Access profile

The natural route for entering the doctoral programme is for students who have competed and passed the master's degree in Structural and Construction Engineering at the UPC (MEEC-UPC). Students who have taken other master’s degrees must show that they have basic knowledge of the main subjects in construction technology, that is: structural concrete, metal and mixed structures, construction materials, durability, maintenance and management of structures and civil works. Students should have some knowledge of programming and software packages for the analysis and calculation of the structures.

Output profile

Doctoral candidates who complete a doctoral degree will have acquired the following competencies, which are needed to carry out quality research (Royal Decree 99/2011, of 28 January, which regulates official doctoral studies):

a) A systematic understanding of the field of study and a mastery of the research skills and methods related to the field.
b) An ability to conceive, design or create, put into practice and adopt a substantial process of research or creation.
c) An ability to contribute to pushing back the frontiers of knowledge through original research.
d) A capacity for critical analysis and an ability to assess and summarise new and complex ideas.
e) An ability to communicate with the academic and scientific community and with society in general as regards their fields of knowledge in the manner and languages that are typical of the international scientific community to which they belong.
f) An ability to foster scientific, technological, social, artistic and cultural progress in academic and professional contexts within a knowledge-based society.

The award of a doctoral degree must equip the graduate for work in a variety of settings, especially those requiring creativity and innovation. Doctoral graduates must have at least acquired the personal skills needed to:

a) Develop in contexts in which there is little specific information.
b) Find the key questions that must be answered to solve a complex problem.
c) Design, create, develop and undertake original, innovative projects in their field.
d) Work as part of a team and independently in an international or multidisciplinary context.
e) Integrate knowledge, deal with complexity and make judgements with limited information.
f) Offer criticism on and intellectually defend solutions.

Finally, with respect to competencies, doctoral students must:
a) have acquired advanced knowledge at the frontier of their discipline and demonstrated, in the context of internationally recognised scientific research, a deep, detailed and well-grounded understanding of theoretical and practical issues and scientific methodology in one or more research fields;
b) have made an original and significant contribution to scientific research in their field of expertise that has been recognised as such by the international scientific community;
c) have demonstrated that they are capable of designing a research project that serves as a framework for carrying out a critical analysis and assessment of imprecise situations, in which they are able to apply their contributions, expertise and working method to synthesise new and complex ideas that yield a deeper knowledge of the research context in which they work;
d) have developed sufficient autonomy to set up, manage and lead innovative research teams and projects and scientific collaborations (both national and international) within their subject area, in multidisciplinary contexts and, where appropriate, with a substantial element of knowledge transfer;
e) have demonstrated that they are able to carry out their research activity in a socially responsible manner and with scientific integrity;
f) have demonstrated, within their specific scientific context, that they are able to make cultural, social or technological advances and promote innovation in all areas within a knowledge-based society;
g) have demonstrated that they are able to participate in scientific discussions at the international level in their field of expertise and disseminate the results of their research activity to audiences of all kinds.

Number of places

20

Duration of studies and dedication regime

Duration
The maximum period of study for full-time doctoral studies is three years, counted from the date of admission to the programme to the date of submission of the doctoral thesis. The academic committee of the doctoral programme may authorise a doctoral candidate to pursue doctoral studies on a part-time basis. In this case, the maximum period of study is five years, counting from the date of admission to the programme to the date of submission of the doctoral thesis. For calculating these periods, the date of admission is considered to be the date of the first enrolment for tutorials, and the date of submission the moment in which the Doctoral School officially deposits the doctoral thesis.

For full-time doctoral candidates, the minimum period of study is two years, counted from the date of an applicant's admission to the programme until the date on which the doctoral thesis is deposited; for part-time doctoral candidates it is four years. When there are justified grounds for doing so, and the thesis supervisor and academic tutor have given their authorisation, doctoral candidates may request that the academic committee of their doctoral programme exempt them from the minimum period of study requirement.

The calculation of periods of study will not include periods of absence due to illness, pregnancy or any other reason provided for in the regulations in force. Students who find themselves in any of these circumstances must notify the academic committee of the doctoral programme, which, where appropriate, must inform the Doctoral School. Doctoral candidates may also temporarily withdraw from the programme for up to one year, and this period may be extended for an additional year. Doctoral candidates who wish to interrupt their studies must submit a justified request to the academic committee of the doctoral programme, which will decide whether or not to approve the request. Each programme will establish conditions for readmission to doctoral studies.

