Projects per year
Personal profile
Research interests
Richard’s research interests are focused on microstructure/macrostructure property relationships of construction materials. He has worked on the setting reactions of cementitious binders, sensors, degradation processes, water transport mechanisms, polymeric and ceramic materials for 3D printing, conservation materials, photocatalytic coatings, and materials for improving the indoor air quality of buildings.
He was principal investigator on the research project ‘An overlooked heritage: revealing the fibrous plaster ceilings of the UK’, which was funded by the Leverhulme Trust. In addition, he was a co-investigator on the EPSRC research grants ‘Aerial Additive Building Manufacturing: Distributed Unmanned Aerial Systems for in-situ manufacturing of the built environment’, 'Resilient Materials for Life (RM4L)', and 'Healthy housing for the Displaced'. He was the principal investigator on the EPSRC grants ‘An Electrochemical Approach to Study Carbonation of Novel Lime Based Materials’ and ‘Experimentally verified atomistic modeling of lime in construction materials’. He has received funding from the Royal Academy of Engineering, the British Council, and the Royal Society.
He is President of the West of England Metals and Materials Association and a member of the Bristol Scientific Club.
Willing to supervise doctoral students
Richard is interested in supervising students studying the materials science of construction materials in areas such as:
- Fibrous plaster
- Lime and cementitious binders
- Nanomaterials
- Photocatalytic materials
- Sensors
- Indoor air quality
- Waste utilisation in construction
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Understanding failure mechanisms of fibrous plaster elements in historic ceilings via synchrotron XRD and CT
Lunt, A. (PI), Ansell, M. (CoI), Ball, R. (PI), Dams, B. (CoI), Harney, M. (CoI) & Srisuriyachot, J. (CoI)
4/10/23 → …
Project: Research-related funding
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Laboratory investigation of the effect of porous aggregates on the properties of lime mortars used at the Bennerley Viaduct mortar trials, as set out in Schedule 1.
Ball, R. (PI)
14/03/22 → 14/04/26
Project: Central government, health and local authorities
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Fibrous Plaster - Phase2
Ball, R. (PI)
1/12/19 → 31/12/28
Project: Central government, health and local authorities
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Moisture Movement Beneath Solid Ground Floors in Historic Buildings
Briggs, K. (PI) & Ball, R. (CoI)
1/11/16 → 1/10/26
Project: Central government, health and local authorities
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KTP with Alive Lab Ltd
Ball, R. (PI)
Innovate UK, Innovate UK Business Connect
20/03/24 → 19/07/24
Project: Central government, health and local authorities
Research output
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Environmental impact and sustainable development of pozzolanic concrete incorporating polypropylene fibers: A database study
Nwaokete, D., Ince, C., Derogar, S., Nicolaides, D. & Ball, R., 1 Apr 2025, In: Resources, Conservation and Recycling. 215, 21 p., 108142.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access1 Citation (SciVal) -
Evaluation of photocatalytic ZnO-geopolymer composites: degradation of methylene blue and α-pinene
Wilson, J., Ke, X., Maskell, D. & Ball, R. J., 30 Sept 2025, In: Cement and Concrete Composites. 162, 106125.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access -
Load Bearing Capacity and Failure Analysis of Fibrous Plaster Wads
Dams, B., Awang Ngah, S., Stewart, J., Harrison, R., Ansell, M. P., Harney, M. & Ball, R. J., 31 Jan 2025, In: Studies in Conservation. 70, 1, p. 67-87 21 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access1 Citation (SciVal) -
Material properties of new and historic fibrous plaster for building modelling
Dams, B., Kong, X., Ansell, M., Cascione, V., Harney, M., Ball, R. & Stewart, J., 20 Apr 2025, (Acceptance date) IEREK Conservation of Architectural Heritage (CAH) – 8th Edition's Proceedings.. International Experts for Research Enrichment and Knowledge Exchange (IEREK), Vol. 8.Research output: Chapter or section in a book/report/conference proceeding › Chapter in a published conference proceeding
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Mosaic Materials in an Art Deco Steel-framed Building
Morris, G. A., Briggs, K., Beare, M., Allen, G. & Ball, R. J., 31 Jan 2025, In: Studies in Conservation. 70, 1, p. 51-66 16 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access
Datasets
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Dataset for "Analysing experiences and issues in self-built shelters in Bangladesh using transdisciplinary approach"
Klansek, T. (Creator), Rota, F. (Creator), Coley, D. (Creator), Albadra, D. (Creator), Paszkiewicz, N. (Creator) & Ball, R. (Creator), University of Bath, 8 Oct 2020
DOI: 10.15125/BATH-00781
Dataset
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Dataset for daily weather data (2017-2020) measured in Caldicot, Wales
Briggs, K. (Creator), Ball, R. (Creator) & McCaig, I. (Creator), University of Bath, 21 Sept 2022
DOI: 10.15125/BATH-01101
Dataset
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Data relating to work concerning the development of a quaternary cementitious system for aerial additive manufacturing
Dams, B. (Creator), Ball, R. (Supervisor) & Shepherd, P. (Supervisor), University of Bath, 27 Nov 2023
DOI: 10.15125/BATH-00694
Dataset
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Data relating to the development of pseudoplastic mortars for aerial additive manufacturing
Dams, B. (Creator), Ball, R. (Supervisor) & Shepherd, P. (Supervisor), University of Bath, 23 Feb 2024
DOI: 10.15125/BATH-00693
Dataset
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Data set for Carbonation of Hydrous Materials at the Molecular Level: a ToF-SIMS, Raman and DFT Study
Grant, J. (Creator), Pesce, G. (Creator), Parker, S. (Creator), Molinari, M. (Creator) & Ball, R. (Creator), University of Bath, 2 Feb 2017
DOI: 10.15125/BATH-00240
Dataset
Thesis
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Failure Mechanisms in the Valve Regulated Lead/acid Battery
Ball, R. (Author), Stevens, R. (Supervisor), 22 Nov 2000Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis › PhD
File
Prizes
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Elsevier Atlas Award Winner, April 2018
Thorneycroft, J. (Recipient), Orr, J. (Recipient), Savoikar, P. (Recipient) & Ball, R. (Recipient), 1 Apr 2018
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Activities
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9th European Congress on 3D printing & additive manufacturing
Ball, R. (Keynote speaker), Dams, B. (Contributor) & Shepherd, P. (Contributor)
7 Oct 2024 → 8 Oct 2024Activity: Academic conferences and events (excluding conference publications) › Keynote presentation or prestigious invited talk
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INDO-KOREAN SPARC Symposium on Air Pollution and Health
Ball, R. (Invited speaker)
7 Mar 2025Activity: Academic conferences and events (excluding conference publications) › Keynote presentation or prestigious invited talk
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43rd Cement & Concrete Science Conference
Ball, R. (Participant)
9 Sept 2024 → 10 Sept 2024Activity: Academic conferences and events (excluding conference publications) › Conference presentation / attendance
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Lime based materials in construction
Ball, R. (Invited speaker)
26 Oct 2016Activity: Public, Community and School Engagement › Public talk, lecture, debate, seminar, workshop
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Historic England and University of Bath: Research Workshop
Ball, R. (Speaker), Morris, G. (Speaker), Dams, B. (Speaker), Kong, X. (Speaker), Ansell, M. (Contributor), Maskell, D. (Contributor) & Meijer, G. (Speaker)
2 Oct 2024Activity: Academic conferences and events (excluding conference publications) › Other academic event (organisation, presentation, attendance)