Novel and Emerging Technologies for Sustainable and Seismically Resilient Infrastructure

加拿大民用基础设施的很大一部分已经过了使用寿命。我们的基础设施赤字正以每年20亿美元的速度增加。加拿大保险局2013年的报告估计，公元前9级地震后的可能损失为750亿美元，魁北克市-蒙特利尔-渥太华走廊7级地震后的损失为610亿美元-这清楚地反映了我们脆弱的基础设施。因此，当务之急是立即采取措施，为我们的基础设施开发创新、低成本和可靠的建设和改造解决方案。 拟议的研究计划旨在通过创新结构系统和将知识转移到实践中来降低地震易损性。虽然传统的结构设计可以在地震期间拯救生命，但基础设施遭受重大破坏，经常需要更换，这对可持续性产生了负面影响。因此，将创新引入结构设计是绝对关键的，这样我们的基础设施才不会在地震中受到损害。拟议的计划目标将使前沿研究能够开发：(A)创新的低成本节段式后张结构系统，具有自我对中能力，以降低地震后的重大破坏风险；(B)新型基于摩擦的自对中支撑装置，以大幅减少潜在损害，并提高新的和有缺陷的基础设施的使用寿命；以及(C)用于结构抗震的创新隔震和减震装置。在目前的建筑实践中，建筑物和桥梁的设计使得它们将通过经历大的侧向漂移和关键部件的屈服来耗散地震能量，从而在大地震中造成重大破坏。在大多数情况下，结构是不可修复的，造成重大的经济损失。重建工作在经济和环境方面也是昂贵和耗时的。拟议的研究将通过开发使用垂直后张法预制构件和连接细节的创新施工技术以及旧结构的新颖翻新技术来满足这一迫切需求。此外，以钢筋、钢绞线和钢索为形式的超弹性形状记忆合金(SMA)将与常规钢材一起用于开发自定心装置，以帮助结构在地震后恢复到垂直位置。 这一研究计划与全球在创新系统、技术和流程、创业以及可持续发展方面的需求很好地结合在一起。这一研究计划将提供极好的机会，培训由UBC多元化团队组成的多名高素质人员，这些人员将构成加拿大下一代高科技工程劳动力。

A major portion of Canadian civil infrastructure has passed its service life. Our infrastructure deficit is increasing at $2B/year. The Insurance Bureau of Canada 2013 report estimated the probable loss after a 9-magnitude earthquake in BC at $75B and a $61B after a 7-magnitude earthquake in the Quebec City-Montreal-Ottawa corridor - a clear reflection of our vulnerable infrastructure. Hence, it is imperative to take immediate measures to develop innovative, low-cost, and reliable construction and retrofit solutions for our infrastructure. The proposed research program aims to reduce seismic vulnerability through innovations in structural systems and transfer of knowledge to practice. Although conventional structural design can save lives during earthquakes, the infrastructure suffers major damage and often requires replacement which negatively impacts sustainability. Hence, it is absolutely critical to bring innovation to structural design so that our infrastructure is not compromised during earthquakes. The proposed program objectives will enable leading-edge research to develop (a) innovative low-cost segmental post-tensioned structural systems having self-centering capability to reduce the risk of major damage following an earthquake; (b) novel friction-based self-centering bracing device to substantially reduce potential damage and improve the service life of new and deficient infrastructure; and (c) innovative isolation and damping devices for seismic protection of structures. In current construction practice, buildings and bridges are designed such that they will dissipate seismic energy by undergoing large lateral drift and yielding of critical components causing substantial damage during a major earthquake. In most cases, the structures are not repairable, resulting in significant economic loss. The rebuilding is also economically and environmentally costly and time-consuming. The proposed research will address this critical need by developing innovative construction techniques using vertically post-tensioned prefabricated elements and connection details, and novel retrofitting techniques for older structures. Besides, superelastic shape memory alloy (SMA) in the form of rebar, strand and cable will be utilized along with regular steel for developing self-centering devices that can help the structure bring back to its plumb position after earthquakes. This research program is well aligned with the global demand in innovative systems, technologies, and processes, and entrepreneurship, and finally, sustainable development. This research program will provide excellent opportunities to train multiple highly qualified personnel made up of a diversified group at UBC who will constitute the next generation of Canada's high-tech engineering workforce.