Aluminium Structures

By analyzing the structural performance of aluminium structures with regard to areas such as fatigue, fracturing, joining and structural fire resistance the research area is contributing to better understanding its properties and improving the position of this material in building, civil engineering and other applications.

Our research themes

1. Make structures safe
- ductile response
- response to repetitive load
- response to fire and blast

Structures should be safe in use. It implies that the probability of failure is sufficiently low and that the structure ideally has the possibility to redistribute forces in case of a local failure or overload.

• Structures need to have sufficient ductility. This implies requirements to the materials used but also the structural detailing, especially the joints. We build numerical models to determine the structural ductility.
• The fatigue resistance is an important area of research. Our research focusses on experimental and numerical prediction models and on reliability levels.
• Extreme load events, such as a fire, may damage a structure. We study the structural performance in case of fire exposure. Aim is to provide a safe escape possibility in case of a severe fire.

2. Enable / improve production
- bend / roll extruded sections
- (re)shape at various temperatures
- new applications
We model various production processes, such as cold bending of extruded sections. Our models provide predictions of the performance of the aluminium components during and after production. This enables or improves the production.

3. Reduce resources
- enhance existing structures
- re-use components
- optimize designs
Aluminium and its alloys are well known for their recycling possibilities. Aluminium can be melted and re-used, but it is also possible to demount old structures and reuse the components. Another possible application is the refurbishment and upgrading of existing structures, such as in case of bridge decks (see photos).

Our research relates to:

• Joining of different materials, in the construction phase but also during its use.
• The requirements and the determination of the performance of already used components, e.g. the acceptability of flaws in static or fatigue loaded structures.

In many cases, the research concerns the development of optimised models to predict the structural response of real structures. Numerical simulation models are developed that are dedicated to a certain type of structural shape and loading condition. Small or full-scale tests in our laboratory are used for calibration and/or validation of these simulation models. The knowledge gained is transferred to design models that practitioners can apply in developing a structural design. See the chain of figures for an example. The research enhances the application of aluminium structures.