Extension
If full-time doctoral candidates have not applied to deposit their thesis by the end of the three-year period of study, the academic committee of the programme may authorise an extension of up to one year. In exceptional circumstances, a further one-year extension may be granted, subject to the conditions established by the corresponding doctoral programme. In the case of part-time doctoral candidates, an extension of two years may be authorised. In both cases, in exceptional circumstances a further one-year extension may be granted by the Doctoral School's Standing Committee, upon the submission of a reasoned application by the academic committee of the doctoral programme.

Dismissal from the doctoral programme
A doctoral candidate may be dismissed from a doctoral programme for the following reasons:

• The doctoral candidate submitting a justified application to withdraw from the programme.
• The maximum period of study and of extensions thereof ending.
• The doctoral candidate not having enrolled every academic year (unless he or she has been authorised to temporarily withdraw).
• The doctoral candidate failing two consecutive assessments.
• The doctoral candidate having disciplinary proceedings filed against him or her that rule that he or she must be dismissed from the UPC.

Dismissal from the programme implies that doctoral candidates cannot continue studying at the UPC and the closing of their academic record. This notwithstanding, they may apply to the academic committee of the programme for readmission and the committee must reevaluate them in accordance with the criteria established in the regulations.

Organization

• Ramos Schneider, Gonzalo

• Casals Casanova, Miquel
• Casas Rius, Joan Ramon
• Etxeberria Larrañaga, Miren
• Oller Ibars, Eva
• Ramos Schneider, Gonzalo
• Roca Fabregat, Pedro

• Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (PROMOTORA)
• Department of Project and Construction Engineering

Office 202 – Building C2 (North Campus)
Tel.: (+34) 934 016 497
E-mail: doctorat.ECO.camins@upc.edu

Agreements with other institutions

Access profile

The natural route for entering the doctoral programme is for students who have competed and passed the master's degree in Structural and Construction Engineering at the UPC (MEEC-UPC). Students who have taken other master’s degrees must show that they have basic knowledge of the main subjects in construction technology, that is: structural concrete, metal and mixed structures, construction materials, durability, maintenance and management of structures and civil works. Students should have some knowledge of programming and software packages for the analysis and calculation of the structures.

Access requirements

Applicants must hold a Spanish bachelor’s degree or equivalent and a Spanish master’s degree or equivalent, provided they have completed a minimum of 300 ECTS credits on the two degrees (Royal Decree 43/2015, of 2 February)

In addition, the following may apply:

• Holders of an official degree awarded by a university in Spain or any other country in the European Higher Education Area, pursuant to the provisions of Article 16 of Royal Decree 1393/2007, of 29 October, which establishes official university course regulations, who have completed a minimum of 300 ECTS credits on official university degrees, of which at least 60 must be at the master's degree level.
• Holders of an official Spanish bachelor’s degree comprising at least 300 credits, as provided for by EU regulations. Holder of degrees of this kind must complete bridging courses unless the curriculum of the bachelor’s degree in question included research training credits equivalent in value to those which would be earned on a master's degree.
• Holders of an official university qualification who, having passed the entrance examination for specialised medical training, have completed at least two years of a training course leading to an official degree in a health-sciences specialisation.
• Holders of a degree issued under a foreign education system. In these cases, homologation is not required, but the UPC must verify that the degree certifies a level of training equivalent to an official Spanish master's degree and qualifies the holder for admission to doctoral studies in the country where it was issued. Admission on this basis does not imply homologation of the foreign degree or its recognition for any purpose other than admission to doctoral studies.
• Holders of a Spanish doctoral qualification issued under previous university regulations.

Note 1: Doctoral studies entrance regulations for holders of an undergraduate degree awarded before the introduction of the EHEA (CG 47/02 2014)

Note 2: Governing Council Decision 64/2014, which approves the procedure and criteria for assessing the fulfilment of academic admission requirements for doctoral studies by holders of non-homologated foreign degrees (CG 25/03 2014)

Admission criteria and merits assessment

Qualifications that provide direct access without the need for bridging courses include:

• master’s degree in Structural and Construction Engineering (MIEC-UPC)
• master’s degree in Civil Engineering
• master’s degree in Civil Engineering
• master’s degree in Industrial Engineering

The academic committee of the doctoral programme may recognise the equivalence of other masters of science (in the Bologna Process) or even other qualifications. To recognise equivalence, the committee will assess whether the qualification corresponds with the MIEC-UPC in terms of the number of credits and subjects that are covered, and the excellence of the academic institution in which the course was taught. Students who hold master’s degrees or other qualifications recognised as equivalent to the MIEC-UPC will be admitted automatically.

