Structural Engineering
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The Challenges
The UK Government has set a number of challenging targets for improving sustainability, with the overarching goal of a 60% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050. Without dramatically improving the life-cycle environmental cost of infrastructure stock, it will not be possible to reduce resource consumption and meet this declared environmental target.
Moreover, it has been fully recognized that our infrastructure needs to be more resilient to extreme loads imposed by natural hazards suchs as earthquakes, tsunamis and windstorms, as well as man-made hazards such as terrorist bombs and fires.
Construction materials and structures have an important role to play in sustainable and resilient development through efficient application, smart structural design, energy performance and durability. Developing new and modifying existing materials and structures is one approach to achieving a more sustainable and resilient building environment.
Our Research
Good design is synonymous with sustainable construction and this requires materials and structures research. Current activites focus on the characterisation of components, joints and whole structures of new or traditional materials, and/or of innovative or unusual forms.
Research involves evaluation of results from both full-sized static and dynamic testing in our structures laboratories and advanced computational modelling. Research on resilience focuses on damage-free seismic-resistant self-centering steel and steel-concrete composite frames; on smart fully replaceable and demountable steel connections; on passive (metallic, viscous, elastomeric) dampers; and on multi-hazard (seismic, wind, blast) resistant design procedures.
Research into vibration pollution and human-structure interaction is ongoing. Structural health monitoring is another area of research explored within the group. It involves damage detection, measurement and structural identification.
There are links with other research groups focussing on smart structures. Smart structures use integrated communication and sensor systems to monitor and manage performance and within buildings to support the lifestyle choices of the occupants. The transfer of academic results into the drafting of standards, industry manuals and codes of practice is also undertaken and this ensures there are strong and synergetic links with end user groups.
Our Projects
Fibre reinforced polymer shapes and systems for new buildTransfer of research into design guidance (rules) for codes of practiceExperimental dynamic analysis of civil engineering structuresDynamic loading induced by humans and their interaction with structuresSelf-centering steel framesPassive (metallic, viscous, elastomeric) dampersRepairable and demountable steel connectionsSteel-concrete composite bridgesComputational form-finding, patterning, and load analysis of fabric structuresOptimal form of rigid-type structures: arches, shells, domesMinimal structural forms and applications.
| The Structural Engineering Group is part of the Civil and Environmental Stream. |
Academic Staff