Civil engineering students at the University of Birmingham have built a five-metre-tall scale model of the campus’s Old Joe clock tower.
The Big Brum Build project saw 15 students spend five days constructing the structure from scratch in the University’s National Buried Infrastructure Facility (NBIF) during Welcome Week.
The model recreates Old Joe using a large-scale stainless-steel system with a brick-slip façade – thin sections of brick attached to an underlying panel – designed to mirror real-life construction practice. The modular system allows the tower to be dismantled, stored and reused by future student teams.
Academic staff at the University worked with engineers from AtkinsRéalis, including Birmingham graduates, to design the model. The initiative was made possible through the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng) Visiting Professor scheme, which has established a partnership between the University and AtkinsRéalis.
Professor Asaad Faramarzi, head of the department of civil engineering, said: “We see the Big Brum Build as the launch of an exciting opportunity that can grow in future years and become a distinctive part of the University’s Civil Engineering student experience.
“The project represents a new way of using NBIF – bringing students into a facility internationally recognised for its research capabilities and using it as an environment for educating and training the next generation of engineers.”
Dr Matt Peck, director of innovation at AtkinsRéalis and RAEng visiting professor in the department of civil engineering, sponsored the project. He said: “This project is a fantastic example of the type of multi-disciplinary working that modern civil engineering calls for.
“It will give the students valuable experience that will both inform their studies and better prepare them for when they come into the workplace. The University should be proud of its students. Their approach to this whole task has been impressive especially given the limited time allowed for the project to be completed.”
Dr Mehran Eskandari-Torbaghan, who is hosting the RAEng visiting professor, said: “Giving our Civil Engineering students the opportunity to apply their learning through hands-on, real-world activities is an important part of developing their technical confidence, teamwork, problem-solving skills and employability.”
Civil engineering student Aisha Ganimusa said: “It was a unique and eye-opening opportunity that gave us first-hand insight into the realities of working on site. We developed our time management and problem-solving skills while tackling challenges together, as well as learning about practical construction logistics we wouldn’t normally encounter until entering the industry. We’re grateful to the technician team and everyone else who supported us and took part throughout.”
The NBIF supports research, education and training in areas including buried infrastructure-ground interaction, soil stabilisation, geophysical sensing, pipeline detection, tunnelling and trenchless technologies.
The real Old Joe – the Joseph Chamberlain Memorial Clock Tower – stands at around 100 metres in Chancellor’s Court and is recognised as the tallest free-standing clock tower in the world. It was designed by architects Sir Aston Webb and E. Ingress Bell, modelled on the Torre del Mangia in Siena, Italy.
Read next: Ravenscraig commended in Green Apple Awards
Are you a building professional? Sign up for a FREE MEMBERSHIP to upload news stories, post job vacancies, and connect with colleagues on our secure social feed.