The admission of students who do not meet this criterion could be considered and analysed by the academic committee of the doctoral programme in Construction Engineering. In general, holding a master’s degree of an academic or scientific nature adapted to the guidelines of the Bologna Process will be an essential condition for access to the doctoral programme. In this case, the committee will decide whether to accept each applicant on an individual basis. The committee will assess the following aspects, according to the weighting indicated in brackets:

• The characteristics of previous studies (particularly the degree of equivalence with the master’s degree in Structural and Construction Engineering - scientific pathway) (25%).
• The grants and financial aid that have been awarded (5%).
• Academic record (20%).
• Possibility of supervision by lecturers in the department (30%).
• Previous research experience (15%).
• Language knowledge (5%).

Training complements

The academic committee for the programme may require that doctoral students pass specific bridging courses. In this case, it will monitor the bridging courses that are taken and establish appropriate criteria to limit their duration.

Bridging courses will be on research training. Doctoral students will never be required to enrol for bridging courses worth 60 ECTS or more.

The required bridging courses in methodological or scientific training could be established for each student by:

1. The academic committee, as an admission requirement or after admission as a condition for continuation to be completed within the time limit given below.
2. The tutor or the thesis supervisor, as a result of observing gaps in the student’s knowledge or performance.
3. The thesis supervisor, as a result of observing gaps in the student’s training or as an additional advanced training need in the topic(s) of the doctoral thesis.

The committee will establish the need for bridging course on admission. The tutor and the thesis supervisor could identify and establish the need for bridging courses during the first year.

The decision about which bridging courses a student must take is made by agreement between the tutor and the academic coordinators of the programme. This decision is then approved by the academic committee.

Bridging courses to take

The committee will establish the required credits and subjects in each case. In general, subjects will be selected from the UPC master's degree in Structural and Construction Engineering, when it is considered that students need to take these subjects to achieve a suitable initial level of knowledge. For each student, the committee can define two types of additional training:

1. Training requirements prior to entering the doctoral programme. Admission to the programme will depend on passing these subjects.

2. Requirements for training in methodology, research, oral and written communication techniques.

The deadline for completing this training is one-and-a-half years (18 months) when bridging courses are required by the academic committee as a condition for definitive admission. The committee could rule to discontinue the student if the required bridging courses have not been completed in the first 18 months.

Enrolment period for new doctoral students

From around mid-September to mid-October of each academic year.

February (extraordinary enrolment) mainly for students who have been waiting for visas and grants.

More information at the registration section for new doctoral students

Enrolment period

From around mid-September to mid-October of each academic year.

More information at the general registration section

Procedure for the preparation and defense of the research plan

Doctoral candidates must submit a research plan, which will be included in their doctoral student activity report, before the end of the first year. The plan may be improved over the course of the doctoral degree. It must be endorsed by the tutor and the supervisor, and it must include the method that is to be followed and the aims of the research.

At least one of these annual assessments will include a public presentation and defence of the research plan and work done before a committee composed of three doctoral degree holders, which will be conducted in the manner determined by each academic committee. The examination committee awards a Pass or Fail mark. A Pass mark is a prerequisite for continuing on the doctoral programme. Doctoral candidates awarded a Fail mark must submit a new research plan for assessment by the academic committee of the doctoral programme within six months.

The committee assesses the research plan every year, in addition to all of the other activities in the doctoral student activity report. Doctoral candidates who are awarded two consecutive Fail marks for the research plan will be obliged to definitely withdraw from the programme.

If they change the subject of their thesis, they must submit a new research plan.

Formation activities

Activity: Tutorial (compulsory).
Hours: 375.

Activity: Seminars (optional).
Hours: 2.

Activity: Research visits to foreign universities and mobility (optional).
Hours: 480.

Activity: Training in information skills (optional).
Hours: 1.5.

Activity: Research methodology (compulsory).
Hours: 12.

Activity: Innovation and creativity (optional).
Hours: 8.

Activity: Language and communication skills (compulsory).
Hours: 18.

Activity: Assessment based on doctoral student activity report (DAD) and research plan.
Hours: 4.

