Professor Ing. Kwadwo Adinkrah-Appiah

Autobiography

Born on 9th June, 1969 at Atuna in the Jaman South District of the Brong-Ahafo Region of Ghana, Professor Ing. Kwadwo Adinkrah-Appiah started his basic education at the Roman Catholic Primary and completed at the Local Authority Middle School at Atuna in 1984. He was the School prefect both at the primary and middle school levels. He began his secondary education at Drobo Secondary School, Drobo, in the Jaman South District of the Brong-Ahafo Region in 1986 and in the same year moved to Sumaman Secondary School, Suma-Ahenkro, in the Jaman North District of the Brong-Ahafo Region where he joined the second year but remained on top of his class. He later transferred to Saint Mary’s Boys Secondary School in Takoradi where he obtained his O’Level Certificate with Distinction in 1990. He continued at Saint John’s School, Sekondi, for his A’Level Certificate in 1992, after which he did his National Service at the Drobo Secondary School as Science and Mathematics teacher in 1993. He obtained his B.Sc. degree in Civil Engineering from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, in 1998, and performed his second mandatory National Service at the Sunyani Polytechnic in 1999 as an instructor. He later obtained his MPhil and PhD degrees, in Civil Engineering, in 2006 and 2015, respectively, at his alma mater, the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. He also received professional training as a Civil Engineer in structural modeling at the RISA Technologies in California, USA, in 2006.

Languages Spoken

English (Excellent)
Twi (Excellent)
French (Slight)

Expertise

Prof. Ing. Adinkrah-Appiah has extensive experience in industry. He was employed as a site Engineer for Nissi Water Company Ltd., a general construction firm based in Kumasi in 2009 at the same time that he was performing his National Service after his B.Sc. degree. He moved to join IKA Consult, an Architectural and Engineering consulting firm based in Sunyani as a Civil/Structural Engineering Consultant in the year 2000, where he served until 2003. In the year 2006, he formed his own building consulting firm, Appimed Consult, to provide consulting services for various projects. He, thus, has eighteen years of experience as a professional Civil/Structural Engineer and has worked on several construction projects across the country including donor funded projects such as the Village Infrastructure Project (VIP) and Urban V Project

Leadership

He has chaired and served on several boards and committees both within and outside the Sunyani Technical University as well as various research and public lecture sessions. He is a reviewer for the Annual Research Conference of the Sunyani Technical University as well as the American Concrete Institute (ACI) Structures and Materials Journal. He has led the accreditation of several programmes both as a head of department and dean of school.

Prof. Ing. Adinkrah-Appiah is an Elder of the Church of Pentecost and is married with three children.

Other Leadership Experirence

2010-date: Elder of the Church of Pentecost, PIWC, Sunyani.
2010-date: Treasurer of Ghana Institution of Engineers (GhIE), B/A Branch.
2006-date: Director of Appimed Consult, Sunyani.

Publication/Research

He has authored several research publications. His research areas include Shear strength of reinforced palm kernel shell concrete deep beams, Vulnerability of building structures in the seismic zones of Ghana, The use of waste materials as aggregate for concrete and building block production for sustainable construction, The use of lateritic soils for concrete and building block production, Lean construction in the Ghanaian construction industry and Economic cost of road accidents in Ghana. His research has led to the introduction of an innovated building block in the Ghanaian construction industry dubbed ‘Salancrete building block’ which is made by combining laterite, sand and nominal amounts of cement for sustainable construction.

Sole Author of One (1) book and Four (4) Refereed Conference papers; Co-Author of Seven (7) International Refereed Journal papers and Nine (9) Refereed Conference papers, i.e. a total of Twenty-One (21) Research Publications (2006 – date).

