Project description
Novel 3D method for seismic testing
Earthquakes are among the deadliest natural disasters creating an urgent need to test buildings’ seismic response, particularly of masonry structures as there is a lack of knowledge regarding these structures’ behaviour. Shake table testing is a solution, however full-scale system-level testing of large buildings is possible only in a handful of shake tables, at a great expense. The EU-funded MiniMasonryTesting project will create a revolutionary method to conduct system-level testing at a small scale, using 3D printers and a geotechnical centrifuge. This will be made possible by printing masonry-like materials. As a case study, the proposed method will explore a seismic isolation method for masonry structures that could be applicable in developing countries.
Objective
Earthquakes are responsible for more than half of the human losses due to natural disasters. Masonry structures have been proven the most vulnerable both in the developing and in the developed world. Even though Masonry is one of the oldest building materials, our understanding of its behavior at the level of the structure (system level) is limited. Therefore, there is a need for extended shake table testing. But shake table tests are expensive and full-scale system-level testing of large buildings is only possible in a handful of shake tables in the globe – and at a huge cost.
We propose to take advantage of research developments in 3D printing and develop a method to perform system-level testing at a small scale using 3D printers and a geotechnical centrifuge (to preserve similitude). The key is to print materials with behavior controllable and similar to masonry. MiniMasonry testing proposes to control the properties of masonry via controlling the geometry of a 3D printed “meta”-mortar. The method will be developed via typical static masonry tests performed on the 3D printed parts. It will be further validated via comparing shaking table tests (in a centrifuge) of miniature structures to existing results of full-scale tests. The cost of the dynamic tests is expected to be so low, that multiple tests can be performed, so that existing numerical methods can be validated in the statistical sense. As a case study, the method will be applied to explore the behavior of a low-cost seismic isolation method that has been proposed for masonry structures in developing countries.
With the rapid evolution of 3D printing, it will be possible to scale-up the methods developed in MiniMasonryTesting, so that other Civil Engineering materials can be tested faster and cheaper than now. This is a game changer in structural testing, as it will enable researchers to test structures that up to now it was impossible or very expensive to test at a system level.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences earth and related environmental sciences geology seismology
- natural sciences mathematics pure mathematics geometry
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
ERC-STG - Starting Grant
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Call for proposal
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(opens in new window) ERC-2018-STG
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157 72 ATHINA
Greece
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