Mulalo Doyoyo

Mulalo Doyoyo FRSA (born 13 August 1970) is a South African engineer, inventor, and professor.[1][2]

Mulalo Doyoyo
Born (1970-08-13) 13 August 1970
Venda, Limpopo, South Africa
NationalitySouth African
CitizenshipSouth Africa
Alma mater
Known for
Scientific career
Fields
  • Engineering
Institutions
ThesisExperimental studies of subsonic penetration in silica glasses and ceramics

Doyoyo is a researcher in applied mechanics, ultralight materials, green building, renewable energy, and other fields of engineering. He has lectured in different engineering disciplines including ocean engineering, civil and environmental engineering, and mechanical engineering.

Doyoyo invented a cementless concrete, Cenocell, and Amoriguard coatings.[3][4][5] >

Early life and education

Mulalo Doyoyo was born at William Edie Hospital in Tshidimbini Venda to Khorommbi Doyoyo and Mudzuli (née Dzaga) of Vondwe village. Venda was a bantustan in northern South Africa during apartheid and is now part of the Limpopo Province.[6]

He started his bantu education schooling at Vondwe Lower Primary School in 1977 and then moved on to Tshidimbini Higher Primary School in 1981. He joined Tshidimbini Secondary School in 1984 where he studied until 1985. In 1986, he registered at Mbilwi Secondary School. He was later voted as the head boy of the school, matriculating in 1988.[7][8]

He chose to pursue his studies at the University of Cape Town. He was enrolled at the university in a five-year engineering bridging program,[9] which at the time was designed for bantu education matriculates. He resided in Smuts Hall, where he became a tutor in science and engineering, eventually becoming a head tutor. He became a publication officer of the student engineering council, a student representative of the South African Institute of Aerospace Engineers, and a founder of the student aerospace society in the faculty of engineering and the built environment.[10]

Doyoyo's honors thesis was on the design and construction of mechanical equipment to investigate false brinelling of heavy-duty bearings in electric motors. He earned masters' degrees in solid mechanics and applied mathematics in 1995 and 1996, respectively.

His doctoral research was based on the field of ballistics focusing on the design of light-weight armors. He defended his doctoral thesis in engineering in 1999. His thesis was entitled, "Experimental studies of subsonic penetration in silica glasses and ceramics".[11] He employed granular material physics to describe fragment ejecta behaviour and to predict the impact depth of projectiles as a function of impact velocity. Noting an anomalous behaviour from the experimental observations, he applied the variational perturbation theory to reveal and explain the role played by the increase in mass density during the failure of brittle materials under dynamic compression.[12][13] In 1999, he accepted a postdoctoral researcher position from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to enhance his studies in applied mechanics.

Academic career
Biaxial universal testing machine

Doyoyo collaborated with researchers in the Joint MIT-Industry Consortium on Ultralight Metal Body Structures, the Cambridge-MIT Institute, and the Next Generation Vehicles Initiative. He performed experiments at the impact and crashworthiness laboratory on cellular solids including metallic foams and honeycombs.

The challenge was to come up with new experimental techniques, specimens, and devices to test soft solids under extreme multidimensional crash loads, to simulate a typical collision event. He developed a trapezoid-shaped specimen to deduce the local stress-strain relation for metal foams to be incorporated into finite element analysis (FEA) codes.[14]

For the constitutive equation and crash failure surfaces, he developed a butterfly-shaped specimen, and modified the Arcan apparatus, deriving equations for determining shear and compressive or tensile stresses in the test section of the specimen.[15] Due to the difficulty of handling the butterfly-shaped specimen, he developed a Universal Biaxial Testing Device with an altered specimen geometry.[16][17][18]

Cenocell samples
"Ahifambeni" hydrogen motorbike

He left MIT in 2004 to lecture at the school of civil and environmental engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech). He created the ultralight systems laboratory that was dedicated to experimental research on ultralight materials.

