| The Structures Group is a young and
active group, with cooperation with major national and international
institutions. The group focus on most structural materials (such as
concrete, masonry, steel and timber), in numerical and experimental
techniques (such as advanced computational modelling, characterization
of constitutive laws, non-destructive testing, reliability and
dynamics), in product development for the building industry, in the
definition of design rules, in techniques for diagnosis, inspection and
survey of existing structures and in techniques for strengthening of
existing structures. The objective is to address the aspects of
conception, analysis, design and detailing of structures, in a
perspective of high performance associated with increased safety, lower
costs in the full life-cycle analysis and reduction of environmental
impact. The group is
organized in three smaller divisions, with ample interaction: Bridges
and composite steel-concrete structures;
Historical and masonry
structures website;
Steel fiber reinforced concrete and composite materials website.
More than fifteen research projects have been externally funded in the
last triennium, with a total value for University of Minho of about 1.3
million Euros. The approach towards R&D is multidisciplinary, internally
linked among the group and seeking external expertise from other Civil
Engineering Departments (e.g. Dynamics, Timber, Fire, etc.) and other
fields of knowledge (e.g. Material Science, Physics, Geology,
Electronics, etc.)
The group is well equipped, including
state-of-the-art non-destructive testing equipment such as radar, sonic
testing, drilling resistance measuring system, dynamic identification,
resistograph, boroscopic camera, etc., and servo-controlled actuators
and modern data acquisition systems, being of particular relevance a
loading frame of 500 ton and a biaxial testing machine of 200 ton
capacity and for 1 m2 specimens. The laboratory includes a
reaction slab, a reaction wall and a crane of 5 tons, for a total area
of 500 m2. In addition, advanced software for sophisticated
non-linear analysis, both commercial and in-house developed, are
available.
After a swift growth, stabilization is in progress:
(a) the doctoral studies of the staff members is to be completed in
the next triennium;
(b) total number of PhD students reached a constant value of 25;
(c) recent shift from PhD students to Post-Doctoral collaborators.
The group is rather internationally
oriented, with significant involvement in European projects, journals,
committees, joint publications with foreign researchers, and exchange of
doctoral students for traineeships. A high record of publications in
major international journals has been achieved, together with the
regular organization of scientific meetings and seminars.
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