Refereed Journal Publications

Adinkrah-Appiah, K. Adom-Asamoah, M. and Afrifa, R. O. (2016). Ductility behaviour of reinforced palm kernel shell concrete deep beams. Journal of Structural Engineering and Mechanics, in Press.
Adinkrah-Appiah, K. Kpamma, E. Z. Nimo-Boakye, A. Asumadu, K. T. Abeka, K. H. Asiamah, S. Boamah, S. and Obeng-Ankamah, N. (2016). Annual consumption of crushed-stone aggregates in Ghana. Accepted to be published in the next edition of the Journal of Civil Engineering and Architecture Research.
Adinkrah-Appiah, K. Adom-Asamoah, M. and Afrifa, R. O. (2016). Characterization and shear strength prediction of reinforced concrete deep beams – a review. International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR). ISSN (Online): 2319-7064. Volume 5, Issue 3, March 2016. Pp. 1789–1798.
Adinkrah-Appiah, K. and Zoya Kpamma, E. Z. (2015). Improving the Structural Characteristics of Earth Blocks as an Input of Affordable Housing for Low-Income Northern Communities of Ghana. International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR). ISSN (Online): 2319-7064. Volume 4 Issue 9, September 2015. Pp. 1119-1126.
Adinkrah-Appiah, K. Adom-Asamoah, M. and Afrifa, R. O. (2015). Reducing Environmental Degradation from Construction Activities: The Use of Recycled Aggregates for Construction in Ghana. Journal of Civil Engineering and Architecture Research. Vol. 2, No. 8, 2015. Pp. 831-841.
Kpamma, E. Z. Adinkrah-Appiah, K. and Agyefi-Mensah, S. (2013). Bachelor of Technology (B-Tech) Programme in Building Technology at the Sunyani Polytechnic Based On the Competency-Based Training (CBT) Model: A Review. Journal of Education and Practice. www.iiste.org. ISSN 2222-288X (Online) Vol.4, No.10, 2013. Pp. 143-151.
Adams, C. A. Salifu, M. and Appiah, A. K. (2006). The cost of road traffic accidents in Ghana for the year 2003. Journal of the Ghana Institution of Engineers. Volume 4, Number 1, June 2006. ISBN 0855-0843. Pp. 7-14.

Book Publication

Adinkrah-Appiah, K. (2016). Shear Strength of Reinforced Palm Kernel Shell Concrete Deep Beams. LAP Lambert Academic Publishing, Germany. ISBN: 978-3-659-83445-5.

Conference Proceedings

Adinkrah-Appiah, K. and Obour G. D. (2016). Fused laterite powder substitution for cement in concrete production. Kumasi polytechnic International Conference on Applied Science and Technology (ICAST). Paper submitted for August 2016 Conference.
Adinkrah-Appiah, K. Obeng-Ankamah, N. and Abeka K. H. (2015). Concrete Pavement Slabs Reinforced with Steel Fibres from Discarded Vehicle Tyres. Proceedings of the Sunyani Polytechnic Internal Lecture Series I, 18th – 21st November, 2015. Pp. 1-
Nimo-Boakye, A. Nana-Addy, E. and Adinkrah-Appiah, K. (2015). Rice husk powder as partial replacement of Ordinary Portland Cement in compressed earth blocks production. Sunyani Polytechnic Maiden Internal Lecture Series I, 18th – 21st November, 2015. Adinkrah-Appiah, K. Adom-Asamoah, M and Afrifa, R. O. (2015). Evaluation of shear strength of reinforced concrete deep beams. First International Conference on Environment, Science, Technology and Entrepreneurship (ESTE). School of Engineering, KNUST, Kumasi.
Adinkrah-Appiah, K. Adom-Asamoah, M and Afrifa, R. O. (2015). Shear strength prediction of palm kernel shell RC deep beams without shear reinforcement. First International Conference on Environment, Science, Technology and Entrepreneurship (ESTE). School of Engineering, KNUST, Kumasi.
Abekah, H. Adom-Asamoah, M. and Adinkrah-Appiah, K. (2015). Predicting early age thermal cracking in mass concrete. First International Conference on Environment, Science, Technology and Entrepreneurship (ESTE). School of Engineering, KNUST, Kumasi.
Adinkrah-Appiah K. (2012). The potential of rice husk ash as a partial replacement for cement in concrete production in Ghana. 1st International Conference on Infrastructure Development in Africa (ICIDA) conference proceedings 2012. College of Architecture and Planning, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi. Pp72-86.
Kpamma E. Z. Kamil Z. M. and Adinkrah-Appiah K. (2012). Making wall construction process lean: The interlocking block system as a tool. 1st International Conference on Infrastructure Development in Africa (ICIDA) conference proceedings 2012. College of Architecture and Planning, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi. Pp157-175.
Asumadu, K. T. Asiedu S. B. and Adinkrah-Appiah, K. (2012). The profitable options of solid waste management in Ghana. Proceedings of Sunyani Polytechnic Lecture Series VII, 18th – 21st November, 2012, Pp 313-323.
Adinkrah-Appiah K. (2010). Reducing environmental degradation from construction activities through the use of recycled aggregates for building and infrastructural projects in Ghana. Presented at the Sunyani Polytechnic Lecture Series VI in 2010.
Adinkrah-Appiah K. (2010). Concrete produced from non-conventional coarse aggregates for housing construction in Ghana. Presented at the Sunyani Polytechnic Lecture Series VI in 2010.
Appiah A. J. (2009). Salancrete building blocks from mixture of sand, laterite and cement for sustainable and affordable housing in Ghana. Sunyani Polytechnic Lecture Series V, Sunyani. Pp157-175.