Applying the foundation and plate theories of structural mechanics, he proved that as an internal reinforcing element, a truss lattice structure has the ability to reduce the weight of a pressure vessel by decreasing its skin thickness while improving its fracture strength. This led to the invention disclosure of microtruss pressure vessels.[19] These pressure vessels accommodate non-round shapes resulting in increased safety, driving range, and cabin space for hydrogen vehicles.[20]

In an effort to develop energy storage systems for large-scale traditional and renewable energy sources, he began research collaboration with electricity generation companies. As one of the results of this collaboration, he developed Cenocell, a patented concrete-like material that is based on fly ash without the addition of Portland cement.[21] Fly ash is a pollutant byproduct of coal-fired power plants, cement production, paper manufacturing, and mining operations. Cenocell microstructure resembles that of a natural gas reservoir rock.

As of 2006, he became interested in doing research aligning with his homeland's Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) He started work with his graduate students on green building and renewable energy.[22] Between 2007 and 2009, he was appointed as a professor extraordinare and later a visiting research and innovation chair at the Tshwane University of Technology. This afforded him the opportunity to collaborate with local researchers on the RDP.[23]

This collaboration inspired him to create Retecza (resource-driven technology concept center).[24][25] During its inception in South Africa in 2008, the organisation welcomed cross-disciplinary researcher and industrialist participants from around the world. One of the outcomes of Retecza was the design and construction of a hydrogen motorbike named "Ahifambeni".[26]

Entrepreneurship

After leaving Georgia Tech, he moved to Midrand, Johannesburg, where he created an experimental laboratory for environmental-friendly chemicals. Since its founding in 2012, the laboratory has generated several inventions. He also taught mechanical engineering briefly at the University of Johannesburg.[27][28][29]Sasol Chemcity recognised the Midrand lab activities and provided funding through its program for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Working in collaboration with concrete manufacturers and mining companies, he developed "green" chemical binders Solunexz and Glunexz for coal dust, construction aggregates, and charcoal. With continued support from Sasol, he developed Amoriguard, a non-volatile organic compound paint and skim coating based on tailings and industrial waste. Amoriguard has received Agrément certificate.[30] In 2014, he worked on flushing solar-powered toilets that operate as a miniature waste-treatment plant. This technology based on nanofiltration and anaerobic digestion is implemented in places where water supply and sanitation are scarce.[31] In 2016, while developing acid bricks, Doyoyo designed and manufactured Ecocast brick making machines that save water and energy, while adaptable to off-grid communities.[32][33]