Procedure for assignment of tutor and thesis director

The academic committee of the doctoral programme assigns a thesis supervisor to each doctoral candidate when they are admitted or enrol for the first time, taking account of the thesis supervision commitment referred to in the admission decision.

The thesis supervisor will ensure that training activities carried out by the doctoral candidate are coherent and suitable, and that the topic of the candidate’s doctoral thesis will have an impact and make a novel contribution to knowledge in the relevant field. The thesis supervisor will also guide the doctoral candidate in planning the thesis and, if necessary, tailoring it to any other projects or activities undertaken. The thesis supervisor will generally be a UPC professor or researcher who holds a doctoral degree and has documented research experience. This includes PhD-holding staff at associated schools (as determined by the Governing Council) and UPC-affiliated research institutes (in accordance with corresponding collaboration and affiliation agreements). When thesis supervisors are UPC staff members, they also act as the doctoral candidate’s tutor.

PhD holders who do not meet these criteria (as a result of their contractual relationship or the nature of the institution to which they are attached) must be approved by the UPC Doctoral School's Standing Committee in order to participate in a doctoral programme as researchers with documented research experience.

The academic committee of the doctoral programme may approve the appointment of a PhD-holding expert who is not a UPC staff member as a candidate’s thesis supervisor. In such cases, the prior authorisation of the UPC Doctoral School's Standing Committee is required. A UPC staff member who holds a doctoral degree and has documented research experience must also be proposed to act as a co-supervisor, or as the doctoral candidate’s tutor if one has not been assigned.

A thesis supervisor may step down from this role if there are justified reasons (recognised as valid by the committee) for doing so. If this occurs, the academic committee of the doctoral programme will assign the doctoral candidate a new thesis supervisor.

Provided there are justified reasons for doing so, and after hearing any relevant input from the doctoral candidate, the academic committee of the doctoral programme may assign a new thesis supervisor at any time during the period of doctoral study.

If there are academic reasons for doing so (an interdisciplinary topic, joint or international programmes, etc.) and the academic committee of the programme gives its approval, an additional thesis supervisor may be assigned. Supervisors and co-supervisors have the same responsibilities and academic recognition.

The maximum number of supervisors of a doctoral thesis is two: a supervisor and a co-supervisor.

For theses carried out under a cotutelle agreement or as part of an Industrial Doctorate, if necessary and if the agreement foresees it this maximum number of supervisors may not apply. This notwithstanding, the maximum number of supervisors belonging to the UPC is two.

More information at the PhD theses section

Permanence

The academic committee of the programme may authorise an extension of up to one year for full-time doctoral candidates who have not applied to deposit their thesis by the end of the three-year period of study, in the terms outlined in the Academic Regulations for Doctoral Studies of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. In the case of part-time candidates, an extension of two years may be authorised. In both cases, in exceptional circumstances a further one-year extension may be granted by the Doctoral School's Standing Committee, upon the submission of a reasoned application by the academic committee of the doctoral programme.

A doctoral candidate may be dismissed from a doctoral programme for the following reasons:

• The doctoral candidate submitting a justified application to withdraw from the programme.
• The maximum period of study and of extensions thereof ending.
• The doctoral candidate not having enrolled every academic year (unless he or she has been authorised to temporarily withdraw).
• The doctoral candidate failing two consecutive assessments.
• The doctoral candidate having disciplinary proceedings filed against him or her that rule that he or she must be dismissed from the UPC.

Dismissal from the programme implies that doctoral candidates cannot continue studying at the UPC and the closing of their academic record. This notwithstanding, they may apply to the academic committee of the programme for readmission and the committee must reevaluate them in accordance with the criteria established in the regulations.

International Mention

The doctoral degree certificate may include International Doctorate mention. In this case, the doctoral candidate must meet the following requirements:

a) During the period of study leading to the award of the doctoral degree, the doctoral candidate must have spent at least three months at a respected higher education institution or research centre outside Spain to complete courses or do research work. The stays and activities carried out must be endorsed by the thesis supervisor and authorised by the academic committee of the programme. The candidate must provide a certifying document issued by the person responsible for the research group of the body or bodies where the stay or activity was completed. This information will be added to the doctoral student’s activity report.
b) Part of the thesis (at least the summary and conclusions) must be written and presented in one of the languages commonly used for science communication in the relevant field of knowledge, which must not be an official language of Spain. This rule does not apply to stays and reports in Spanish or to experts from Spanish-speaking countries.
c) At least two PhD-holding experts belonging to a higher education institution or research centre outside Spain must have issued officially certified reports on the thesis.
d) The thesis examination committee must have included at least one PhD-holding expert from a higher education or research institution outside Spain who was not responsible for the candidate’s stay abroad (point a) above).
e) The thesis defence must have taken place on UPC premises or, in the case of joint programmes, at the location specified in the collaboration agreement.

