Professor Elizabeth Laycock BEng, MEd, HNC, PhD, FGSL, FHEA
Module Leader for Research Methods and Undergraduate Dissertation Module
Summary
I began lecturing at Sheffield Hallam as an associate lecturer in the second semester of 1995 and joined the full time lecturing staff in September 1996. I am Module Leader for Research Methods and the Undergraduate Dissertation Module and deliver on Materials and Conservation modules. These modules are delivered to Building Surveying, Quantity Surveying and Construction Project Management students. In addition I have a small input the Geography and Environment courses.
About
I am a Professor in Stone Conservation as well as Module Leader for the Research Methods and Dissertation Modules delivered to the Construction Project Management, Building Surveying and Quantity Surveying Courses at levels 5 and 6 respectively. In addition I deliver lectures and tutorials on the modules Conservation Studies, Materials; and Science of Materials and am occasionally allowed to enthuse to the Geography students on geology or geomorphology.
My core research interests are in frost degradation of materials and conservation of deteriorating geomaterials. Recent external contract work has focussed on the feasibility of production of stone roofing slates and proprietary frost testing of historic masonry for reuse as engineering fill.
I have extensive experience in presentation of material both verbally, graphically and in the written form to academic audiences.
I represent the UK on the European Standard CEN technical committee on the evaluation of methods and products for conservation works.
Teaching
I deliver parts of the Undergraduate modules in Materials, Conservation, Research Methods and Dissertation Modules with my colleagues.
I am the module leader for the Undergraduate Dissertation and the Research Methods modules which sits well with my enthusiasm with these areas. I find it extremely rewarding to see the huge academic leaps which are made my our students between first and final years and believe strongly that the Dissertation represents for many the best piece of academic work they will ever produce.
Publications
Key Publications
Laycock, E., Pirrie, D., Clegg, F., Bell, A., & Bidwell, P. (2018). An investigation to establish the source of the Roman lime mortars used in Wallsend, UK. Construction & Building Materials, 196, 611-625. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2018.11.108
Laycock, E., Jefferson, D., Hetherington, S., Clegg, F., & Wood, C. (2017). Revitalising Collyweston limestone slate production by artificial freeze/thaw splitting. Construction and Building Materials, 159, 486-498. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2017.10.039
Ellis, S., Goodwin, A., Laycock, E., & Hirst, C. (2016). Use of crushed brick in reinforced earth railway structures. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers. Construction Materials, 169 (2), 93-105. http://doi.org/10.1680/coma.15.00014
Laycock, E., & Wood, C. (2014). Understanding and controlling the ingress of driven rain through exposed, solid wall masonry structures. Geological Society special publication, 391, 175-191. http://doi.org/10.1144/SP391.1
Chidiroglou, I., Goodwin, A.K., Laycock, E., & O'Flaherty, F. (2008). Physical properties of demolition waste material. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Construction Materials, 161 (3), 97-103. http://doi.org/10.1680/coma.2008.161.3.97
Laycock, E.A., Spence, K., Jefferson, D.P., Hetherington, S., Martin, B., & Wood, C. (2008). Testing the durability of limestone for Cathedral façade restoration. Environmental Geology, 56 (3-4), 521-528. http://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-008-1333-x
Laycock, E. (2002). Ten years of frost testing at Sheffield Hallam University. Construction and Building Materials, 16 (4), 195-205. http://doi.org/10.1016/S0950-0618(02)00006-5
Laycock, E., & Yates, T. (2000). Observed differences in freeze-thaw performance generated in different brick/mortar combinations. Masonry International, 14 (2).
Taylor-Firth, A., & Laycock, E. (1999). Weathering simulation for durability assessment of the in-service performance of construction materials. Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology, 32 (3), 291-302.
Taylor-Firth, A., & Laycock, E. (1998). Parameters to be Considered in the Assessment of the Durability of Construction Materials. Masonry International, 12 (1), 5-9.
