Projects / Programmes
Structural engineering and building physics
January 1, 2018
- December 31, 2027
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 2.01.00 |
Engineering sciences and technologies |
Civil engineering |
|
| 2.05.00 |
Engineering sciences and technologies |
Mechanics |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| T230 |
Technological sciences |
Building construction |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 2.01 |
Engineering and Technology |
Civil engineering |
| 2.03 |
Engineering and Technology |
Mechanical engineering |
concrete, wood, steel, composite, structure, robustness, ductility, resistance, stability, Eurocode, healthy living and working environment, bioclimatic design, thermal response, energy efficient buildings, numerical modelling, multi-scale modelling, symbolic methods, coupled problems 3D-print
Data for the last 5 years (citations for the last 10 years) on
July 26, 2024;
A3 for period
2018-2022
| Database |
Linked records |
Citations |
Pure citations |
Average pure citations |
| WoS |
184 |
3,176 |
2,783 |
15.13 |
| Scopus |
224 |
3,924 |
3,448 |
15.39 |
Researchers (20)
Organisations (1)
Abstract
The research program represents a holistic approach to addressing structures in terms of their safety, energy efficiency and comfort of living. As such, the research program covers a broad range of problems in structural engineering and building physics and numerical modeling of relevant physical processes and phenomena.
Engineering structures should provide adequate safety level, allow serviceability and meet durability and sustainability requirements. To support these objectives, the following topics will be studied: experimental and theoretical investigations of mechanical and rheological properties of concrete, wood and non-metallic reinforcement and the contact areas between them; developing our own advanced computational methods and models for nonlinear analysis structures; the study of the behavior and development of various innovative hybrid structural elements made of wood, concrete and steel; to ensure robustness, the behaviour of representative structures in accident situations will be studied; research of longitudinally and transversely stiffened curved panels, e.g. as part of the steel girders; innovative joints in steel structures that are able to provide a controlled dissipation of energy during an earthquake, and thereafter enable to restore a structure to its initial vertical position.
The research goals qualitatively and quantitatively consider buildings in a holistic manner as an element in the system of connections between the occupants and the natural and built environment, are focused on the identification of climate change impact and its consequential impact on energy performance of buildings. The final goal of described research activities is a conceptual leap in building design. The latter is reflected in a concept transition from buildings, which are broadly energy efficient, but their energy efficiency is often a result of deduction in quality and health of indoor environment. Optimisation of lightweight timber or steel buildings, of which thermal response is insufficient due to their lack of thermal mass, is exposed, what can be adjusted with use of different measures. Progress and competitiveness of domestic wood-chain industry would be encouraged, while the general quality of indoor living comfort would be preserved or even improved.
For successful analysis of structures is vital efficient numerical modelling. The development of new "smart" materials and structures requires numerical models defined at several scales, from micro, via meso to macro level and consideration of all relevant phenomena (imperfections, residual stresses, temperature, flow of liquid and gas, ...).The aim is to achieve a step forward in relation to the existing multi-scale methods by developing spatially and time adaptive multi-scale method for an arbitrary non-linear, coupled, time dependent problem. This will allow us to design new materials (metamaterials) and to perform nonlinear optimization of 3D printed structures on limit load.
Significance for science
The research program represents a holistic approach to addressing structures in terms of their safety, energy efficiency and comfort of living. As such, the research program covers a broad range of problems in structural engineering and building physics and numerical modelling of relevant physical processes and phenomena. The following sections present the planned work on these three essential components of the program as well as the common goal of development of smart building.
Constant publication of research achievements within the program in important international scientific journals expands the world's treasury of knowledge. At the same time the acquired results will allow the members of the program group to actively cooperate in important international professional and research organisations from the diverse areas covered by the members of the research group.
Structural engineering
The acquired results will allow the members of the program group to actively cooperate in international professional organisations from the area of building structures (CEN /TC 250/SC2, CEN/TC 250/SC3 as well as WG8, and WG12, IABSE, FIB). A member of the research program is also an active member of a project team for the development of the second generation the European standard for joints in steel structures EN 1993-1-8. It concerns issues that coincide with the priorities of the above mentioned international bodies and are, thus, interesting on the global level. Therefore, we expect that the results will continue to reach adequate response also in the European area. Such cooperation and verification of research topics are especially important in the coming period that coincides with the preparation of the next generation of Eurocodes for the design of building structures. The key research topics in the field of structural engineering in the next programming period are:
Properties of materials and contact areas
Serviceability limit states
Innovative hybrid structural elements timber/concrete/steel
Robustness
Curved steel panels
Joints in steel structures
Building Physics
Results of the described research represent a key factor in a progress of the society towards sustainable development, because the approach to the problem is interdisciplinary oriented, whereas cooperation of different disciplines, industry and suppliers of raw materials (wood) is essential. Therefore, research programme is focused into interaction with wider research-development areas, either domestic or foreign ones. Moreover, dissemination of findings and knowledge into the general public is exposed as one of the key factors. Thus, a society as a whole can evolve on individual (comfort, health, well-being) and universal level (green economy, sustainable energy use, conception). Only with such mind-set and dissemination of knowledge, it is possible to preserve or even recover the environment in order to achieve prosperity of current society and also for the generations to come. The key research topics in the field of building physics in the next programming period are:
Bioclimatic building design
Development of smart building concept, with a focus on introduction of energy efficient and healthy building with minimal environmental impact
Integral and dynamic evaluation of energy flows
Optimisation of matter flows
Exploring the potential of flexible building envelope elements
Numerical modelling
The project leader prof. Jože Korelc is a principal developer of the commercial software systems AceGen and AceFEM for ondemand numerical code generation and finite element analysis. The systems have become principal tools for the development of new numerical methods worldwide. It is expected that within the next programme period the extension of the systems to perform spatially and time adaptive multi-scale modelling higher order sensitivity analysis and its application the field of multifield, multiscale and stochastic analysis will become a basic research tool for the solutio
Significance for the country
The final goal of the research is to instruct civil engineering society (designers, experts, manufacturers of materials …) as well as final users and investors towards sustainably oriented economy and society. These guidelines will play a crucial role in the context of design of design save, energy efficient and user-friendly engineering structures. Such transfer of new technologies and approaches into the practice will result in strengthening of the domestic economy (not only civil engineering) and in its greater competitiveness in foreign markets.
Structural engineering
The research program is in the field of structural engineering closely related to the socio-economic needs that contributes to the development by:
cooperation with industry in developing innovative products and technologies that enable a healthy living and working environment, and contribute to the higher value added per employee, improve their competitiveness and the possibility of penetration into foreign markets,
promoting development in the form of the support for enterprises in solving the most demanding specific problems,
impact on the development of the profession through the issuance of scientific and professional publications and execution of seminars and workshops, presentations of new methods of design (results of own research or the research of other authors and international projects) and new computer programs that support modern design methods,
integration of research results into the educational process through the ongoing updating of study contents,
promoting the development of human resources through the involvement of students in research work within preparation of their final theses,
spreading of knowledge, application of modern design methods and awareness of the importance of the proper use of materials, which leads to more economical structures in terms of saving materials and sustainable use of natural resources (less environmental impact),
chairing of the three working groups SIST/TC KON/WG2, SIST/TC KON/WG3 and SIST/TC KON/WG4 within the Technical Committee for engineering structures of the Slovenian Standardization Institute, which is responsible for Eurocodes in Slovenia.
Building physics
Specifically, optimisation of lightweight timber or steel buildings, of which thermal response is insufficient due to their lack of thermal mass, is exposed. The latter can be adjusted with use of different measures (e.g. installation of massive materials or PCMs in internal layer of building envelope). An important impact on the economy is thus expressed in environmentally friendly upgrades of lightweight constructions that result in a better indoor comfort and a higher energy efficiency. Therefore, in the case of timber constructions, progress and competitiveness of domestic wood-chain industry would be encouraged, while the general quality of indoor living comfort would be preserved or even improved.
Numerical modelling
Numerical simulations are nowadays basic tool used within hightech companies for the development of new technologies and products. In general, it turns out that the whole procedure of development of new numerical method is costly and time consuming. The use of an advanced symbolicnumeric approach reduces the development time and allows researchers to focus more on mechanical phenomena involved and technological requirements. It also has impact on the education process at the postgraduate university level by enabling the students to focus more on the basic research issues. Multifield, multiscale modelling of meta materials and 3D-printed structures are currently one of the priority themes in the field of computational engineering in EU as well as in national research programs. In particular, improvement of material properties can be achieved by the optimization of material microstructure based on multifield, multiscale analysis.
Most important scientific results
Interim report
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Interim report
