Geographically distributed hybrid testing of non-conventional steel-concrete and timber structures. (R-12221)

Hybrid and geographically distributed testing is a testing methodology where the interesting part of the structure is modelled physically in the laboratory while the rest of the structure is virtually taken into account in a computational model. The interfacing between the physical and numerical parts is then managed by measurement devices and hydraulic actuators controlling the forces and displacements of this interface. The principle of hybrid testing can be extended to a geographically distributed system, meaning that only the most critical parts of the structure are physically present while the computational systems take care of the rest of the building and globalize the physical measurements and the numerical results in real-time. For instance, only some columns or walls of the ground floor are modelled while even the first levels slabs are part of the virtual model. The separate tested elements can be located in the same laboratory or distributed between different testing facilities to enlarge the testing capacities. The purpose of this PhD Thesis is to implement such a testing possibility in the context of the Structural testing lab of Hasselt University (ACB²), to optimize the algorithmic part of the problem and to apply it to examples taken from the specific research lines of the research group, such as non-conventional steel-concrete and timber structures.

Keywords:Geographically distributed testing, Hybrid testing, Pseudo-dynamic testing

Disciplines:Earthquake engineering, Structural engineering, Numerical modelling and design