Research
Division of Structural Engineering
The Division of Structural Engineering strives for a safe, economically efficient and sustainable design and integrity management of load bearing structures in buildings and infrastructures throughout their life cycle.
Climate change and urbanization are phenomena raising several challenges, yet also creating opportunities for climate change adaptation innovations. Buildings and built infrastructures are to withstand more intensive storms, more precipitation, flooding and increased atmospheric loads.
Urbanization and an increasing population create demands for more housing and further extension of the infrastructure. At the same time, requirements on limiting the climate and environmental effects of construction point towards more efficient planning and use of construction materials, integrity management strategies and structural health information.
Research areas
At the Division of Structural Engineering, research is conducted in the following three areas:
| The safety and decision support research group strives towards designing and managing safe, serviceable and durable engineering structures and systems. To this aim, probabilistic methods in combination with reliability, risk and decision analyses are employed to both new and existing structures and systems. These methodologies explicitly model the underlying uncertainties, costs and benefits, facilitating the identification of technically, economically efficient integrity management strategies for ensuring infrastructure safety. |
Subtopics
- Structural reliability analysis
- Risk analysis and management
- Decision and information value analysis
- Loads and load models
- Structural health monitoring
- Structural integrity management
- Infrastructure management
- Climate change risk management
Researchers
Links below will open in Lund University's Research Portal.
The research on structural performance includes timber, concrete, masonry and steel structures, with timber and masonry being the strongest areas during the last decade. Our activities span the design of new structures and the assessment of existing ones, covering both structural components (such as wall elements and connection details) and systems (such as bracing and progressive collapse). Applications include buildings, bridges, and heavy infrastructure and typically connect to one of the other two research areas via methods or objectives. Experimental, non-standardized testing plays an important role in advancing our research.
Subtopics
Materials
- Wood, timber and biobased
- Concrete
- Masonry
- Steel
Structures
- Buildings
- Bridges
- Heavy structures
Researchers
Links below will open in Lund University's Research Portal.
The research on resource efficiency seeks to minimize the use of virgin natural resources and reduce the climate impact of construction. Key projects include the development of low-cement concrete for house foundations, externally bonded reinforcement for slender masonry walls, and bio-based insulation for exterior walls, all aimed at reducing the use of harmful materials. Additionally, research on durability and service life modeling for timber and other materials focuses on making structures last longer. Circularity is addressed through projects on the reuse of clay bricks, timber, and other bio-based materials. Experimental verification plays a crucial role in all projects, supported by access to a state-of-the-art civil engineering laboratory.
Subtopics
The research on resource efficiency seeks to minimize the use of virgin natural resources and reduce the climate impact of construction. Key projects include the development of low-cement concrete for house foundations, externally bonded reinforcement for slender masonry walls, and bio-based insulation for exterior walls, all aimed at reducing the use of harmful materials. Additionally, research on durability and service life modeling for timber and other materials focuses on making structures last longer. Circularity is addressed through projects on the reuse of clay bricks, timber, and other bio-based materials. Experimental verification plays a crucial role in all projects, supported by access to a state-of-the-art civil engineering laboratory.
Researchers
Links below will open in Lund University's Research Portal.
Our international network
in Lund University's Research Portal
LTH Profile Area: Circular Building Sector
The Division participates in LTH's profile area Circular Building Sector, which is an important part of the transition to carbon neutrality and a sustainable society - on lth.se.
Research Portal
Division's profile - in Lund University's Research Portal
Research projects
The following links will open in Lund University's Research Portal: