Biography

Stephen Hicks joined the University of Warwick in August 2019 to take up his current role as Professor in Civil Engineering. He has previously held senior management and leadership positions within research institutes in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, including the Heavy Engineering Research Association (HERA) in Auckland, New Zealand (2008 to 2019) and the Steel Construction Institute (SCI) in the UK (1997 to 2018).

His main areas of expertise are in composite steel and concrete structures and steel construction. As well authoring papers and industry standard design guides, he has a long history of working on the development of national and international standards, including the UK, European and Australasian design standards for composite steel and concrete buildings and bridges (he has been a UK delegate for the committee responsible for Eurocode 4 since 2005). Stephen has also worked on the development of several construction products, which are widely used in buildings around the world.

As well as working in research and development, Stephen has held several board and governance positions in engineering associations, construction product certification organisations and environmental product declaration (EPD) programme operators.

Stephen is a member of the Editorial Board for Steel & Composite Structures, An International JournalLink opens in a new window and Associate Editor for Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Structures and BuildingsLink opens in a new window 

Education

• Leadership Development Program (LDP 256), University of Melbourne Business School, Mt Eliza, Victoria, Australia, 2017
• PhD in Engineering, Wolfson College, University of Cambridge, 1998
• BEng(Hons) in Civil Engineering with First Class Honours, Queen Mary & Westfield College, University of London, 1993
• BTEC HNC in Civil Engineering, Newham Community College, 1990
• BTEC NC in Civil Engineering, Barking College of Technology, 1988

Research Interests

• Steel and concrete composite structures
• Steel construction
• Vibration serviceability of floors
• Structural reliability

Teaching Interests

Module Leader:

• Third year BEng - ES3E1 Design Project with Construction Management (30 Credits), (Jointly with co-lecturers Dr A Rezaei and Dr J Russell)
• Third year BEng Civil Engineering Degree Apprentice - ES3G3 Structural Engineering Project (30 Credits), (Jointly with co-lecturer Dr A Rezaei and Dr J Russell)
• Second year MEng/BEng - ES2C2 Civil Engineering Design 1 (15 Credits), (Co-lecturers Prof I Firth, Dr G Fowmes, Dr J Russell)
• Second year BEng Civil Engineering Degree Apprentice - ES2F0 Civil Engineering Design (15 Credits), (Co-lecturers Prof. I Firth, Dr G Fowmes, Dr J Russell)

Contributions to:

• Second year MEng/BEng - ES2C3 Civil Engineering Materials & Structural Analysis - Construction materials (15 Credits) (jointly with co-lecturers Prof. J.T. Mottram and Dr J Russell)
• Second year BEng Civil Engineering Degree Apprentice - ES2F2 - Construction materials (15 credits) (jointly with co-lecturers Prof. J.T. Mottram and Dr J Russell)

Selected Publications

• Degtyarev VV, Hicks SJ. Shear resistance of welded studs in deck slab ribs transverse to beams, 2023, Engineering Structures, 294(3), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2023.116709Link opens in a new window
• Degtyarev VV, Hicks SJ. Machine learning-based probabilistic predictions of shear resistance of welded studs in deck slab ribs transverse to beams, 2023, Steel and Composite Structures, 49(1), https://doi.org/10.12989/scs.2023.49.1.109Link opens in a new window
• Degtyarev VV, Hicks SJ, Hajjar JF. Design models for predicting shear resistance of studs in solid concrete slabs based on symbolic regression with genetic programming, 2022, Steel and Composite Structures, 43(3), https://doi.org/10.12989/scs.2022.43.3.293Link opens in a new window
• Vigneri V, Hicks SJ, Taras A, Odenbreit C. Design models for predicting the resistance of headed studs in profiled sheeting, 2022, Steel and Composite Structures, 42(5), https://doi.org/10.12989/scs.2022.42.5.633 

• Setvati MR, Hicks SJ, Machine learning models for predicting resistance of headed studs embedded in concrete, 2022, Engineering Structures, 254, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2021.113803Link opens in a new window

• Kang W-H, Hicks SJ, Uy B, Aslani F. Design resistance of helical seam pipe columns with limited tensile test data. 2021, Journal of Constructional Steel Research, 183, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcsr.2021.106724Link opens in a new window

• Thai H-T, Thai S, Ngo T, Uy B, Kang W-H, Hicks SJ. Reliability considerations of modern design codes for CFST columns. 2021, Journal of Constructional Steel Research, 177, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcsr.2020.106482Link opens in a new window

• Hällmark R, Collin P, Hicks SJ. Post-installed shear connectors: Push-out tests of coiled spring pins vs. headed studs. 2019, Journal of Constructional Steel Research, 161, pp. 1-16, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcsr.2019.06.009Link opens in a new window

• Hicks SJ. Design shear resistance of headed studs embedded in solid slabs and encasements. 2017, Journal of Constructional Steel Research, 139, pp. 339-352, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcsr.2017.09.018Link opens in a new window

• Hobbacher AF, Hicks SJ, Karpenko M, Thole F, Uy B. Transfer of Australasian bridge design to fatigue verification system of Eurocode 3. 2016, Journal of Constructional Steel Research, 122, pp. 532–542, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jcsr.2016.03.023Link opens in a new window

