Novel and Emerging Technologies for Sustainable and Seismically Resilient Infrastructure

加拿大民用基础设施的主要部分已超过其使用寿命。我们的基础设施赤字正以每年20亿美元的速度增长。加拿大保险局2013年的报告估计，卑诗省发生9级地震后可能造成的损失为750亿美元，魁北克省-蒙特利尔-渥太华走廊发生7级地震后可能造成的损失为610亿美元——这清楚地反映了我们脆弱的基础设施。因此，必须立即采取措施，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结构系统的创新和将知识转移到实践中来减少地震脆弱性。虽然传统的结构设计可以在地震中挽救生命，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，为结构设计带来创新是至关重要的，这样我们的基础设施才不会在地震中受损。拟议的项目目标将使前沿研究能够开发(a)具有自定心能力的创新低成本分段后张拉结构系统，以降低地震后重大破坏的风险；(b)新型的基于摩擦的自定心支撑装置，大大减少潜在的损坏，并提高新建和有缺陷的基础设施的使用寿命；(c)用于结构抗震保护的创新隔离和阻尼装置。在目前的施工实践中，建筑物和桥梁的设计是这样的，它们将通过经历大的横向漂移和关键部件的屈服来消耗地震能量，从而在大地震中造成重大破坏。在大多数情况下，这些结构是无法修复的，造成重大的经济损失。重建在经济上和环境上都是昂贵和耗时的。拟议的研究将通过开发使用垂直后张预制构件和连接细节的创新施工技术以及旧结构的新改造技术来解决这一关键需求。此外，超弹性形状记忆合金（SMA）将以钢筋、钢绞线和电缆的形式与普通钢一起用于开发自定心装置，帮助结构在地震后恢复其垂直位置。这个研究项目与全球对创新系统、技术、流程、企业家精神以及可持续发展的需求非常一致。该研究项目将为UBC培养多元化的高素质人才提供良好的机会，这些人才将构成加拿大下一代的高科技工程人才队伍。

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.