List of authorized thesis for defense

Last update: 05/12/2023 05:45:30.

List of lodged theses

Last update: 05/12/2023 05:30:22.

List of defended theses by year

• BALOOCHI, HANI: Use of alternative materials in soil stabilization: mechanical and environmental aspects.
  
  Author: BALOOCHI, HANI
  Thesis file: (contact the Doctoral School to confirm you have a valid doctoral degree and to get the link to the thesis)
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING
  Department: (DECA)
  Mode: Article-based thesis
  Reading date: 17/03/2023
  Thesis director: BARRA BIZINOTTO, MARILDA | APONTE HERNÁNDEZ, DIEGO FERNANDO
  

  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: VAZQUEZ RAMONICH, ENRIC
       SECRETARI: LÓPEZ GAYARRE, FERNANDO
       VOCAL: FORMOSA MITJANS, JOAN
  Thesis abstract: Currently, the two most raw material consumer industries are civil engineering and the pulp and paper industry. Meanwhile, these sectors face severe criticism due to their environmental impact. Additionally, by increasing more strict regulations over the disposal of pulp and paper waste into landfills, European unions are looking for the possible use of different applications of paper ash.This doctoral thesis is a part of the European Union project (Paperchain), which has the participation of 20 European partners (Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Slovenia, and France), which include construction companies, paper companies, research centres, and universities. This thesis aims to study the possibility of using waste paper fly (WPFA) and bottom ash (WPBA), which come from a recycled paper plant (energy recovery plant) in Spain. The goal is to use WPFA and WPBA as cementing materials to stabilize soil without incorporating any other traditional binder material. Therefore, an in-depth characterization of the two types of ashes (WPFA and WPBA) is carried out to determine their hydration process and strength gain. Also, when ashes are mixed with soils for stabilization, different amounts of binder, water and delay times for compaction of the samples are studied.Determining the environmental impact of WPA is an essential step to the safe use of WPA as binders. Hence, in the first place, the chemical, mineralogical, and size distribution of WPA during one year of sample collecting from the recycling paper plant was conducted. Then, release of pollutants from stabilised soils with WPFA is also studied by means of leaching test in the laboratory and the trial field.Cement and lime are prone to swell when becoming in contact with a sulfate source. Owing to similarities between the cement and WPA, the stabilized soil was placed in contact with different sulfate concentrations to determine the swelling and to assure its safe use. Finally, as most of the experiments were conducted in the laboratory, field experimental sections were carried out to verify the performance of stabilised soils with ashes.The chemical and mineralogical variation during the one-year sample collection from the paper plant demonstrated little changes in WPFA and WPBA. Hydration in both ashes is similar, when mixed with water, hydrated calcium silicates gel (C¿S¿H), portlandite and, in some cases, Friedel¿s salt are generated. This process is slower in bottom ash (WPBA) and therefore its mechanical performance is lower compared to fly ash (WPFA).The amount of water plays an important role in swelling and the final strength of stabilised soil. To achieve better workability and minimise swelling it is important to add 30-minute delay time after mixing soil, ash and water. In addition, to obtain the greatest workability, reducing the water content by one point of Proctor value improved the strength significantly. In relation to durability results, different sulfate concentrations and temperatures had no effect on the durability of stabilized soil with WPFA. At long ages formation of ettringite is observe, in very low quantities, possibly due to the consumption of all aluminium in the system.The environmental impact assessment of WPA showed stabilized soil can be categorized as inert material. However, it should be mentioned that WPFA solely released a high amount of barium (Ba). Environmental test carried out on the experimental field trial do not show any negative effects in the environment.Finally, from a mechanical, environmental, and durability standpoint it has been successfully demonstrated that the implementation of WPFA as the sole hydraulic binder is possible.
  

• CABANÉ CAÑAS, ALBERT: Mechanical characterisation of masonry in existing structures by means of laboratory and in-situ experimental techniques.
  
