Performance-based evaluation and design of new and existing structural systems

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

The West Coast of Canada is in a highly seismically-active region known as "Pacific Ring of Fire". Past earthquakes in this region have devastated the countries' and cities' economies. To prevent Canada from suffering similar disasters, the provincial and federal government must set high priority to protect Canadian infrastructures against future natural and man-made hazards. This discovery grant proposal is aimed to develop innovative technologies in Civil Engineering to safeguard Canadian infrastructures. The proposed program will be divided into the following component projects: 1) Develop advanced experimental testing techniques, where structural systems and components under extreme loads can be evaluated accurately and cost-effectively. 2) Develop efficient and transparent finite element models, where new analytical materials, elements and solution algorithms will be researched and implemented. This will significantly improve the analytical capability to simulate the structural response under series of scenario events. 3) Develop robust performance-based assessment methodology, where downtime, initial construction cost, lifetime maintenance cost and the use of structural materials for the environmental impact can be systematically quantified by accounting for the uncertainties in the natural and man-made hazards. 4) Novel structural systems and retrofitting schemes will be developed and analyzed using the developed finite element models, validated using the advanced experimental testing techniques and its advantages will be demonstrated using the developed performance-based assessment methodology. With the success of the program, highly qualified personnel (including lab technicians, practicing engineers and students in the undergraduate, Master and Ph.D. levels) will be trained to safeguard Canada's civil infrastructure against future man-made and natural hazards.