PRR Project

Summary

The studies to be developed within this position have the aim to assess, preserve and improve the safety of the built heritage, and to contribute for the development and validation of new efficient and sustainable retrofitting techniques, as well as innovative structural construction methods and materials, thus reducing carbon footprint and waste and improving the circularity in the construction industry.The main research tasks in this position will be:- Diagnosis of reinforced and prestressed concrete structures and structural components;- Safety assessment of existing structures;- Development and validation of risk assessment methodologies;- Post-fire assessment of concrete structures;- Numerical studies on thermal effects on concrete structures;- Numerical modelling and analysis to simulate structural response under various situations;- Testing and validation of innovative structural retrofitting techniques;- Development and validation of laboratory test methods to assess the mechanical behaviour of structural components;- Assessment of structural prefabricated construction products.The researcher must be engaged in the design, development, and execution of research and development projects, organize, and collaborate in the institution´s training programs, supervise master´s and doctoral theses, disseminate and publish non-confidential results of scientific and technical activity, exercise the functions for which he/she has been elected or appointed and participate in the sessions of LNEC´s collegiate bodies.The successful candidate should have a PhD degree in Civil Engineering, scientific area of Structures (given or recognized by a Portuguese Higher Education Institution) and have a strong background in structural systems’ mechanical performance and diagnosis, hazard assessment, structural behaviour, vulnerability and risk assessment and structural retrofitting of concrete structures. Programming skills are fundamental as the researcher should be able to develop numerical models to simulate the structural response. An experimental analysis background is also important to carry out experimental laboratory work. The candidate must be able to participate in multidisciplinary studies and have the skills and the spirit to work in a team. Good communication skills as well as a good network of experts in the area will be valued.Reinforced concrete and prestressed concrete buildings constitute most of the building stock in southern European countries, including Portugal. Since the dissemination of concrete structures in our country, around the 1930’s, the materials used and the construction practices experienced a significant evolution, building codes and safety requirements improved considerably, and the age of many buildings in use went largely beyond their intended service life. Besides, previous interventions carried out to these buildings have often caused additional severe damage, rather than improving their safety and durability. Consequently, the number and types of problems exhibited by concrete building stock are wide and challenging.Reuse, rehabilitation and life extension of old constructions are therefore greatly important for societal, economic, and environmental reasons. In this context, knowledge of these varied structures and their varied characteristics and problems, and discussion on suitable and efficient rehabilitation techniques able to reduce the vulnerability of old buildings becomes crucial. In Portugal, particularly in recent years, there has been great interest and consequent investment by public and private entities in the rehabilitation market, with residential buildings gradually gaining greater prominence.The economic and social revitalization of urban centres is acknowledged by the United Nations 2030 Agenda which calls for enhancing community and infrastructure resilience and promoting sustainable economic growth. This requires the knowledge of sound diagnosis techniques and structural safety assessment as well as the use of effective (though economic) reinforcement solutions to reduce the vulnerability of the intervened buildings and surrounding area.In line with an increasing individual and political conscience on environmental issues, several prefabricated building systems and optimized concrete construction methods have been proposed to the market recently. The assessment and validation of these products and techniques is crucial to guarantee a suitable safety level for the built environment, and the confidence of society.Presently, at LNEC there is a lack of researchers in these areas. This position is crucial to overcome this constraint and enable the continuation of research under this theme in the Unit. The present position is also needed to ensure knowledge sharing and transfer to a younger generation of researchers.