Overview
Background
Dr Joe Gattas is as an Associate Professor at the University of Queensland's School of Civil Engineering, where he heads the Folded Structures research group. His research expertise spans various fields, including origami-inspired engineering, computational building design, advanced manufacturing, lightweight and modular structures, and timber engineering. In 2009, Joe obtained his Bachelor of Engineering from the University of Queensland, and in 2013, he completed his Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Oxford, funded by a prestigious John Monash Scholarship. He remains an active participant in the John Monash Scholar community.
From 2016 to 2021, Joe led the Manufacture and Digital Design project stream within the ARC Future Timber Hub. This initiative aimed to support the development of tall timber buildings in the Pacific region. Upon its successful completion, timber industry partners backed the establishment of a new ARC Advance Timber Hub (2022-), designed to accelerate innovation and the adoption of timber in Australian buildings. Joe currently serves as Co-Lead for two research nodes within the new Hub: 1) Manufacturing Innovation, which encompasses projects focusing on the digital design and fabrication of innovative structures and systems; and 2) Value Chain Innovation, which covers projects dedicated to enhancing resource utilization throughout the forest-to-building timber value chain.
Availability
- Associate Professor Joe Gattas is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Engineering, The University of Queensland
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Oxford
Research interests
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Origami-Inspired Engineering
folded structures; deployable structures; origami and kirigami geometry
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Computational Building Design
parametric geometry; design automation; digital workflows; 3D scanning
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Advanced Manufacturing
digital fabrication; robotic construction; hybrid materials; design for manufacture and assembly (DfMA)
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Structural Engineering
low-cost housing; modular structures; timber structures; timber joints
Works
Search Professor Joe Gattas’s works on UQ eSpace
2025
Conference Publication
Design and fabrication of self-shaping steel curved surfaces with lamina emergent torsion arrays
Bahremandi-Tolou, Mahnaz, Gattas, Joseph M. and Luo, Dan (2025). Design and fabrication of self-shaping steel curved surfaces with lamina emergent torsion arrays. 30th International Conference of the Association for Computer-Aided Architectural Design Research in Asia (CAADRIA) 2025, Tokyo, Japan, 22-29 March 2025. Hong Kong, China: Association for Computer-Aided Architectural Design Research in Asia (CAADRIA).
2025
Journal Article
Timber-Cardboard Web-Core Sandwich panels for lightweight housing applications
Abu-Saleem, Mahmoud and Gattas, Joseph M. (2025). Timber-Cardboard Web-Core Sandwich panels for lightweight housing applications. Structures, 73 108315, 108315. doi: 10.1016/j.istruc.2025.108315
2025
Journal Article
Automated large-scale additive manufacturing of structural formwork with rapid fibre-reinforced polymer tape lamination
Xin, Zhuo-Yang, Zhu, Guan-Qi, Gattas, Joseph M. and Luo, Dan (2025). Automated large-scale additive manufacturing of structural formwork with rapid fibre-reinforced polymer tape lamination. Automation in Construction, 171 105978, 1-15. doi: 10.1016/j.autcon.2025.105978
2024
Journal Article
Board assignment heuristics for nail laminated out-of-grade timber
Gattas, Joseph M., Reid, Caitlin, Dakin, Tony, Shanks, Jon and McGavin, Robert L. (2024). Board assignment heuristics for nail laminated out-of-grade timber. Australian Journal of Civil Engineering, 1-14. doi: 10.1080/14488353.2024.2403049
2024
Journal Article
Self-locking and stiffening deployable tubular structures
