Seismic SAFety and Energy efficiency: Integrated technologies and multi-criteria performance-based design for building FACadEs

Project Information

SAFE-FACE

Grant agreement ID: 101029605

DOI

10.3030/101029605

Project closed

EC signature date 12 April 2021

Start date 15 July 2021

End date 14 July 2023

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost

€ 175 572,48

EU contribution

€ 175 572,48

Coordinated by

TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITEIT DELFT
Netherlands

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SAFE-FACE (Seismic SAFety and Energy efficiency: Integrated technologies and multi-criteria performance-based design for building FACadEs)

Reporting period: 2021-07-15 to 2023-07-14

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The pressing need for stronger, eco-friendly communities and a resource-efficient economy often shapes socio-political goals. Given the harmful effects of the construction sector on the environment, the building industry is working extensively to boost the sustainability of structures and meet energy efficiency objectives. Building envelopes play a major role on the sustainability of buildings. Although novel lifecycle-based design approaches and innovative technical solutions have emerged, environmentally sustainable facades are not enough for building resilient societies. In earthquake-prone areas, facades can lose functionality even during low-intensity events and suffer substantial damage during moderate-to-high intensity earthquakes. This poses risks to occupants, pedestrians, and the economy, with potential losses surpassing structural damage.

Addressing the challenge of creating resilient building facades is therefore crucial for our society, particularly within the context of natural disasters and extreme events such as heatwaves. This urgency is driven by the need to safeguard public safety and counteract potential adverse effects on our economy and environment. Furthermore, resilient facades align seamlessly with sustainability goals by conserving resources and reducing waste through extended functionality.

The SAFE-FACE project has focused on two key objectives: (i) devising practical and cost-effective technical solutions for damage-control energy-efficient facades, and (ii) developing innovative tools and frameworks for comprehensive performance assessment to support in the selection of robust facade systems. The project has delved into integrated technical solutions for defining "earthquake-proof" and climate-resilient facade systems. Moreover, a holistic framework and tools have been created to evaluate and compare seismic safety alongside other performance metrics, thereby assisting early-stage decision-making for integrated technical systems.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The project was divided into three distinct work packages (WPs), each comprising three tasks.

WP1 focused on evaluating the performance of integrated earthquake-proof energy-efficient facade systems, to aid technology development. This WP was carried out in close collaboration with industrial partners, that provided in-kind contributions for experimental testing of full-scale glazed facades. These partners are also keenly interested in further advancements in this area. During a secondment period at the global facade contractor Permasteelisa, the fellow oversaw the entire experimental campaign, from designing the test setup to supervising the experiments and post-processing the data. WP1 resulted in collaborative publications with academics and industries (including 3 conference publications, 1 journal paper, and 2 forthcoming journal publications). The research findings were also showcased at international conferences and seminars regarding glass structures and earthquake engineering. This research also fostered collaborations with a multinational engineering firm (Arup), leading to further investigations on the topic (and a joint conference paper) along with the supervision of 2 graduation projects.

WP2 aimed at creating novel multi-criteria decision-making procedures, including seismic safety, for facade design. This WP led to inter-disciplinary collaborations and co-authored papers (including 4 conference papers, 1 journal papers, and 2 forthcoming journal paper). Furthermore, the fellow published a journal paper as the sole author, thus demonstrating significant growth in research publication. Finally, WP3 focused on defining multi-performance design procedures incorporating risk assessment and uncertainty quantification. This WP yielded 1 published journal paper with another one in progress, as well as 2 conference papers, along with the supervision of 3 graduation projects. The digital tools developed under these two work packages are accessible through dedicated publications or related repositories in an open-access format. The fellow also disseminated the research results through her personal websites and the university webpages.

This interdisciplinary journey expanded the fellow's knowledge, enhancing their research perspective on multi-hazard resilience. This broader expertise played a crucial role in coordinating the preparation of a successful Horizon-Europe proposal, securing an exceptional €7.5 million funding with a 15/15 perfect score. As a result, the fellow will serve as the Technical Coordinator for a 21-member international Consortium. Additionally, the fellow was invited to present the SAFE-FACE project's results at a workshop organized by JRC and joined the Earthquake Engineering European Association-WG15 working group, solidifying their reputation in the field.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The research has significantly advanced the state of the art in both technology development and design methodologies.

From a technological perspective, the research outcomes have the potential to significantly contribute to the development of safer energy-efficient facade systems. The vulnerability/fragility data generated from the research can be harnessed to support the creation of new systems capable of withstanding earthquakes, whilst maintaining their functionality. Although damage-control techniques are established in Earthquake Engineering, their application in Europe is limited. This project disseminated knowledge within the European context about these innovative technical solutions. The research encompassed various disciplines (Earthquake Engineering, Façade Engineering), academic-industrial collaboration, and a range of expertise (Early Researcher, Supervisor, Collaborators) to define a suite of cost-effective damage-control and energy-efficient systems that are currently lacking in availability for practitioners and stakeholders.

From a design perspective, the project developed decision-support frameworks that comprehensively assesses seismic safety in comparison with other performance measures, as energy efficiency and ecological footprint. The project focused on integrating seismic safety into lifecycle-based façade design and assessment, thus enhancing and developing novel multi-criteria decision-making tools for decision makers and investors. Additionally, a probabilistic fragility-based framework was developed to facilitate the multi-performance (energy and seismic) design of façade solutions.

As such, the SAFE-FACE project addresses the pressing need for resilient and sustainable development within the European Community. It timely responds to the requirements of our modern society, aiming to improve safety thus reducing potential seismic and energy socio-economic losses. This research serves as a catalyst and enabler for interdisciplinary efforts within the European landscape, contributing to the broader adoption of resilience-enhancing building facades.

Integrating seismic safety considerations into facade design

Collaborating with industry on technology development

Developing tools for more-informed design decisions