About

Dr. Ebenezer Fanijo is an Assistant Professor in the School of Building Construction at Georgia Tech, having joined the department in Spring 2023. He is a licensed Professional Engineer (P.E.) and a BBISS Fellow, with a distinguished record of leading and contributing to multiple funded research projects. Dr. Fanijo has received several national and international awards for research excellence, including the prestigious NSBE Golden Torch Award. His multidisciplinary research spans cementitious and concrete composites, concrete durability, green concrete technologies using recycled and by-product materials, geopolymer concrete, 3D-printed cementitious systems, highway pavements, advanced sensing technologies, and non-destructive evaluation. His work integrates advanced characterization technologies, computational modeling, and machine learning to evaluate material reactivity, durability, and performance, with the goal of advancing low-carbon infrastructure materials across their full life cycle. Dr. Fanijo's teaching focuses on construction materials, building systems, and sustainable construction technologies at both undergraduate and graduate levels.

Research topics

• Materials science
• Composite material
• Computer Science
• Engineering
• Pulp and paper industry
• Geology
• Metallurgy
• Environmental science
• Forensic engineering

Selected publications

• Effect of Oil Palm Broom Fiber on the Mechanical Properties of Rice Husk Ash–Blended Concrete

  Recent Progress in Materials · 2025-09-04 · 1 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  The high carbon footprint of cement production and the cost and environmental impact of steel reinforcement make conventional concrete unsustainable for long-term use. Reducing cement consumption and identifying sustainable, cost-effective alternatives to steel are critical for lowering construction’s ecological and economic burden. Bio-based supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), such as rice husk ash (RHA), and natural plant fibers show promise, but prior studies have mostly tested them separately or with varying combinations, leaving the specific effect of fiber dosage at fixed SCM levels remain unclear. Therefore, this study addresses this gap by systematically investigating the effect of oil palm broom fiber (OPBF) content (0–5% by weight, in 0.5% increments) on the fresh and hardened properties of concrete containing a fixed 10% RHA replacement of cement. The physical, fresh and mechanical properties of OPBF were evaluated, and statistical analyses (ANOVA, Tukey’s HSD) were conducted to identify significant performance differences and determine the optimal fiber content. Experimental results indicate that increasing OPBF content reduced workability by up to 62.5% observed at 5% OPBF, while compressive and flexural strengths peaked at 2.5% (27.8 MPa) and 3.0% OPBF (5.8 MPa), respectively. The results go beyond previous efforts by providing the first systematic dataset on OPBF reinforced RHA–blended concrete performance, establishing optimum fiber dosages, and demonstrating the potential of agricultural residues to produce sustainable, performance-optimized concrete for low-load-bearing applications.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Measuring mineralized carbon in carbonate minerals and cementitious materials by an acid digestion-titration method

  Cement and Concrete Research · 2025-02-13 · 4 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

• International roughness index prediction based on research institute of highway ministry of transport track data using multiple relation graphs and temporal graph attention network

  Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence · 2025-11-25

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Transportation Infrastructure Health Monitoring

  Civil engineering. · 2025-10-03

  book-chapterOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Civil infrastructure, commonly referred to as the built environment, comprises essential systems such as buildings, roads, bridges, and dams that support societal governance, commerce, and economic development. However, these structures begin to deteriorate shortly after construction. In the United States, over 42% of bridge structures constructed post-1940 have been classified as structurally deficient, underscoring the urgent need for robust monitoring and maintenance systems. According to the recent ASCE Report Card, much of the U.S. infrastructure has exceeded its intended service life, requiring immediate attention in terms of rehabilitation, sustainability, and preservation to ensure public safety and functionality. Traditional methods such as visual inspections and non-destructive evaluation have served as the primary means of infrastructure assessment but often fail to detect critical subsurface or localized damage. This chapter provides a comprehensive review of the current state of civil infrastructure in the U.S. and selected developing regions, highlighting advancements in structural health monitoring systems. Emphasis is placed on the application and implementation of sensor-based instrumentation, including fiber optics, for real-time data collection, damage detection, and predictive analytics through data mining techniques. The chapter also explores future directions for enhancing infrastructure diagnostics and long-term performance monitoring.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• A sustainable future: Leveraging IPD and BIM for green construction success

  Clean Technologies and Recycling · 2025-01-01

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  In response to growing environmental concerns in the construction industry, we investigated how Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) and Building Information Modeling (BIM) jointly support the implementation of sustainable construction practices. Using a comparative case study approach, we examined two high-performance projects: Kendeda Building (Living Building Challenge-certified) and Science Square (LEED-certified) to assess how general contractors integrate IPD and BIM in decision-making related to energy use, material optimization, life-cycle assessment, and project coordination. Qualitative data were collected through site visits, observations, and interviews with contractors, while quantitative performance metrics, including cost, schedule, and energy efficiency, were analyzed using a cross-case matrix. Our results showed that IPD–BIM workflows consistently outperformed traditional delivery models, with the studied projects using 55–75% less operational energy, completing 12% faster, and finishing approximately 6% under budget while reducing punch-list items by 25%. These outcomes stem from early-stage collaboration, model-based coordination, and shared accountability embedded in the IPD–BIM process. Here, we present a novel decision-making framework and performance matrix that highlights the tangible benefits and remaining barriers to broader IPD adoption, particularly the need for early trust-building and multiparty contract structures. The findings offer actionable insights for industry professionals seeking to advance sustainable construction through integrated, technology-driven methods.

