Associate Professor Joe Gattas
Associate Professor

Joe Gattas

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+61 7 334 63009

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

  • Origami-Inspired Engineering

    folded structures; deployable structures; origami and kirigami geometry

  • Computational Building Design

    parametric geometry; design automation; digital workflows; 3D scanning

  • Advanced Manufacturing

    digital fabrication; robotic construction; hybrid materials; design for manufacture and assembly (DfMA)

  • Structural Engineering

    low-cost housing; modular structures; timber structures; timber joints

Search Professor Joe Gattas’s works on UQ eSpace

92 works between 2013 and 2025
All (92) Journal Article (50) Conference Publication (34) Other Outputs (8)

21 - 40 of 92 works

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

Fabrication and structural characterisation of hybrid timber-cardboard sandwich beams

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.

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.

Inventory-Constrained Design of a Variable Small Diameter Round Timber Structure

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

A parametric design framework for timber framing span tables

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

Timber wall frame span table datasets

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

Scaling study on viscous damping for Glulam and hybrid Glulam-FRP beams

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.

Impact of a voluntary extracurricular research program on engineering students' sense of belonging: an exploratory case study

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

Experimental study on the effects of scale on the static and dynamic behaviour of Glulam and hybrid-Glulam beams

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

Bending-active kirigami

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

Geometric and semantic point cloud data for quality control of bridge girder reinforcement cages

2022

Journal Article

A novel tension strap connection for rapid assembly of temporary timber structures

Xin, Zhuo-Yang, Baber, Kim and Gattas, Joseph M. (2022). A novel tension strap connection for rapid assembly of temporary timber structures. Engineering Structures, 262 114320, 1-16. doi: 10.1016/j.engstruct.2022.114320

A novel tension strap connection for rapid assembly of temporary timber structures

2022

Other Outputs

Raw Data for the forth coming Strap Connection Paper

Xin, Zhuoyang and Gattas, Joe (2022). Raw Data for the forth coming Strap Connection Paper. The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/422a289

Raw Data for the forth coming Strap Connection Paper

2021

Journal Article

Structural behaviour of folded timber sandwich structures

Alqaryouti, Yousef, Fernando, Dilum and Gattas, Joseph M. (2021). Structural behaviour of folded timber sandwich structures. Thin-Walled Structures, 169 108345, 108345. doi: 10.1016/j.tws.2021.108345

Structural behaviour of folded timber sandwich structures

2021

Conference Publication

Finite element analysis and thick-panel clash behaviour of steel fold-lines

Shi, Quan and Gattas, Joseph M. (2021). Finite element analysis and thick-panel clash behaviour of steel fold-lines. ASME 2021 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference, Virtual, 17-19 August 2021. New York, NY USA: American Society of Mechanical Engineers. doi: 10.1115/DETC2021-69513

Finite element analysis and thick-panel clash behaviour of steel fold-lines

2021

Journal Article

A nonlinear beam-spring-beam element for modelling the flexural behaviour of a timber-concrete sandwich panel with a cellular core

Ya, Ou, Fernando, Dilum, Sriharan, Jasotharan, Gattas, Joseph M. and Zhang, Shishun (2021). A nonlinear beam-spring-beam element for modelling the flexural behaviour of a timber-concrete sandwich panel with a cellular core. Engineering Structures, 244 112785, 1-12. doi: 10.1016/j.engstruct.2021.112785

A nonlinear beam-spring-beam element for modelling the flexural behaviour of a timber-concrete sandwich panel with a cellular core

2021

Journal Article

Compliant curved-crease origami-inspired metamaterials with a programmable force-displacement response

Lee, Ting-Uei, Chen, Yan, Heitzmann, Michael T. and Gattas, Joseph M. (2021). Compliant curved-crease origami-inspired metamaterials with a programmable force-displacement response. Materials and Design, 207 109859, 109859. doi: 10.1016/j.matdes.2021.109859

Compliant curved-crease origami-inspired metamaterials with a programmable force-displacement response

2021

Journal Article

Manufacture and structural performance of modular hybrid FRP-timber thin-walled columns