• Aslani F, Lloyd R, Uy B, Kang W-H, Hicks S. Statistical calibration of safety factors for flexural stiffness of composite columns. Steel and Composite Structures. 2016, 20(1), pp. 127-145, http://dx.doi.org/10.12989/scs.2016.20.1.127Link opens in a new window

• Kang W-H, Uy B, Tao Z, Hicks S. Design strength of concrete-filled steel columns. Advanced Steel Construction. 2015. 11(2), pp. 165-184, http://dx.doi.org/10.18057/IJASC.2015.11.2.3Link opens in a new window 

• Hicks SJ, Pennington AF. Partial factors for the design resistance of composite beams in bending. Journal of Constructional Steel Research. 2015. 105, pp. 74-85, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcsr.2014.10.023Link opens in a new window

• Hicks SJ, Smith AL. Stud Shear Connectors in Composite Beams that Support Slabs with Profiled Steel Sheeting. Structural Engineering International. 2014. 24(2), pp. 246-253, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2749/101686614X13830790993122Link opens in a new window

• Lawson RM, Hicks SJ. Design of Composite Beams with Large Web Openings: In Accordance with Eurocodes and the UK National Annexes. SCI Publication 355, Steel Construction Institute, Ascot, UK, ISBN: 9781859421970, 2011, p. 117. https://www.steelconstruction.info/images/e/e7/SCI_P355.pdfLink opens in a new window (Free Download)

• Smith AL, Hicks SJ, Devine PJ. Design of Floors for Vibration: A New Approach (Revised edition). SCI Publication 354, Steel Construction Institute, Ascot, UK, ISBN: 9781859421765, 2009, p. 114. https://www.steelconstruction.info/images/5/5a/SCI_P354.pdfLink opens in a new window (Free Download)

Projects and Grants

• Steel-CLT composite design system. Prof. S. J. Hicks (PI). Sponsor: WSP UK Ltd / Forestry Commission Woods into Management Forestry Innovation Fund (WIMFIF). 21 November 2022 to 27 March 2024.

• Member of Project Team SC4.T6: Development of revised EN 1994-1-1 (Mandate M/515 Phase 3-4 tasks for 2nd generation of EN Eurocodes). Prof. S.J. Hicks. Sponsor/type: EU/ Grant Agreement SA/CEN/GROW/EFTA/515/2017-08. 1 January 2018 to 28 February 2023. €14,750.

• Member of Project Team SC4.T5: Development of rules covering shallow floor construction, and other flooring types using precast concrete elements (Mandate M/515 Phase 2 tasks for 2nd generation of EN Eurocodes). Prof. S.J. Hicks. Sponsor/type: EU/ Grant Agreement SA/CEN/GROW/EFTA/515/2016-02. 1 January 2017 to 30 April 2020. €21,000.
• Member of Project Team SC4.T3: Development of revised rules for shear connection in the presence of modern forms of profiled sheeting (Mandate M/515 Phase 1 tasks for 2nd generation of EN Eurocodes). Prof. S.J. Hicks. Sponsor/type: EU/ Grant Agreement SA/CEN/GROW/EFTA/515/2014-02. 1 January 2015 to 30 April 2018. €10,891.
• Specific design for multi-storey light steel framed buildings. Prof. S.J. Hicks (PI), Dr J. Cao and N. Mago (HERA). Building Research Levy Investment Programme - Project LR0477. 2015 to 2018. External Research Report ER34Link opens in a new window NZD $100,000.
• Evaluation of shear connectors in composite bridges. Dr S.J. Hicks (PI) and Dr J. Cao (HERA), C. MiKenzie, M. Chowdhury and R. Kaufusi (Opus International Consultants). NZ Transport Agency - TAR 14/07. 2014 to 2015. Research Report 602Link opens in a new window NZD $111,000.

• Steel-concrete composite bridge design guide. Dr S.J. Hicks (PI) and R El Sarraf (HERA), D. Iles (SCI), A Momtahan and D Easy (AECOM). NZ Transport Agency - TAR 09/08. 2009 to 2013. Research Report 602Link opens in a new window NZD $360,000.

• Economics of steel framed buildings in Europe (ESE)Link opens in a new window. Dr S.J. Hicks (PI), Dr B. Burgan (PI from 2008) and Dr J.W. Rackham (SCI), F.L. Labory (ArcelorMittal), M. Klósak (Poznan University of Technology) and B. Potjes (Bouwen met Staal). Research Fund for Coal and Steel (EU). Grant agreement: RFSR-CT-2007-00037. 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2016. Final ReportLink opens in a new window €387,169

• High quality acoustic and vibration performance of lightweight steel constructions (ACOUSVIBRA)Link opens in a new window. J. Kesti (PI) (Ruukki), S.J. Hicks and J.W. Rackham (SCI), J. Widman (SBI), M. Villot and C. Guigou (CSTB), A. Rodriguez-Ferran and J. Polet-Puig (UPC), P. Sipari and A. Talja (VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland), F. Ljunggren and A. Ångren (Luleå University of Technology). Research Fund for Coal and Steel (EU). Grant agreement: RFSR-CT-2003-00025. 1 September 2003 to 31 December 2006. Final ReportLink opens in a new window €868,688

National & International Standards

United Kingdom

Europe

Australasia

New Zealand

Board & Governance Roles