Statement of Purpose
Sazzadul Shahriar Saykat Master of Science (MS) in Civil Engineering
I had my first taste of construction work at a young age when our house was being built. I was astounded to
observe how simple bricks were changed into a wall, how a "big rolling bucket" turned cement and stones into
a paste-like mixture, and how this mixture was finally shaped into beams and columns. Since then, civil
engineering has always piqued my interest. My arduous hard work and dedication earned me a spot at Khulna
University of Engineering and Technology (KUET), one of the country's most prominent engineering schools,
to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Building Engineering and Construction Management (BECM). After finishing
my undergraduate degree, I now wish to investigate advanced technologies and strategies in structural
engineering especially in the field of sustainable concrete production and construction material. . My primary
research interest includes structural engineering, Ultra High-Performance Concrete (UHPC), Fiber Reinforced
Concrete (FRC), Self-consolidating Concrete (SCC), sustainable building materials, Artificial Neural Network
(ANN). In my quest to become an expert in structural engineering, I feel that the extensive resources at the Texas
State University will complement my academic background and research experience.
My desire to improve building structure led me to choose "Effects of local steel fiber on compressive strength
of steel fiber reinforced mortar (SFRM) and prediction of that strength using Artificial Neural Network (ANN)"
as my undergraduate thesis topic. This study investigated the rigorous three parametric effects of cement mortar
compressive strength based on four different shaped steel fibers along with various percentage additives by cement
replacement and diverse customized fine aggregate. Results from 306 mortar cubes suggested that with the increase
of fineness modulus of sands and steel fiber percentages, the compressive strength of SFRM increases. Another
finding of the study was curved shaped steel fiber gives better strength than straight fibers. Besides, three different
artificial neural network models varying different transfer functions (tansig, logsig, and purelin) were formed in
Matlab to predict the compressive strength of steel fiber reinforced mortar to a viable solution by using the
parameters as ‘input’ and mechanical strength as ‘target’ respectively. My work contributed to the improvement of
infrastructures and created a design to predict the compressive strength of SFRM without any fieldwork. I worked
as a research assistant on another project involving the effects of local steel fiber on the mechanical properties of
reinforced self-compacting concrete (SCC) beams and columns under the supervision of Sm. Arifur Rahman, my
thesis supervisor. During this work, I had designed SCC after completing several tests such as the V funnel test and
J ring test. This assistantship enhanced my ability to work autonomously whilst displaying a strong commitment
to work in a team environment, including the demonstrated ability to work confidently and effectively with
colleagues and project supervisors.
My academic background has infused me with top-tier knowledge of structural engineering, having been
nurtured by one of the best engineering institutions in my country. However, I believe that specialization is
required to get in-depth expertise in a particular subject. The Master of Science (M.S.) Major in Engineering
(Civil Engineering) program at the Texas State University, which focuses on research studies on various aspects
of structural engineering, seemed to be the greatest fit for me because of its highly distinguished professors and
multidisciplinary engineering approach.
I'm aware that getting into the Texas State University is quite difficult. Nonetheless, I would want to consider
myself a potential candidate for the program due to my passion and fervor for undertaking research, my
persistence in tackling an issue, and my willingness to put in long hours. I believe that working with some of the
best brains in structural engineering over here will allow me to expand my knowledge, conduct important
research, and build a successful career. I am hoping that my qualifications will allow me to get accepted into
well regarded Master of Science (M.S.) Major in Engineering (Civil Engineering) program of this university.