Professional Qualifications

Education

PhD in Civil Engineering
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) – Kumasi.

PM.Phil. in Civil Engineering
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) – Kumasi.

B.Sc. Civil Engineering
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) – Kumasi.

Professional Development Hours in Structural Modeling using RISA-3D structural Engineering Software. RISA Technologies, California, USA.
Professional 2006

Membership of Professional Institutions
Member of Ghana Institution of Engineers (GhIE), 2006 – present.
Member of American Concrete Institute (ACI), 2012 – date.
Member of American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), 2014 – date.

Affiliations

He is an ardent member of various Professional Associations including the Ghana Institution of Engineers (GhIE), the American Concrete Institute (ACI) and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). He has led several proposal writings to win and manage donor funds/grants for institutional development including the Teaching and Learning Innovation Fund (TALIF) (World Bank) and the NPT/NUFFIC project (Netherlands Government). Prof. Adinkrah-Appiah is a proud recipient of the ‘Research & Academic-Industrial Award, Advancing Engineering Knowledge category’ of the 2016 edition of the Engineering Excellence Award of the Ghana Institution of Engineers.

Professional Associations

Teaching Experience

He also has far-reaching experience in teaching, research and senior management position in tertiary institutional administration. He was formally employed as an Instructor at the Building Technology department of the then Sunyani Polytechnic in the year 2001 and was appointed as a Lecturer in 2006, after his MPhil degree, at the same department. He was promoted to the rank of Senior Lecturer at the Civil Engineering Department in 2012, and subsequently as an Associate Professor of Civil Engineering in 2016. He has served in various management positions at the Sunyani Technical University including Acting Head of Building Technology Department (2005-2006), Sectional Head of Carpentry & Joinery Section of the Building Technology Department (2006-2007), Head of Building Technology Department (2007-2009), Dean of School of Engineering (2009-2012), Vice-Rector (2013-2016), and Acting Rector (2016).

Service/Innovations

Community Service, External Activities And Professional Image

Design of Sunyani Polytechnic Main Entrance (2016).
Reviewer for American Concrete Institute (ACI) Structural and Materials Journals (2016).
Reviewer for Sunyani Polytechnic Lecture Series (2015-date).
Chairman of the Disciplinary Board that investigated alleged misappropriation of funds by 2013/14 and 2014/15 SRC Executives (2015 – 2016).
Chairman of Disciplinary Committee that investigates Students examination malpractices (2014-date).
Chairman of the Team that reviewed the Sunyani Polytechnic Statutes (2014-2016).
Chairman of the 2015 World AIDS Day National Public Lecture on the theme: “Fast Track: Meeting the Health Needs of Children towards an HIV-Free Generation”, at the Sunyani Polytechnic Auditorium, Sunyani (November, 2015).
Chairman of the Public Sector Reforms on Performance Contract at Sunyani Polytechnic (2015). Member of the team that prepared the Polytechnic towards its conversion to Technical University in 2015.
Chairman of the 2015 Sunyani Polytechnic Research Conference, Lecture Series VIII (2015). Chairman of the Disciplinary Board that investigated an assault case by the SAR in charge of the Polytechnic Restaurant and a worker at the same place (2015).
Examiner for Ghana Institution of Engineers’ Professional Exams (2015 to date).
Chairman of the Disciplinary Board that investigated alleged Misapplication and misappropriation of funds by TEWU Executives (2014).
Chairman of the 2014 Brong-Ahafo Regional Science and Maths Clinic for Senior High School (SHS) students at Notre Dame SHS, Sunyani (February, 2014).
Chairman of the Disciplinary Board that probed corrupt practices by the Chief Security Officer of the Polytechnic (2010).
Member of the team that drafted the Sunyani Polytechnic Statutes when the existing statutes were found to be outmoded. As the dean of School of Engineering, I played an active role in the process leading to the drafting of the said statutes until its endorsement and introduction in 2011 at the Polytechnic (2010 – 2011).
Sole compiler of an application for Chatter for the Polytechnic to be autonomous to award its own degrees which was eventually turned down by the National Accreditation Board (2011).
Have led accreditation sessions of various Engineering programmes both as a Dean of School and HoD including HND and B-Tech in Building Technology, HND Mechanical and Electrical Engineering programmes (2007 – 2012).
Member of the team that drafted the Sunyani Polytechnic SRC Constitution when the existing one was found to be outmoded. As the Dean of School of Engineering, I played an active role in the process leading to the drafting of the new constitution until its endorsement in 2011 at the Polytechnic (2011).
Established the BT Hydraform Production Unit at the Sunyani Polytechnic as the Head of the BT department (2008).
Salancrete building block, a walling unit made from a mixture of sand, laterite and cement for affordable housing, introduced through my research has been adopted by the BT-Production unit of the Sunyani Polytechnic for commercial production (2009). Member of the team that drafted the M-Tech and B-Tech Curricula for Sunyani and Cape Coast Polytechnics in 2009 and 2006 respectively. The NPT project implemented at the Building Technology departments of the two Polytechnics to build capacity for the two departments, under the auspices of the Government of Ghana and her Dutch counterpart, ended with the drafting of a M-Tech curriculum to be introduced when capacities are fully built at the two departments. I was the head of department at the Building Technology department of the Sunyani Polytechnic and hence played a very active role in that exercise (2009).
Have appeared on the Sunyani Polytechnic students’ radio (Parrot FM) for an interview on the B-Tech programme run at the Building Technology department. As the Dean of School of Engineering and former Head of the Building Technology Department when the B-Tech programme was introduced for the first time at the department, the promotion of the newly introduced programme was done through radio interviews and other media sources of which I played a leading role as an interviewee (2009).
Leader of the team that won the Teaching and Learning Innovation Fund (TALIF) grant of 200,000 US dollars for the Building Technology Department that came to build the capacity of the department. As the acting head of department at the time, I played a leading role in the remodelling of the TALIF proposal that was nearly rejected, to a better form that was accepted by the TALIF evaluation team for implementation. A second proposal initiated by me won another 20,000 dollars for the department. The projects brought in a total of 220,000 US dollars for capacity building at the department (2006).