Lee, Ting-Uei, Lu, Hongjia, Ma, Jiaming, Ha, Ngoc San, Gattas, Joseph M. and Xie, Yi Min (2024). Self-locking and stiffening deployable tubular structures. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 121 (40) e2409062121, e2409062121. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2409062121
2024
Journal Article
Eccentric compression behaviour of hybrid timber-cardboard sandwich columns
Abu-Saleem, Mahmoud and Gattas, Joseph M. (2024). Eccentric compression behaviour of hybrid timber-cardboard sandwich columns. Construction and Building Materials, 440 137365, 1-16. doi: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2024.137365
2024
Journal Article
Experimental assessment of modal properties of hybrid CFRP-timber panels
Bravo, Tomas P., Gattas, Joseph M., Bravo, Felipe, Astroza, Rodrigo and Maluk, Cristian (2024). Experimental assessment of modal properties of hybrid CFRP-timber panels. Construction and Building Materials, 438 137075. doi: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2024.137075
2024
Journal Article
A novel framework for set-based steel connection design automation
Wang, Yuyu, Bottazzi, Vitor Santos and Gattas, Joseph Michael (2024). A novel framework for set-based steel connection design automation. Computers and Structures, 298 107366, 1-12. doi: 10.1016/j.compstruc.2024.107366
2024
Journal Article
Manufacture and structural performance of modular hybrid FRP–timber thin-walled beams
Cui, Weiqi, Gattas, Joseph M. and Heitzmann, Michael T. (2024). Manufacture and structural performance of modular hybrid FRP–timber thin-walled beams. Construction and Building Materials, 435 136705, 1-17. doi: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2024.136705
2024
Journal Article
Curved surface form-finding with self-shaping perforated plates
Bahremandi-Tolou, Mahnaz, Wang, Chenhao, Gattas, Joseph M. and Luo, Dan (2024). Curved surface form-finding with self-shaping perforated plates. Architectural Intelligence, 3 (1) 17. doi: 10.1007/s44223-024-00059-y
2024
Journal Article
Fabrication and structural characterisation of hybrid timber-cardboard sandwich beams
Abu-Saleem, Mahmoud and Gattas, Joseph M. (2024). Fabrication and structural characterisation of hybrid timber-cardboard sandwich beams. Engineering Structures, 305 117678, 1-14. doi: 10.1016/j.engstruct.2024.117678
2023
Other Outputs
Purpose built: Forest to fibre to building
Baber, Kim, Barton, Aaron, Burry, Jane R., Chen, Canhui, Gattas, Joseph M., Koch, Christoph and Ren, Hengyi (2023). Purpose built: Forest to fibre to building.
2023
Conference Publication
Inventory-Constrained Design of a Variable Small Diameter Round Timber Structure
Baber, Kim R., Barton, Aaron, Burry, Jane R., Chen, Canhui, Gattas, Joseph M., Koch, Christoph and Ren, Hengyi (2023). Inventory-Constrained Design of a Variable Small Diameter Round Timber Structure. IASS Annual Symposium 2023, Melbourne, VIC Australia, 10-14 July 2023.
2023
Journal Article
A parametric design framework for timber framing span tables
Jiang, Jian, Ottenhaus, Lisa-Mareike and Gattas, Joseph M. (2023). A parametric design framework for timber framing span tables. Australian Journal of Civil Engineering, 23 (1), 63-78. doi: 10.1080/14488353.2023.2227432
2023
Other Outputs
Timber wall frame span table datasets
Jiang, Jian, Gattas, Joe and Ottenhaus, Lisa (2023). Timber wall frame span table datasets. The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/64163b4
2023
Conference Publication
Scaling study on viscous damping for Glulam and hybrid Glulam-FRP beams
Bravo Tetlak, Tomas, Gattas, Joseph M. and Maluk, Cristian (2023). Scaling study on viscous damping for Glulam and hybrid Glulam-FRP beams. 13th World Conference on Timber Engineering: Timber for a Livable Future, WCTE 2023, Oslo, Norway, 19-22 June 2023. As, Norway: World Conference on Timber Engineering. doi: 10.52202/069179-0007
2023
Journal Article
Impact of a voluntary extracurricular research program on engineering students' sense of belonging: an exploratory case study
Murzi, Homero, Torero, Jose, Sevilla, Kevin and Gattas, Joe (2023). Impact of a voluntary extracurricular research program on engineering students' sense of belonging: an exploratory case study. International Journal of Engineering Education, 39 (3), 703-718.