  PublisherDOI

• Durability and Multi-Criteria Sustainability Assessment of Low-Carbon Cementitious Composites

  SSRN Electronic Journal · 2025-01-01

  preprintOpen access
  PublisherDOI

• Transitioning from Lab-Based to AI-Assisted Balanced Mix Design: Comprehensive Overview of Research, Development, and Future Perspectives

  Transportation Research Record Journal of the Transportation Research Board · 2025-05-21 · 2 citations

  article

  Many states have made enormous research efforts to explore the feasibility of integrating balanced mix design (BMD) within their asphalt pavement programs. However, these research conclusions drawn from limited laboratory and field data may not be applicable to typical mixtures across other projects and states. Big data analytics, along with artificial intelligence (AI), is a widely accepted method to address the issue. This paper first did a literature review on the main research topics related to BMD and identified their deficiencies from a data adequacy perspective. Next, the research efforts in AI’s application on asphalt mixture performance and pavement condition prediction, and mix design optimization were reviewed. The successful uses of AI in asphalt mixture show great potential in overcoming shortcomings of lab-based BMD. Consequently, this study proposes an integrated AI-based big data analytics (AI-assisted) BMD framework and outlines future work to achieve this framework. The proposed future work includes establishing a comprehensive database, determining performance thresholds using big data analytics, developing an optimization-based BMD procedure with AI-based predictive pavement performance models, and determining quality control (QC)/quality assurance (QA) specifications using machine learning associated with probabilistic models. The framework not only determines mixture composition with balanced performance but also achieves time and economic savings and environmental effects during laboratory BMD and pavement construction.

  PublisherDOI

• Calcium Carbide Residue as a Supplementary Precursor is Geopolymer Binders

  Frontiers in Materials · 2025-11-27 · 1 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  With the declining availability of conventional supplementary cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag, there is an urgent need to identify alternative aluminosilicate sources for geopolymer synthesis. Calcium carbide residue (CCR), a high-calcium industrial by-product from acetylene production, has shown potential as a sustainable precursor, yet its role in slag-based geopolymer systems remains insufficiently explored. The aim of this work is to evaluate the chemical reactivity, mechanical performance, and microstructural characteristics of slag-based geopolymers incorporating CCR, with and without metakaolin (MK). Mechanical properties were assessed through setting-time measurements and compressive strength testing, while microstructural evolution was examined using standard microstructural and thermal characterization techniques such as XRD, FTIR, TGA and SEM. The incorporation of CCR in the geopolymer mixes influenced setting behavior and strength development over time, with lower CCR content delaying setting by about 13%, while higher dosage or ternary blends with MK accelerated setting behaviour by up to 10% due to synergistic reactivity. Compressive strength results confirmed that the binary mix with lower CCR dosage and the ternary blends containing MK achieved strengths comparable to the control mix, with the ternary blends reaching approximately 96%–99% of the control strength. This highlights their potential as alternative precursors without compromising mechanical performance. Microstructural analyses revealed that CCR alters the gel morphology and phase composition, resulting in a hybrid C–A–S–H and N–A–S–H gel system with a refined pore structure and potentially denser microstructure Furthermore, the ternary combination of slag, CCR, and MK enhances the Si/Al and Ca/Si ratios, facilitating improved polycondensation and the development of a more cohesive and interconnected gel matrix. These findings demonstrate the potential of CCR as a viable precursor in geopolymer systems, contributing to improved structural performance and sustainability by diverting an industrial waste from landfills and reducing reliance on conventional precursors such as slag.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Measuring Mineralized Carbon in Carbonate Minerals and Cementitious Materials by an Acid Digestion-Titration Method

  SSRN Electronic Journal · 2024-01-01

  preprintOpen access
  PublisherDOI

• A Comparative Analysis of Leed and Green Globes: A Case Study Approach to Environmental Performance Assessment of an Educational Campus Facility

  Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction · 2024-07-01 · 1 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  The construction industry faces significant challenges in reducing energy consumption and achieving sustainability goals.Green building rating systems (GBRS) have been created to assess and confirm the effectiveness of sustainable construction practices.As buildings strive to reduce energy consumption, a holistic approach to building design, construction, and operation is necessary.The study aims to explore sustainable construction practices and their sustainability in high-performance green buildings (HPGB).The Georgia Tech Life Science Building (GTLSB), designed to serve the life science community in Metro Atlanta, is the chosen case study.Our research will involve (1) examining guidelines and standards for a sustainable building, (2) understanding the use of sustainable criteria, and (3) demonstrating technical expertise.Initially, we conducted a literature review of the current state of the GBRS and analyzed project information as a case study.Our analysis showcases an in-depth understanding of the technologies, methods, and resources required to produce and operate an HPGB.Our findings contribute to the knowledge of sustainable building and provide insights into the utilization of GBRS, focusing on two widely adopted systems, LEED and Green Globes (GG).The study's findings will help promote sustainable construction practices for professionals, policymakers, educators, and researchers and help achieve a more sustainable built environment.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Alexander S. Brand

  11 shared

• Joseph G. Thomas

  6 shared

• Yizheng Zhu

  6 shared

• John Temitope Kolawole

  6 shared

• Adewumi John Babafemi

  Stellenbosch University

  5 shared

• Javier Esquivel Guerrero

  Ford Motor Company (United States)

  4 shared

• Emad Kassem

  University of Idaho

  4 shared

• Michael Lowry

  4 shared

Awards & honors

• NSBE Golden Torch Award