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Organisation
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Organisation Chart
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Safety of Structures
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Buildings and Structures
In the Buildings and Structures division we evaluate the safety and load capacity of new or existing buildings and structures or components thereof using experimental and numerical studies.
To test and evaluate the reliability, durability and safety of building components, buildings, structures and the ground material used for the foundations, their behaviour over the short and long-term and the expected life of these are studied under complex and extreme mechanical stress conditions, and to this end, we conduct laboratory and in situ scientific studies.
We study all facets of transport system dynamics and the effects of vibration and structural acoustics. We support the German energy reform by researching supporting structures for wind turbines and overhead electricity lines.
In this connection, we participate in standardisation and regulatory committees in close partnership with partners in industry, business associations and research institutions.
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Fields of expertise
- Testing of new materials and structures
- Examination and evaluation of existing buildings
- Monitoring of measured characteristics of structures
- Damage reporting, damage analysis and damage evaluation
- Transport system dynamics and the track used by these
- Connection of research results with regulatory processes and expert evaluations
- Transfer of knowledge and technology
- Consulting authorities on all construction-related matters
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Main activities
- Experimental studies on the evaluation of supported loads of building structures
- Approval testing of construction components
- Impact testing
- Vibrations: Forecasting, measurement, mitigation
- Long-term monitoring of buildings for quality assurance purposes
- System identification and condition assessment of supporting structures
- Evaluation of fatigue-related safety and remaining life of steel structures
- Structural reinforcement
- Foundation designs of offshore structures: Simulations and model tests
- Technical consulting in the field of offshore wind power generation
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Range of services/technical equipment
- 25 MN large capacity testing machine
- 1 MN Impact testing device
- Large-scale component testing station
- Large-scale testing area for flexibly adaptable testing stations
- Multiaxial testing
- Determination of static and dynamic characteristics of elastic elements
- Mobile vibration measurement system with 72 channels
- Vibration measurement and evaluation
- Wave propagation in soil and the interaction between the ground soil and the structure
- Appraisal of impact problems
- Structural health monitoring
- Image correlation methods
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Publications of the division