  Author: CABANÉ CAÑAS, ALBERT
  Thesis link: http://hdl.handle.net/10803/689032
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING
  Department: (DECA)
  Mode: Article-based thesis
  Reading date: 17/05/2023
  Thesis director: ROCA FABREGAT, PEDRO | PELA, LUCA
  

  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: LOMBILLO, IGNACIO
       SECRETARI: CORNADÓ BARDÓN, CÒSSIMA
       VOCAL: TARQUE RUIZ, SABINO NICOLA
  Thesis abstract: Masonry structures are among the most abundant construction typologies in the world, having been commonly built until the second half of the 20th century. The determination of the mechanical properties of these structures entails significant difficulties given the intrinsic complexity of masonry as a composite material. For this reason, the accurate evaluation of masonry buildings against vertical and horizontal actions requires the development and improvement of techniques for the characterisation of the mechanical properties of existing masonry and their components. This thesis presents an extensive experimental program on the characterisation of solid fired clay bricks, including the case of both handmade bricks and mechanically extruded ones. The research has also comprised extensive campaigns on the mechanical characterisation of bricks and mortar in existing historic buildings in Barcelona (Spain), using minor destructive tests (MDT). The main objective of the in-situ experimental campaigns was the calibration and validation of the MDT techniques by comparison with results obtained through destructive tests (DT) applied in the laboratory. The laboratory experimental campaigns involved the study and improvement of existing techniques and the development of new ones for the mechanical characterisation of masonry components. The research has focused on the measurement of mechanical parameters of solid clay bricks, such as the compressive strength and the modulus of elasticity. Currently, there is a lack of unanimity in the scientific literature and also among the standards on how to evaluate the compressive strength, which in any case requires of a large number of specimens and the use of various tools and techniques. Also, there are no reference standards on the determination of the modulus of elasticity and, therefore, new proposals on standardizable methodologies are needed. In spite of the challenges encountered in the experimental characterization of bricks, different methodod have been proposed in this research in order to allow their mechanical characterization. The proposed approaches and method have shown their suitability and practical applicability. Finally, a test methodology is recommended for each of the parameters studied in the research, whose final objective is the correlation between the MDT values and the DT values.
  

• DIMOVSKA, SARA: METHODOLOGY FOR SEISMIC VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT OF EXISTING MASONRY BUILDINGS IN URBAN CENTRES. APPLICATION TO THE EIXAMPLE DISTRICT IN BARCELONA.
  
  Author: DIMOVSKA, SARA
  Thesis link: http://hdl.handle.net/10803/688449
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING
  Department: (DECA)
  Mode: Normal
  Reading date: 26/05/2023
  Thesis director: ROCA FABREGAT, PEDRO | PELA, LUCA
  

  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: APRILE, ALESSANDRA
       SECRETARI: GIL ESPERT, LLUIS
       VOCAL: SANDOVAL MANDUJANO, CRISTIAN
  Thesis abstract: Unreinforced masonry buildings (URM), which prevail in many historic and urban centres, can be considered to be significantly vulnerable to seismic actions due to their peculiar constructive and structural features that could influence their seismic performance, even in low to moderate seismic hazard areas. These existing structures were usually designed considering only gravity loads without any seismic design requirements. Hence, they may endure severe consequences in the event of an earthquake due to the presence of many specific sources of structural vulnerability, such as the material's limited resistant capacity and ductility, the buildings¿ height, very slender load-bearing walls, semi-flexible horizontal diaphragms, irregular plan configurations, presence of vertical extensions, large façade openings, among other structural features.The scientific literature currently offers a variety of methods for assessing seismic vulnerability of existing buildings on a large scale, as it is considered a challenging task. The selection of the appropriate approach is determined by several factors, including the purpose and nature of the study, the amount of data and resources available, the investigated building typologies, the level of analysis effort, and the cost required for the studies.The aim of this research is to contribute to the seismic vulnerability assessment of existing masonry buildings of the Eixample district of Barcelona, though the derivation of a general methodology, intensively based on numerical simulation due to lack of seismic damage observations from past earthquakes. This approach could be applied to similar problems involving the vulnerability assessment of historic urban centres in low to moderate seismic regions, by applying the necessary modifications. The first step of the proposed methodology is elaborating a detailed building taxonomy of the masonry buildings of the Eixample district according to their structural, material and geometrical characteristics, relevant to their seismic behaviour and possible sources of vulnerability. The most representative building typologies are selected based on the aforementioned building taxonomy, by using available statistical data of structural features of the analysed building stock. The next step is developing sophisticated numerical models of the previously identified representative masonry buildings, by using an efficient and realistic simulation of their seismic response based on the Finite Element Method (FEM). Non-linear static (pushover) analysis are performed for both main directions (parallel and perpendicular to the façade) in order to better understand their global seismic behaviour in terms of capacity and failure mechanisms. Moreover, parametric analyses are carried out to investigate the influence of different structural parameters on the building¿s seismic performance. The N2 method is applied for the evaluation of the buildings¿ seismic performance for the seismic hazard scenarios in Barcelona. The final step is the proposal of new forms of the Vulnerability Index Method (VIM) for both main directions, by defining the classes and calibrating the weights of the specific vulnerability parameters. The methodology is applied eventually to the Eixample district of Barcelona¿s urban centre, by including two cases: a large number of existing masonry buildings and a typical urban block.
  