Cui, Weiqi, Fernando, Dilum, Heitzmann, Michael and Gattas, Joseph M. (2021). Manufacture and structural performance of modular hybrid FRP-timber thin-walled columns. Composite Structures, 260 113506, 113506. doi: 10.1016/j.compstruct.2020.113506

Manufacture and structural performance of modular hybrid FRP-timber thin-walled columns

2021

Journal Article

Curved-crease origami face shields for infection control

Bukauskas, Aurimas, Koronaki, Antiopi, Lee, Ting-Uei, Ott, Daniel, Al Asali, M. Wesam, Jalia, Aftab, Bashford, Tom, Gatóo, Ana, Newman, Josh, Gattas, Joseph M., Shah, Darshil U. and Ramage, Michael (2021). Curved-crease origami face shields for infection control. PLoS One, 16 (2) e0245737, e0245737. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0245737

Curved-crease origami face shields for infection control

2021

Conference Publication

Real-time defect recognition and optimized decision making for structural timber jointing

Luo, Dan, Gattas, Joseph M. and Tan, Poah Shiun Shawn (2021). Real-time defect recognition and optimized decision making for structural timber jointing. 2nd International Conference on Computational Design and Robotic Fabrication (CDRF 2020), Shanghai, China, July 5, 2020. Singapore: Springer Singapore. doi: 10.1007/978-981-33-4400-6_4

Real-time defect recognition and optimized decision making for structural timber jointing

2021

Conference Publication

Assessing the viability of visual vibrometry for use in structural engineering

Slinger, V., Lao, D., Nguyen, V. T., Singh, S. and Gattas, J. (2021). Assessing the viability of visual vibrometry for use in structural engineering. 16th East Asian-Pacific Conference on Structural Engineering and Construction EASEC16, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 2019. Singapore: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-981-15-8079-6_127

Assessing the viability of visual vibrometry for use in structural engineering

Current funding

  • 2023 - 2028
    ARC Research Hub to Advance Timber for Australia's Future Built Environment
    ARC Industrial Transformation Research Hubs
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2023 - 2025
    Sustainable modular membrane shade structures from under-utilised timber materials
    Nohmura Foundation for Membrane Structure Technology
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2023
    Computational Design and Digital Workflow Tools for Steel Design, Fabrication, and Construction
    Watkins Steel Pty Ltd
    Open grant
  • 2019
    'Plate House' Folded Structures for Permanent Social Housing
    UQ Foundation Research Excellence Awards
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2020
    Robotic assembly of mass timber building components
    Research Donation Generic
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2022
    ARC Research Hub to Transform Future Tall Timber Buildings
    ARC Industrial Transformation Research Hubs
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2019
    Fibre-Reinforced Timber for Novel Hybrid Folded Thin-Walled Structures
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2018
    Structural design and distributed fabrication of folded sandwich structures
    ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2025
    Centre for Future Timber Structures
    Queensland Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
    Open grant

Availability

Associate Professor Joe Gattas is:
Available for supervision

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Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Novel Database Management, Verification, and Cost Optimisation Tools for Parametric Steel Connection Design

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Dorival Pedroso

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Hybrid Timber-Cardboard Sandwich Structural Composites for Low-Cost and Bio-Based Temporary Housing

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Chien Ming Wang

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Improving the quality, robustness and completeness of bridge asset records with LiDAR data integration

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Rebecca Gravina

  • Doctor Philosophy

    An Integrated Approach to Design and Construction of Waste Wood

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Dan Luo

  • Master Philosophy

    Investigating optimal log steaming conditions to improve veneer quality for plantation-grown Eucalyptus nitens

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Michael Heitzmann

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Developing environmentally responsive facades by self-assembly timber modules

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Dan Luo

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Robotic FRP fabrication for large scale customizable structure

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Michael Heitzmann, Dr Dan Luo

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Retrofitting damaged bridge components with hybrid FRP composites to promote re-use and sustainability

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Rebecca Gravina

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Architecture in reconfiguration with computing: Prefabricated timber discrete building components

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Fred Fialho Leandro Alves Teixeira

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Investigation of engineered recycled hardwood and natural fibre composite products

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Lisa Ottenhaus

Completed supervision

Enquiries

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