Risk optimization of reinforced concrete frames subject to multiple threats

• Grant number: 24/16817-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: January 01, 2025
• End date: December 31, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Civil Engineering - Structural Engineering
• Principal Investigator: André Teófilo Beck
• Grantee: Lucas da Rosa Ribeiro
• Host Institution: Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos (EESC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

This research project aims to investigate different reinforcement strategies for reinforced concrete structures, simultaneously addressing threats of progressive collapse under exceptional actions, and horizontal actions such as earthquakes and extreme winds. Risk optimization techniques will be employed to explore conflicting tradeoffs between these actions with vertical and horizontal effects. A methodology is proposed to integrate probabilistic methods for risk and structural performance analysis, utilizing adaptive metamodeling techniques and PerformanceBased Engineering (PBE) formulations. Based on Performance-Based Earthquake Engineering (PBEE) and Performance-Based Wind Engineering (PBWE), Performance-Based Blast Engineering (PBBE) will be developed during a one-year BEPE period to enable the quantification of losses through PBE for progressive collapse dependent on blast threats. These tools are expected to fill a significant gap in the literature by addressing the interaction of multiple threats throughout the buildings lifespan, ensuring not only structural safety but also the economic feasibility of the proposed solutions. The choice of Prof. André Beck as supervisor, internationally recognized for his contributions in the field of risk optimization and progressive collapse, is justified by his track record of high-impact publications and his international experience, further enhanced by strategic collaboration with Prof. Mark Stewart, from the University of Newcastle, Australia, during a 12-month exchange. It is expected that results of this research will offer practical and economically viable solutions for structural reinforcement, especially for high-importance buildings, and contribute significantly to advancing knowledge in the field, expanding the impact of Brazilian scientific production, especially for the state of São Paulo, in both national and international contexts.