• DUARTE GÓMEZ, NOEMÍ: Estudio teórico y experimental sobre el comportamiento no lineal de estructuras continuas parcialmente pretensadas.
  
  Author: DUARTE GÓMEZ, NOEMÍ
  Thesis file: (contact the Doctoral School to confirm you have a valid doctoral degree and to get the link to the thesis)
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING
  Department: (DECA)
  Mode: Normal
  Reading date: 12/05/2023
  Thesis director: BAIRÁN GARCÍA, JESÚS MIGUEL | MARI BERNAT, ANTONIO RICARDO
  

  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: ROCA FABREGAT, PEDRO
       SECRETARI: SANTOS FERREIRA, DENISE CARINA
       VOCAL: RECUPERO, ANTONINO
  Thesis abstract: Performance-based design (PBD) is a philosophy for structural design that puts emphasis on the realistic estimation of the structural behaviour and its relationship with the objectives of the final user, or performance objectives. This is in contrast with the more traditional design approaches, where the emphasis is usually on the verification methods, through deemed-tosatisfy requirements. PBD opens a wide range of possibilities, yet to explore in its full extension, to novel techniques and design met)0ds that ma)ömises the use of the properties of the materials and structural typology. One of these techniques is partiallrprestressed concrete (PPC), which is a type of prestressed concrete in which controlled cracking is allowed during design conditions. This thesis proposes new design strategies for the design of PPC based on the direct control of crack opening and senice performance. At the same time, the methodology exploits the higher structural ductility and force redistribution in continuous structures. The method is completely performance-based and allows the design of continuous structures with the degree of redistribution and damage distribution that satisfy safety and seniceability.To study the real behaviour of structures designed following this approach, and to validate the proposed method, an experimental campaign was design considering seven continuous prestressed girders, with I-shaped cross-section. The girders represent a reduced-scale segment of the bridge deck typical of partially prestressed concrete applications. For thee)Qeriment design, a senice cracking objective was defined, different tendon layouts, and degrees of internal forced redistribution. The applied load protocol was designed to be representative of the senice life of the structure, including unloading and reloading cycles in senice and ultimate scenarios.The experimental campaign allowed validating the general hypothesis of the design methodology for partially-prestressed elements, as well as to deepen relevant aspects of the structural performance during the senice life. It was observed that through the design using the non-linear feasible solutions space, it is possible to reduce the reinforcement steel ratio, and also reduce the cross-section size. The designed elements showed great ductility and redistribution capacity.In addition, the detailed monitoring system installed allowed analysing the damage evolution and identifying the formation and development of plastic hinges under different load hypotheses. In addition, it was possible to investigate the stressstain variations in the critical sections with loading and the complex crack patterns developed in the elements.Finally, is was possible to identify different aspects on the behaviour of continuous partially.prestressed elements are relevant for the performance-based design applications, which supports a series of design recommendations, and specific conclusions.
  

• GARCÍA DÍAZ, YINETH PAOLA: ACTIVACIÓN ALCALINA DE RESIDUOS URBANOS E INDUSTRIALES PARA LA CONSTRUCCIÓN DE PIEZAS PREFABRICADAS.
  
