The development of carbon reinforced concrete as a viable industrial standard relies on the research and implementation strategies led by Manfred Curbach. Based at the Technical University of Dresden, his work focuses on high-strength composites that aim to fundamentally shift construction methods by replacing traditional steel-reinforced materials with high-performance fibres suitable for modern structural requirements.
Academic Foundation and Early Career
Born in Dortmund in 1956, Manfred Curbach completed his secondary education at the Albert-Einstein-Gymnasium in 1976. He pursued civil engineering at the Technical University of Dortmund and Princeton University. Early professional milestones included a role as a research assistant under Josef Eibl at the universities of Dortmund and Karlsruhe, where he earned his doctorate in 1987. He later transitioned into private practice, serving as a partner at the engineering firm Köhler + Seitz from 1994 to 2004, before establishing Curbach Bösche Ingenieurpartner in 2005.
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Curbach has spent his tenure at the Technical University of Dresden, where he has held a professorship at the Institute of Concrete Structures since 1994, advancing the application of textile and carbon reinforcements. His leadership of Collaborative Research Centre 528 and the C3 consortium has bridged the gap between academic theory and practical building application. In 2014, he co-founded CarboCon GmbH, a company dedicated to the design and calculation of structures utilizing carbon reinforced concrete.
Research and Structural Analysis
His investigative scope extends to the material behaviour of concrete under complex loading conditions, including multiaxial stress and high-speed dynamics. In 2020, he began serving as the spokesman for the Collaborative Research Center 280, a project focused on developing design strategies for material-minimized structures. Beyond material science, he has contributed to the field of structural history, fostering global engagement with the development of concrete construction techniques.
Professional Appointments and Recognitions
Curbach maintains significant roles within international engineering bodies. He holds memberships with the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina and the Saxon Academy of Sciences and Humanities. He also serves as chairman of the Federal Waterways Engineering and Research Institute advisory board. His contributions to the field have been acknowledged through the German Future Prize in 2016 and an honorary doctorate from the University of Kaiserslautern.
Fast facts
- Born: 1956, Dortmund, Germany
- Education: Technical University of Dortmund, Princeton University
- Current Primary Institution: TU Dresden
- Specialization: Textile and carbon reinforced concrete
- Notable Award: German Future Prize (2016)
- Professional Membership: German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina
- Key Business Founding: CarboCon GmbH (2014)
Questions readers ask
What is the focus of Manfred Curbach's research on carbon reinforced concrete?
His research focuses on replacing traditional steel reinforcements with high-performance carbon fibres to enable new construction strategies that optimize the material's specific structural performance.
What engineering roles does Manfred Curbach hold outside of academia?
He is a registered test engineer for structural analysis and a founding partner of the engineering firms Curbach Bösche Ingenieurpartner and CarboCon GmbH.
Achievements
- Affiliated with TU Dresden, TU Dresden and TU Dresden
- Educated at Princeton University and Technical University of Dortmund
- Worked as university teacher and civil engineer
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