Soutenance de Thèse de Doctorat en “Civil engineering” par Mr. Nadir RIHANI

The Euromed University of Fes (UEMF) is pleased to announce the public defense of a doctoral thesis in Civil Engineering.

The thesis defense will take place on Thursday, January 15, 2026, at 10:00 AM at UEMF.
Location: Main Hall of the Incubator (LOC001994)

The thesis will be presented by Mr. Nadir RIHANI.

on the topic:
“Study and Design of Biomimetic Microarchitectural Structures for 3D Concrete Printing (3DCP)”

Abstract:

The construction industry faces a dual challenge: the urgent need for greater material efficiency and the emergence of disruptive digital fabrication technologies, such as 3D Concrete Printing (3DCP). This thesis addresses this challenge by proposing a new design paradigm that synergizes biomimetic principles with additive manufacturing to create a new family of ultralight microarchitectural structures. The research establishes a comprehensive, multi-scale methodology for the design, characterization, and optimization of a Biomimetic Microarchitectural Dome (MAD).

The workflow begins with the mathematical generation of the MAD, using a bottom-up approach based on a tetrapod unit cell that is duplicated and transformed through a series of parametric mappings to form a spherical lattice, optimized to match the surface-to-volume ratio of Schoen's minimal gyroid. A deep mechanical characterization using Finite Element Analysis reveals the structure's fundamental behavior, dominated by bending, through equivalent stiffness matrices and strain energy decomposition, and establishes crucial scaling laws for stress and displacement. Simultaneously, extensive experimental research is being conducted on a sustainable, locally sourced material—Benjellik marl clay—determining its rheological properties for printability and its mechanical evolution from fresh to dry state.

The synthesis of these digital and physical findings enables the creation of a generalized pre-design methodology using dimensionless scaling factors. This approach is used for a full verification of the structure according to Eurocode standards, demonstrating its structural viability under regulatory load combinations. The validation of Ultimate and Serviceability Limit States confirms the potential for real-world application of the concept.

This thesis provides a validated proof of concept, presenting not only a structural design but a complete and reproducible methodology for creating efficient architectural forms. It demonstrates that the integration of biomimetics, digital design, mechanics, and sustainable material use paves the way for a new generation of resource-efficient, structurally optimized, and architecturally expressive constructions.

Keywords: Biomimetics, Microarchitectural materials, Additive manufacturing, 3D Concrete Printing, Structural optimization, Domes, Finite Element Analysis, Sustainable construction.

This thesis will be presented before the jury members:

Full Name	Academic Rank	Institution	Role
Prof. SAFOUANE Abdellatif	Full Professor	UEMF	Jury President
Prof. CHAOUNI Abdelali	Full Professor	USMBA – FST	Reviewer
Prof. ABOUSSALEH Mohamed	Full Professor	ENSAM – Meknes	Reviewer
Prof. ZAGOUR Mohamed	Associate Professor	UEMF	Reviewer
Prof. EL HARROUNI Khalid	Full Professor	ENA – Rabat	Examining Member
Prof. AALIL Issam	Associate Professor	ENSAM – Meknes	Examining Member
Prof. BENMOUSSA Othmane	Associate Professor	UEMF	Thesis Director
Prof. EL JAI Mostapha	Associate Professor	UEMF	Thesis Co-Director
Prof. AKHRIF Iatimad	Associate Professor	UEMF	Thesis Co-Director