Advanced sensing, control, and high-temperature heating system for testing of structural members under extreme loads

民用基础设施中的结构设计用于抵抗极端载荷，如地震，火灾或风。当开发新的结构元件或结构材料时，有必要了解结构元件在极端载荷下的性能。例如，为了在火灾事件期间对结构元件进行性能评估，必须对结构元件施加温度并研究元件能够维持该温度多久。如果需要评估结构系统的火灾性能，可以采用混合（实验-数值）模拟方法。为了评估结构系统在风荷载作用下的性能，需要将结构系统置于风洞中，评估结构系统对风荷载的响应。 本提案中要求的设备是为了支持五个研究项目。设备的主要项目是加热板和温度控制器，可以将结构元件的温度提高到1,000 ℃。加热板可以重新配置以测试具有各种配置的样品。为了测量火灾试验过程中试样的温度分布，需要使用热成像摄像机和热电偶。为了将负载从液压执行器传递到具有隔热功能的试样，需要使用带水冷单元的负载传递元件。 为了改进结构风载荷的模拟方法，需要一种传感器信号的实时控制器和放大器。所要求的项目将与研究小组现有的混合模拟设备集成，该设备可以在风洞试验设施中模拟桥面的截面模型。 所要求的设备将为共同PI和HQP提供独特的动手测试机会。该设备将支持五个研究项目中的各种研究项目。将通过所要求的设备进行的研究项目是独一无二的。加拿大的其他机构没有类似的研究基础设施。因此，很难在加拿大其他地方进行这种研究。研究团队受益于其多样性，因为团队成员来自不同的文化背景，并采用多学科方法解决问题。此外，几个HQP将有助于混合模拟方法的发展，其中PI的机构具有全球认可。通过研究项目培训的HQP将在结构工程领域具有竞争力和市场化的技能，这将在加拿大和国际上受到追捧。 通过拟议的设备启用的研究项目将提高我们对承受极端载荷的结构元件和系统行为的理解。这最终将确保加拿大民用基础设施的安全。

Structures in civil infrastructure are designed to resist extreme loads such as earthquakes, fires, or winds. When new structural elements or structural materials are developed, it is necessary to understand how the structural elements perform during the extreme loads. For performance evaluation of the structural elements during a fire event, for example, it is essential to apply temperature to the structural elements and investigate how long the elements can sustain the temperature. If a structural system's fire performance needs to be evaluated, a hybrid (experimental-numerical) simulation method can be adopted. For performance evaluation of a structural system during a wind event, it is necessary to put a structural system in a wind tunnel and evaluate how the system responds to the wind load. The equipment requested in this proposal is to support the five research programs. The main items of equipment are heating panels and a temperature controller that can increase the temperature of a structural element up to 1,000C. The heating panels can be reconfigured to test specimens with various configurations. To measure the temperature distributions of a specimen during fire tests, thermal image cameras and thermocouples are requested. To transfer load from a hydraulic actuator to a specimen with thermal isolation, a load transfer element with a water-cooling unit is requested. To improve the simulation method for a structure subjected to wind load, a real-time controller and amplifier for sensor signals are requested. The requested items will be integrated with the research group's existing hybrid simulation equipment with which a section model of a bridge deck can be simulated in a wind tunnel testing facility. The requested equipment will provide unique hands-on testing opportunities for the co-PIs and HQPs. Various research projects in five research programs will be supported with the equipment. The research projects that will be enabled through the requested equipment are unique. Other institutions in Canada do not have similar research infrastructure. Thus, it would be difficult for such research to be carried out elsewhere in Canada. The research team benefits from its diversity as the the team members come from diverse cultural backgrounds and have a multidisciplinary approach to problem solving. In addition, several HQPs will contribute to the development of hybrid simulation methods for which the PI's institution has global recognition. The HQPs trained through the research projects will have competitive and marketable skills in the field of structural engineering that will be sought after both in Canada and internationally. The research projects enabled through the proposed equipment will improve our understanding of the behaviour of structural elements and systems subjected to extreme loads. This will ensure, ultimately, the safety of civil infrastructure in Canada.