Obiettivo
Objectives and content The world's infrastructure comprises industrial and public works vital to everyday activities. It plays a key role in productivity, development, competitiveness, quality of life and health and safety of nations. In the last 50 years EU's infrastructure expenditure related to its GDP has declined by almost 50 percent. The result is an aged infrastructure much of which has been built with the technologies and systems developed in late 19th or early 20th century. The consequences are clearly visible: traffic delays, congestion, deficient bridges and structures, deteriorating roads and motorways and decaying buildings. Measures which help to reverse such decline will bring far reaching benefits. New construction systems using advanced composite materials have performance attributes of superior strength with less weight, enhanced durability, longer service life, ease of manufacture and rapid construction, are energy efficient and have environmental compatibility as they can also be produced from sustainable resources. ASSET's main objective is to develop a strong and light- weight independent decking or flooring system made of multi-cell prismatic pultruded advanced composite profiles used as structural components, to efficiently carry wheel loads in bridges and heavy loads in other building structures. The system will be developed in such a way that it may be applied as both a complete optimised structural system for small bridges and buildings, and also as a decking or flooring component of other structures in which it acts compositely with other members. The standardised pultruded profile can potentially be readily assembled into a multitude of structural shapes for a wide variety of structural applications. The proposed profile optimises the properties of the material and the manufacturing system and does not attempt to mimic profiles in conventional materials. The system will be developed in four progressive stages. The first stage addresses the development, design, manufacture and testing of a single profile and its components. On successful completion of this initial stage an independent deck unit will be assembled from the standardised profiles and tested (Stage 2). System development will continue by testing an assembled deck acting compositely with other structural members in Stage 3. Finally, at least one full size bridge to take live traffic will be constructed with the system as a demonstration project from financial resources made available by the End User Partner. The bridge(s) will then be monitored after completion of the project by the Client and data will be made available to all partners for future exploitation, acceptance by Authorities and proof of the technology. The team offers an integrated Consortium covering the full spectrum of disciplines in the construction process comprising a Client End User, (GB), who represents the initiator and provides links with Technical Approval and Maintenance Authorities. The Science Partner, (SE), provides the academic input into the basic research and application of materials technology and is world renowned for jointing technology. A Research Institute, (ES), will provide the testing expertise. The Composite Partner, (DK), will address the development and production aspects of materials and supply. The Project Co-ordinator, (GB), a civil engineering consultancy, will cover design aspects, numerical modelling techniques, rapid prototyping, specification and will bring its project management skills to managing the project. The Contracting Partner, (SE), will bring to bear experience of carrying out work in the field under all the conditions imposed by the management of existing traffic and the excesses of the environment. The Surfacing and Supplier, (NL), will develop surfacing materials which will bond to the profile and withstand to wear the traffic. ASSET offers the chance to develop an advanced construction system for building Tomorrows infrastructure using tomorrows technology. Brite Euram III Areas covered by the proposal are 2.2 1.1 2.1 1.2 1.5 and 1.4.
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CSC - Cost-sharing contractsCoordinatore
KT14 6EZ West Byfleet
Regno Unito