References
  1. "Invention is Doyoyo's Domain". The Sowetan. 19 July 2016.
  2. Digital, Drum (12 January 2010). "Boy from Limpopo now a prof at US university". News24.
  3. "All the 2019 Eco-Logic Awards winners".
  4. "New Material Provides Strong and Lightweight Alternative to Concrete – without Cement". Gtresearchnews.gatech.edu. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  5. "Engineering News - Demand for ecofriendly paint expected to rise as building outlook improves". Engineeringnews.co.za. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 29 April 2015.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. "Boy from Limpopo now a prof at US university". News24. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  8. "Gallo Images". Galloimages.co.za. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  9. "Academic development | Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment". Ebe.uct.ac.za. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  10. Media Services Section; University of Cape Town Archives (1991). "Bid to establish Aerospace Society". Monday Paper. 11 (23).
  11. Doyoyo, M. (2000). Experimental Studies of Subsonic Penetration in Glasses and Ceramics. Brown University. ISBN 9780599939165.
  12. Doyoyo, M. (2002). "A theory of the densification-induced fragmentation in glasses and ceramics under dynamic compression". International Journal of Solids and Structures. 39 (7): 1833–1843. doi:10.1016/S0020-7683(01)00278-5.
  13. Doyoyo, M. (2003). "Experiments on the penetration of thin long-rod projectiles into thick long cylindrical borosilicate targets under pressure-free polycarbonate, aluminum and steel confinements". International Journal of Solids and Structures. 40 (20): 5455–5475. doi:10.1016/S0020-7683(03)00280-4.
  14. Wierzbiki, T.; Doyoyo, M. (2002). "Determination of the local stress-strain response for foam". Journal of Applied Mechanics. 70 (2): 204–211. doi:10.1115/1.1546242.
  15. Mohr, D.; Doyoyo, M. (2003). "A new method for the biaxial testing of cellular solids". Experimental Mechanics. 43 (2): 173–182. doi:10.1007/BF02410498.
  16. Mohr, D.; Doyoyo, M. (2004). "Experimental investigation on the plasticity of hexagonal aluminum honeycomb". Journal of Applied Mechanics. 71 (3): 375–385. doi:10.1115/1.1683715.
  17. Doyoyo, M.; Wierzbicki, T. (2003). "Experimental studies on yield behavior of ductile and brittle aluminum foams under a biaxial state of stress". International Journal of Plasticity. 19 (8): 1195–1214. doi:10.1016/S0749-6419(02)00017-7.
  18. Mohr, D.; Doyoyo, M. (2004). "Large plastic deformation of metallic honeycomb: Orthotropic rate-independent constitutive model". International Journal of Solids and Structures. 41 (16–17): 4435–4456. doi:10.1016/j.ijsolstr.2004.02.062.
  19. WO application 2008137178, Mulalo Doyoyo & Dirk Mohr, "Containers having internal reinforcing structures", published 13 November 2008, assigned to Georgia Tech Res Inst and Centre Nat Rech Scient and Ecole Polytech
  20. Doyoyo, M.; Faure, N. (2008). "Pressure vessels with reinforcing space-filling skeletons". Journal of Pressure Vessel Technology. 130 (3): 031210. doi:10.1115/1.2965902.
  21. US patent 8057594, Mulalo Doyoyo & Paul Biju-Duval, "High strength pozzolan foam materials and methods of making the same", published 15 November 2011, assigned to Georgia Tech Res Inst
  22. Duvvury, R. (2011). Potential negative effects of wind turbines on the ear (MS thesis). Georgia Institute of Technology.
  23. Ndaba, Dennis. "WILL THE BEYOND HOUSING NAME CHANGE REDUCE THE 2,2-MILLION HOUSING BACKLOG?". Engineering News. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  24. "European Commission : CORDIS : News and Events : Cooperation opportunities with RETECZA – South Africa's PPP Resource-Driven Technology Concept Centre". Cordis.europa.eu. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  25. Doyoyo, M.(2008), Resource-Driven Technology Concept Center in South Africa, copyright assigned to the Georgia Institute of Technology
  26. Mafika (13 August 2010). "SA university showcases hydrogen bike". Brand South Africa. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  27. Olakanmi, E.O.; Doyoyo, M. (2014). "Using structured examples and prompting reflective questions to correct misconceptions about thermodynamic concepts". European Journal of Engineering Education. 39 (2): 157–187. Bibcode:2014EJEE...39..157O. doi:10.1080/03043797.2013.833177.
  28. Olakanmi, E.O.; Thompson O. M.; Vunain E.; Doyoyo M.; Meijboom R. (2016). "Effects of Daniella oliveri wood flour characteristics on the processing and functional properties of wood polymer composites". Materials and Manufacturing Processes. 31 (8): 1073–1084. doi:10.1080/10426914.2015.1037895.
  29. Olakanmi E.O.; Doyoyo M. (2014). "Laser assisted cold sprayed corrosion and wear resistant coatings: a review". Journal of Thermal Spray Technology. 23 (5): 765–785. Bibcode:2014JTST...23..765O. doi:10.1007/s11666-014-0098-x.
  30. Archived 9 July 2016 at the Wayback Machine
  31. "Mustek donates solar-powered toilets to school". Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  32. Mafokwane, Pertunia. "Invention is Doyoyo's domain". Sowetan LIVE. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  33. "Locally developed low-water brickmaking machine uses industrial waste". M.engineeringnews.co.za. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
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