Concrete, steel, mixed concrete-steel and composite materials structures

 This Research Line seeks the analysis, design and stability and safety evaluation of systems and structural elements in concrete, steel, concrete-steel composites and fiber reinforced resins. Innovative concepts for structural projects and the use of new and conventional materials on structure recovery are included in this line.

Cementitious materials: experiments and modeling

This research line includes: (i) scientific dosage of conventional strength, high performance and ultra-high performance concretes; (ii) high temperature behavior; (iii) study of rheology; (iv) study of durability and slow strains; (v) computational modeling of flow and transport in porous media; (vi) study of micro and nano-structural properties of concrete; (vii) study of sub-micro and nanometric particles and of nanofibers as concrete inclusions (viii) study of fibrous concrete with multiple cracks under direct tension, of reinforced fibrous concretes and textile composites; (ix) development of low environmental impact concretes and composites (see description in the environment research area); (x) study of special concretes for the oil industry (see description in the oil and gas research area); (xi) use of state-of-the-art techniques in numerical modeling and computational intelligence and (xii) micromechanical modeling.

Hydroelectric power plant and mass concrete structures

This research line includes: (i) experiments and thermo-chemo-mechanical modeling of the performance of early-age concrete (ii) high performance numerical modeling of hydroelectric power plant structures (iii) experiments and modeling of alkali aggregate reaction (AAR); (iv) scientific dosage of roller compacted concretes (RCC) (v) development of new materials for power stations and spillways (vi) use of computational intelligence techniques for dam safety.

Stability of structural systems

This Research Line focuses the development of mathematical methods and numerical and computational resources to analyze stability, non-linear behavior and sensitivity to defects and initial conditions of structural systems under pseudo-static and / or dynamic actions.

Structural dynamics and vibration control

This Research Line aims the theoretical and numerical development of tools to be used on the analysis and design of civil structures under dynamic loads. It also involves the development of strategies for vibration control at acceptable limits of structural safety and use, mainly focusing human well-being. This Research Line has a strong partnership with the Structure Identification Research Line, once the developed methods are assessed through experimental tests.

Structure and material numerical modeling

This Research Line seeks the study and development of classical numerical methods based on finite elements, boundary elements and finite differences. Linear and non-linear dynamic analyses required by the increasing challenges of modern engineering on structural concepts as far as the use of new materials are included.

Structure identification and physical modeling

This Research Line aims the development and implementation of methods to determine the dynamic behavior of the analyzed structural system. It comprises the study of methods of static and dynamic experimental analysis of structures, image and digital signals processing techniques, vibration modal analysis techniques, modal updating methodologies, structural health monitoring, and also the identification of eventual damages.

Continuous Mechanics

This research line seeks the study of stresses, deformations or flows arising in the interior of solids, liquids and gases. It proposes the development of formulations based on material (reference) or spatial descriptions of continuous media kinematics aiming to analyze problems in several engineering fields. Those analyses may be theoretical or numerical through discrete methods.