Laycock, E., Howarth, T., & Watson, P. (n.d.). The Journey to Dissertation Success. Routledge. http://doi.org/10.4324/9781315733562
Journal articles
Laycock, E., David, J., & Hetherington, S. (2020). The Palace of Westminster Courtyards Project: Sourcing Stone for Repair and Conservation. XV International Conference on Durability of Building Materials and Components, 1649-1656. https://congress.cimne.com/dbmc2020/frontal/Doc/EbookDBMC2020.pdf
Hetherington, S., & Laycock, E. (2020). A Comparative study into the performance of hot mixed and lime putty mortars with additions of metakaolin and brick dust pozzolans. Journal of Building Survey, Appraisal and Valuation, 8 (4), 309-325. https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/hsp/jbsav/2020/00000008/00000004/art00004
Blakey, S.J., & Laycock, E. (2019). A laboratory study of the use of lime stabilisation on contaminated and uncontaminated clays. Built Environment Research Transactions, 10 (1), 4-27. https://studentjournals.shu.ac.uk/index.php/BERT/issue/view/40/23
Fenn, H.R.W., & Laycock, E. (2017). A socio-economic investigation of pre-harvest and post-harvest crop loss between producers and retailers in Fenland. Sheffield Hallam University Natural Environment Research Transactions, 3 (1), 38-55. https://research.shu.ac.uk/ds/nert/
Carter, B., & Laycock, E. (2016). Managing the unknown : a plan to manage workload fluctuations and operating resources in a professional practice. Sheffield Hallam University Built Environment Research Transactions, 8 (1), 56-71. https://research.shu.ac.uk/ds/bert/
Laycock, E. (2015). A study into recruitment and selection for the built environment disciplines. Sheffield Hallam University Built Environment Research Transactions, 7 (1), 46-71. https://research.shu.ac.uk/ds/bert/
Brough, R., & Laycock, E. (2009). An investigation into the non-uniform decay of Hardwick Stone. Sheffield Hallam University Built Environment Research Transactions, 1 (1), 37-54. http://research.shu.ac.uk/ds/bert/
Laycock, E.A., Spence, K., Jefferson, D.P., Hetherington, S., Martin, B., & Woods, C. (2008). Testing the durability of limestone for cathedral façade restoration. Environmental Geology, 56 (3-4), 521-528. http://link.springer.com/journal/254
Chidiroglou, I., Goodwin, A., Laycock, L., & O'Flaherty, F. (2008). Physical properties of demolition waste material. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineering Journal Construction Materials, (CM3), 97-103. http://doi.org/10.1680/coma.2008.161.1.3.97
Picalli, J., & Laycock, E. (2001). Limestone mortars as a problem for sandstone. Journal of Architectural Conservation, 7 (3), 24-31.
Laycock, E.A., & Yates, T. (2001). Validation of a proposed test for sulphate attack of mortars. Masonry International, 14 (3).
Conference papers
Laycock, E., Jefferson, D., & Hetherington, S. (2020). The Palace of Westminster Courtyards Project: Sourcing stone for repair and conservation. In Serrat, C., Casas, J.R., & Gibert, V. (Eds.) The Palace of Westminster Courtyards Project: Sourcing Stone for Repair and Conservation, (pp. 1649-1656). CIMNE: https://congress.cimne.com/dbmc2020/frontal/Doc/EbookDBMC2020.pdf
Chidiroglou, I., Goodwin, A.K., Laycock, E.A., & Mangat, P.S. (2004). Shear behaviour of crushed concrete and bricks. Proceedings of the International Conference on Sustainable Waste Management and Recycling: Construction Demolition Waste, 205-212.
Theses / Dissertations
Chidiroglou, I. (2007). Characterisation and behaviour of recycled concrete and bricks as engineered fill. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Mangat, P., Laycock, E., & O'Flaherty, F.
Zhao, B. (2007). Bounding recycled aggregate pavement mixtures using hydraulic binders and cold bitumen emulsion. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Ellis, C., Khatib, J., & Laycock, E.
Seaton, A.M. (2004). Bond strength performance characteristics of brick-mortar interfaces. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Taylor-Firth, A., Laycock, E., & Khatib, J.
Other activities
Recently undertaken
- a feasibility study on the frost resistance of brick to be used as a recycled aggregate in engineering fill
- specification of plant for the production of stone roofing material for heritage conservation
I am a reviewer for 'Civil Engineering and Architecture', an international peer-reviewed journal.
I am also editor in chief of the Sheffield Hallam University Built Environment Research Transactions – an open-access journal publishing student research work.