Advanced methods and tools to improve security and resilience of large buildings when disaster strikes
Taking safety and evacuation features into account in the design phase of large complexes will increase safety. It is also less expensive compared to integrating elements after the complex is built or at the final stage. Various experts must be involved to make proper decisions that influence and/or limit safety, security and resilience. There is need for a comprehensive approach to safeguard large-scale complex infrastructures and their occupants from regular operational processes in crisis situations. The EU-funded ELASSTIC (Enhanced large scale architecture with safety and security technologies and special information capabilities) project introduced methodology and tools to better integrate security and resilience during design and planning phases. Project partners created a comprehensive approach to designing safe, secure and resilient large-scale building complexes, including a tool for design judgement and assessment. They extended the use of building information modelling technology to make the design process more efficient. Researchers developed smart and reinforced structural elements for high-performance energy absorption capacity. They also developed a smart evacuation design and module based on a resilience monitoring system with sensors and a building management system, live information and reliable evacuation simulations. The ELASSTIC team tested the feasibility and suitability of the developed approaches and tools at a large, multifunctional building complex built for this purpose. The 3D complex, which includes houses and shopping, business and entertainment centres, was designed to be secure and resilient to natural and man-made threats, while ensuring fast and efficient evacuation. Lastly, recommendations were made that call on EU policymakers to initiate regulatory activities regarding risk analyses of buildings and time-temperature curves for fires in buildings caused by plane, truck or car impact. Thanks to ELASSTIC, key players in planning, design, building and management of large building complexes will better identify the correct course of action for resilience and disaster preparedness.
Keywords
Large buildings, resilience, large buildings, safety, ELASSTIC, security technologies
