Structures under extreme loading
From the skyscrapers in the Middle East to smaller structures near fault lines, as our buildings have become more ambitious our understanding of how an earthquake will affect them has improved too. Engineers at Imperial were involved in drafting Eurocode 8, the European standard regulating seismic design.
Ahmed Elghazouli is a Professor of Structural Engineering at Imperial, and Head of the Structures Section in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. He also chairs the Society for Earthquakes and Civil Engineering Dynamics and was involved in the development of Eurocode 8 as well as a number of supporting guides.
His experience in the seismic assessment and design of buildings has led him to work with companies across the globe. He’s worked on some of the world’s most iconic structures, providing consultancy services in seismic design and other aspects of structural dynamics.
“The consultancies I’m involved in are always on the border between advanced assessment and research – there’s a direct interaction between the two. It’s not the kind of knowledge usually held within a typical design firm. Advanced seismic design normally stems from research.” explains Professor Elghazouli.
His research includes how structures behave under extreme loads such as blast explosions and building fires, and the best approaches to accommodate the consequences of such events in the design philosophy.
It’s not always about the extreme events either. Some of the research and consultancy work covers the effects of smaller vibrations – pedestrians walking over a footbridge for example or the vibrations in the floor of a large function hall or office building.
“In these cases, the emphasis is more on the comfort level under low level vibrations rather than concerns about safety aspects.” says Professor Elghazouli.
The department are proud of their strong links to industry and are keen to encourage consultancy as a way of applying research. Lecturers who have worked on consultancy projects find it very beneficial to use this specialist knowledge in teaching undergraduate and postgraduate students.
“A number of our students on the MSc come from industry. They definitely notice the difference when a lecturer consults too – it’s not just theory then, it’s real.” says Professor Elghazouli.
The department has a recently refurbished state-of-the-art structural testing laboratories. “The combination of our engineering expertise, testing facilities and computational modelling means we can offer a completely comprehensive service to clients.”
For more information on how our structural engineers can help your company, please contact us.
