Project: Risk based Performance Prediction and Lifetime Assessment of Concrete Structures

MOTIVATION: Active management of aging civil infrastructure is a 21st century problem that must be urgently solved as the condition and safety of existing structures deteriorate. This problem will challenge our thinking, methodologies, and ability to incorporate new technologies into existing approaches across a spectrum of interested parties; scientists, infrastructure managers, public officials, and users. Although great progress in the fields of civil infrastructure management, construction, and structural health monitoring has been made, integration of the milestones in each field reCOs an area in need of research. _x000D__x000D__x000D_OBJECTIVES: The project is structured in three CO parts (a) the extension of probabilistic advanced analysis methods of concrete structures, (b) optimization and adaptation of structural health monitoring (SHM) systems associated with probabilistic concepts as treated in (a), and (c) the development of cost risk tree based decision module for the efficient cost optimized reliability-assessment and lifetime planning of engineering structures._x000D__x000D__x000D_Add (a): _x000D_This work package focuses on the conceptual theoretical development and practical utilization of the probabilistic advanced analysis of concrete structures based on integration of non-linear structural analysis, reliability techniques and health monitoring approaches in order to assess reliability of existing concrete structures and its reCOing service life (COly bridges). The aim is to develop from this complex topics a user-friendly Software System for the individual reliability assessment. The system will be based on a synthesis of the following research topics/results: _x000D_• Incorporation of health monitoring concepts for structures in the reliability assessment _x000D_• Determination and testing of stochastic material, geometrical models and identification methods based on laboratory experiments _x000D_• Database development associated with stochastic material, geometrical and load models, which are common in structural engineering_x000D_• Adjustment of advanced nonlinear FEM computational modeling using advanced constitutive laws_x000D_• Inverse FEM analysis methods (static and dynamic) for the identification of structural degradation processes in the reliability assessment environment._x000D_• Reliability assessment via modeling of uncertainties by random variables._x000D_• Spatial (time) variability modeling using random fields (processes)_x000D_• Material degradation modeling_x000D_• Life cycle, cost and risk analysis_x000D__x000D_Within this work package the development and implementation of reliability techniques utilizing small number of samples will be essential and will enable to model also the spatial random variability of material properties. The results of this work package will provide the realistic and efficient computation of the structural performance of new and existing ordinary and high sophisticated structures._x000D_Add (b): _x000D_The objective within this work package is the development of structural health monitoring (SHM) concepts, based on acceptance criteria and Bayesian methods, suitable for a proper incorporation of monitoring information in the previously mentioned reliability-based, life-cycle assessment of structures. Particular attention is given to several macro-level considerations, the design of top-down monitoring systems, and the innovative use of monitoring information all within the context of a resource constrained environment._x000D__x000D_Add (c): _x000D_The aim of the third work package is the development of a risk management system allowing a cost-based analysis for COtenance and lifetime optimization according to the type of monitoring and the time of strengthening measures. This tool will also provide decision elements for the selection of optimum structural details within the design period._x000D_The targets and objectives formulated within the three work packages will be included in a software package usable for the design, management and COtenance of engineering structures_x000D__x000D_The project consortium consists of two SME Ps, with expert knowledge in design, COtenance and nonlinear reliability assessment of engineering structures, and two scientific Ps, deal since several years with simulations and reliability assessment tools associated with engineering structures

Acronym	RLACS (Reference Number: 4351)
Duration	15/05/2008 - 15/03/2012
Project Topic	The project is structured in three CO parts (a) the extension of probabilistic advanced analysis methods of structures, (b) optimization and adaptation of structural health monitoring (SHM) systems associated with probabilistic concepts as treated in (a), and (c) cost decision risk tools
Project Results (after finalisation)	Software tools for risk based assessment of engineering structures._x000D_Matlab tools for lifetime and degradation assessment procedures.
Network	Eurostars
Call	Eurostars Cut-Off 1

Project partner

Number	Name	Role	Country
4	Brno University of Technology, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Institute of Structural Mechanics, Czech Republic	Partner	Czech Republic
4	Cervenka Consulting	Coordinator	Czech Republic
4	Ingenieurteam Bergmeister GmbH	Partner	Italy
4	Univ. of Natural Resources and A. L. Sc.; Dep. Struct. Eng.+Nat.Hazards.; Inst. of Civil Eng.	Partner	Austria