop more effective methods of design, assessment and repair of concrete structures. Current interests include life prediction, wireless condition monitoring and novel approaches to high durability. Typical problems may involve inorganic chemistry, transport physics, corrosion science, microstructural characterisation, computer-based modelling and structural mechanics.The Group has excellent facilities ranging from labs for casting large structural elements and for simulating different exposure environments, down to field emission scanning electron and laser scanning confocal microscopes. Nick's research has been funded by UK Government, EU and various sectors of industry. He has held over 20 EPSRC research grants and has authored/co-authored over 150 publications in refereed journals and conference proceedings.

Nick has taught philosophy of design, design and analysis of structural concrete, materials selection and materials science. He has supervised, to successful completion, over 20 PhDs and 60 MSc research projects.

Nick undertakes consultancy assignments linked to his research interests.  High profile projects include acting as an expert witness for the Hong Kong Government in the Tsing Ma Bridge adjudication and arbitration, assessing the condition and remaining life of the concrete-lined Victoria Line tunnels in London and providing guidance to the designers or constructors of projects such as the New Los Angeles Cathedral, Beirut Sea Front Project, the Jubilee Line Extension, Tsing Lung Bridge and Belgium's high level radioactive waste disposal programme. Nick is currently advising on construction of the Great Man-Made River Project in Libya and specification of concrete for new nuclear power stations in the UK.