2023
Journal Article
Experimental study on the effects of scale on the static and dynamic behaviour of Glulam and hybrid-Glulam beams
Bravo Tetlak, Tomas, Gattas, Joseph M. and Maluk, Cristian (2023). Experimental study on the effects of scale on the static and dynamic behaviour of Glulam and hybrid-Glulam beams. Construction and Building Materials, 369 130563, 1-16. doi: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2023.130563
2022
Journal Article
Bending-active kirigami
Lee, Ting-Uei, Gattas, Joseph M. and Xie, Yi Min (2022). Bending-active kirigami. International Journal of Solids and Structures, 254-255 111864, 1-12. doi: 10.1016/j.ijsolstr.2022.111864
2022
Journal Article
Geometric and semantic point cloud data for quality control of bridge girder reinforcement cages
Hodge, Gabrielle and Gattas, Joseph M. (2022). Geometric and semantic point cloud data for quality control of bridge girder reinforcement cages. Automation in Construction, 140 104334, 104334. doi: 10.1016/j.autcon.2022.104334
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Associate Professor Joe Gattas is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Structural performance of cardboard folded sandwich structures for ultra-low-cost emergency shelters
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Chien Ming Wang
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Doctor Philosophy
Novel Database Management, Verification, and Cost Optimisation Tools for Parametric Steel Connection Design
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Dorival Pedroso
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Doctor Philosophy
An Integrated Approach to Design and Construction of Waste Wood
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Dan Luo
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Doctor Philosophy
Improving the quality, robustness and completeness of bridge asset records with LiDAR data integration
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Rebecca Gravina
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Doctor Philosophy
Retrofitting damaged bridge components with hybrid FRP composites to promote re-use and sustainability
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Rebecca Gravina
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Doctor Philosophy
Developing environmentally responsive facades by self-assembly timber modules
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Dan Luo
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Master Philosophy
Adding value to underutilized small-diameter plantation grown trees in Laos
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Michael Heitzmann
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Doctor Philosophy
Robotic FRP fabrication for large scale customizable structure
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Michael Heitzmann, Dr Dan Luo
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Doctor Philosophy
Architecture in reconfiguration with computing: Prefabricated timber discrete building components
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Fred Fialho Leandro Alves Teixeira
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Doctor Philosophy
Investigation of engineered recycled hardwood and natural fibre composite products
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Lisa Ottenhaus
Completed supervision
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2025
Doctor Philosophy
Downscale testing methods for characterising dynamic and static structural behaviours of mass timber and hybrid timber floor systems
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Cristian Maluk
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2024
Master Philosophy
Optimisation of timber selection in low-rise residential building wall frame construction
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Lisa Ottenhaus
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2022
Doctor Philosophy
Mouldless Manufacture and Performance of Hybrid FRP-Timber Thin-Walled Structures
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Michael Heitzmann
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2021
Master Philosophy
Tension strap assembly methods for lightweight and high-speed timber construction
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Mr Kim Baber
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2021
Doctor Philosophy
Mechanics of digitally-fabricated hinges for folded steel structures
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Sritawat Kitipornchai
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
Structural performance and digital fabrication of low-cost folded sandwich structures
Principal Advisor
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
Hybrid Glulam-FRP Beam with Improved Fire Performance
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Cristian Maluk
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
Fire analysis of load-bearing bamboo structures
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Cristian Maluk
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
Behaviour of Hybrid FRP-Timber Thin-walled Cee section Columns: an Experimental and Numerical Investigation
Associate Advisor
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
Hybrid Timber-Concrete Floor Panel Systems with a Novel Hollow Core Construction
Associate Advisor
Media
Enquiries
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