System-level Multi-element Analysis of Structures using Hybrid-simulation (SMASH) Lab

土建结构是复杂的不确定系统，在其使用寿命内(如活的、风的、地震的)承受多种载荷。为了了解结构在复合荷载和极端事件下的行为，并确保准确、高效和安全的设计，研究人员依赖于实验测试。进行这些实验的最全面的方法是对整个结构进行全尺寸测试，然而，这既耗时又昂贵。或者，研究人员传统上依赖于组件级别的实验，在这种实验中，整个系统的一个部件使用理想的边界条件和加载进行测试。这种过于简单化的方法试图建立对组件级别行为的完整理解，但在系统级别的结构性能方面留下了巨大的知识缺口，导致设计效率低下、成本更高和可能的安全风险。 为了应对这一挑战，混合模拟有可能通过结合实验测试和计算机建模来改变研究土木结构的方式。这使得结构的关键部件可以在实验室中进行测试，其中包括通过数值模拟建立的结构其余部分的影响，而这些关键部件的性能并不被很好地理解。多个物理测试可以连接到一个公共计算机模型，以形成分布式混合仿真网络，从而能够对结构的更大部分进行准确的物理测试。这是对整个结构系统进行测试的一种经济高效的替代方案，它可以提高我们对复杂结构在部件和系统级别的组合和极端载荷下的行为的理解，从而在降低风险的情况下实现更准确和更具成本效益的设计。 这项NSERC RTI建议旨在通过支持购买液压控制器和软件包来实现多元混合模拟，从而改变女王大学结构实验室的发现、创新和培训能力。此外，购买的设备将连接到位于皇后学院的地球工程实验室，形成一个分布式混合模拟网络。该网络将是加拿大第一个此类网络，具有独特的能力：(1)在一个设施中测试多个全尺寸部件；(2)在混合模拟中包括复杂的土壤-结构相互作用；(3)将混合模拟与最新的分布式传感技术相结合。这一独特的网络预计将在我们对土木结构全面行为的基本科学理解方面取得重大进展，并为HQP提供尖端的动手培训机会。丰富的培训环境结合了结构和岩土工程方面的专业知识，将促进创新和合作，并将为HQP在工业或学术界的职业生涯培养可销售的技能。

Civil structures are complex indeterminate systems that are subjected to a combination of loads over their service lives (e.g. live, wind, earthquake). To understand how structures behave under combined loads and extreme events and ensure accurate, efficient, and safe designs, researchers rely on experimental testing. The most comprehensive approach to conduct these experiments is to test a structure in its entirety at full-scale, however, this is time consuming and costly. Alternatively, researchers have traditionally relied on component-level experiments, in which a subassembly of the complete system is tested with idealized boundary conditions and loading. This overly simplistic approach seeks to establish a complete understanding of component-level behaviour but leaves significant knowledge gaps surrounding system-level structural performance that lead to inefficient designs, higher costs, and possible safety risks. To address this challenge, hybrid simulation has the potential to transform the way that civil structures are studied by combining experimental testing and computer modelling. This allows critical subassemblies of a structure whose behaviour is not well understood to be tested in the lab under realistic loading and boundary conditions that include the influence of the rest of the structure established through numerical modelling. Multiple physical tests can be connected to a common computer model to form a distributed hybrid simulation network, enabling accurate physical testing of a larger portion of the structure. This represents a cost-effective alternative to testing of a complete structural system that can advance our understanding of how complex structures behave under combined and extreme loads, at the component- and system-levels, leading to more accurate and cost effective designs with reduced levels of risk. This NSERC RTI proposal aims to transform the discovery, innovation, and training capability of the Structures Laboratory at Queen's by supporting the purchase of a hydraulic controller and software package to enable multi-element hybrid simulation. Moreover, the purchased equipment will be connected to the GeoEngineering Laboratory at Queen's to form a distributed hybrid simulation network. The network will be the first of its kind in Canada, with the unique ability to: (1) test multiple full-scale subassemblies in one facility, (2) include complex soil-structure interaction in the hybrid simulation, and (3) combine hybrid simulation with the latest in distributed sensing technologies. This unique network is expected to make major advances in our fundamental scientific understanding of the full-scale behaviour of civil structures and offer cutting-edge hands-on training opportunities for HQP. The rich training environment combines expertise in structural and geotechnical engineering that will foster innovation and collaboration and will prepare HQP with marketable skills for careers in industry or academia.