Leadership Experience

2016-date: Vice Chancellor, Sunyani Technical University.
2016: Rector, Sunyani Polytechnic.
2016: Acting Rector, Sunyani Polytechnic.
2013-2016: Vice Rector, Sunyani Polytechnic.
2009-2012: Dean of School of Engineering, Sunyani Polytechnic.
2007-2009: Head of Building Technology Department, Sunyani Polytechnic.
2006-2007: Sectional Head of Carpentry & Joinery Department, Sunyani Polytechnic.
2005-2006: Acting Head of Building Technology Department, Sunyani Polytechnic.

Community Development Projects

A consulting engineer for public and private projects and member of the area estate committee for the Church of Pentecost for the Sunyani area and the Brong Ahafo Region. I have designed and constructed a number of church projects. I have also been consulted on several occasions by the church to move in to rescue a number of church projects that were at the verge of collapse including Dua-Yaw-Nkwanta Central Auditorium, the 4-storey Pentecost House office complex at Sunyani, the Ashanti Mampong Central Pentecost Church, Suma Ahenkro Central Pentecost Church building etc. (2006 - date). I have offered Consultancy Services for several building projects in Ghana including the following (2000 – date):

Design and supervision of Global Meeting House of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints at Sunyani (2015 - date).
Design and construction of 3-storey Melcom building at Techiman (2011-2015).
Design and construction supervision of 6-storey J-Adom Plaza at Sunyani (2011-date).
Design of a 8-storey Commercial Block with basement car park for Messrs Hilda Ammo-Gotfried and Sisters at Adum, Kumasi – 2010.
Design of a 8-storey Office Block for Ghana Immigration Service, Accra – 2010.
Design and construction supervision of a 7-storey Commercial Block for Messrs Bohyeba Ltd at Adum, Kumasi - 2009.
Design and construction supervision of a 3-storey Car Park/Office Complex at Sunyani Polytechnic, Sunyani – 2007 to date.
Design of a 5-storey teachers’ Hostel at Accra Polytechnic, Accra – 2005.
Design and Construction supervision of a 4-storey office block for Sam Bennett – Sunyani (2001-2003)
Design and Construction supervision of a 3-storey office/bank for Drobo Community bank - Jaman-Drobo (2003-2005)
Design and Construction supervision of a 3-storey church complex for the Pentecost International Worship Center at Sunyani (2006-2013)
Design and supervision of a two-storey classroom block at Drobo Secondary School, Get-Fund project (2008).
Design and supervision of a 3-storey nurses’ hostel at cape Coast Regional hospital – 2007.
Design and construction supervision of 4-storey Burns and Plastic Surgery Unit at Korlebu Hospital (2006-2008).
Design and supervision of the construction of Hostel Block for Berekum NTC sponsored by Ministry of Health (2005).
Extension of Eusbett Hotel: 5-storey Hotel Structure (2003).
Design and construction supervision of Aqua-Privy Toilets for Wenchi District Assembly – Urban V Project (2002).
Brodekwano, Bomaa and Adrobaa markets under the Village Infrastructure Project (VIP).

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