  Author: GARCÍA DÍAZ, YINETH PAOLA
  Thesis file: (contact the Doctoral School to confirm you have a valid doctoral degree and to get the link to the thesis)
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING
  Department: (DECA)
  Mode: Normal
  Reading date: 27/09/2023
  Thesis director: DE LA FUENTE ANTEQUERA, ALBERTO | SEGURA PEREZ, IGNACIO
  

  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: FORMOSA MITJANS, JOAN
       SECRETARI: TOSIC, NIKOLA
       VOCAL NO PRESENCIAL: PICOLO SALVADOR, RENAN
  Thesis abstract: A comprehensive evaluation of various industrial and urban by-products was conducted to determine their potential as precursorsfor alkali-activated materials (AAM) in Spain. Over 15 by-products were identified that could be used as precursors, classified intofour categories based on their chemical nature: glass, ceramics, steel slags, and spent fluid catalytic cracking catalyst. Multiplechemical analysis techniques were applied to determine the composition and alkaline dissolution capacity of these materials, as wellas mechanical analysis to assess their consolidation and strength properties.The results revealed that some by-products exhibited low reactivity due to their physical characteristics and chemical composition,which required very specific activation conditions. However, within the experimental framework of the doctoral thesis, generalconditions were established to assess and evaluate as many by-products as possible. While activation was not achieved for all byproducts,the required activation conditions were determined for each one.Glass by-products, particularly the non-recyclable fraction of container glass (V-C+P), and ceramic by-products such as red brickceramics (RDC) and Testillo (TC), showed significant activation potential. After a series of experimental evaluations, optimalactivation conditions were established for V-C+P in paste, mortar, and concrete matrices: a activator-to-precursor ratio of 0.30, a 4MNaOH activating solution with 1% sodium silicate by weight, a curing period of 48 hours at 70°C, a minimum average particle size of0.3 mm or a specific surface area of 54 cm²/g. Prior to obtaining these values, the importance of fineness, dissolution capacity, thereal influence of amorphous content, and the limited effectiveness of traditional superplasticizers in AAMs was quantified.Chemical and mechanical analyses of various pastes made with V-C+P, using different activation concentrations and activator-toprecursorratios, revealed that the primary reaction products were C-S-H and N-A-S-H, comprising up to 28% of the total mass.These chemical transformations involved the predominant conversion of Si-O-Si bonds to Si-O-Na, and the presence of a long-termcompound contributing to the observed resistance was detected in FT-IR and possibly XRD analyses.Based on the results obtained, an improved formulation of AAM was defined by adding 10% cement, serving as the basis forprefabricated element analysis. Additionally, an optimized formulation combining ceramic by-products with 30% V-C+P waspresented, yielding highly favorable results.The AAM obtained, through the implementation of suitable industrial scaling and optimized grinding and curing processes,demonstrates significant potential for the production of low-carbon footprint precast building elements. This AAM not only ensuresefficient utilization of materials but also reduces cement consumption by 90%. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that even bycombining glass precursors with Testillo-type ceramic precursors, an alternative material with high mechanical strength that meetsthe required fineness criteria set by applicable regulations can be achieved. In conclusion, this research confirms that the AAMobtained from the non-recyclable fraction of glass meets the established technical requirements, despite current regulationsrestricting its implementation as a sole binder material for precast building elements.
  

• GONZÁLEZ DE LEÓN, ISABEL: Structural behaviour of stainless steel frames. Safety against accidental seismic actions.
  
  Author: GONZÁLEZ DE LEÓN, ISABEL
  Thesis file: (contact the Doctoral School to confirm you have a valid doctoral degree and to get the link to the thesis)
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING
  Department: (DECA)
  Mode: Normal
  Reading date: 19/05/2023
  Thesis director: ARRAYAGO LUQUIN, ITSASO | REAL SALADRIGAS, ESTHER
  

  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: ROCA FABREGAT, PEDRO
       SECRETARI: CASHELL, KATHERINE
       VOCAL: AFSHAN, SHEIDA
  Thesis abstract: Stainless steel is one of the most promising construction materials due to its long service life, low maintenance requirements, excellent mechanical properties and high residual value. Nevertheless, for an efficient design with stainless steel, it is fundamental to account for the nonlinear effects of the material at all structural levels. Stainless steel design codes have improved significantly in recent decades, although they are still far from being as comprehensive as those for carbon steel, on which they are usually based. There has been little progress in the design of stainless steel structural systems subjected to static forces, and even less in the seismic design of stainless steel structures, for which no standard exists in Europe or the US. This thesis constitutes a significant step towards the understanding of the performance of stainless steel systems under different loading types, addressing aspects of the global behaviour of stainless steel structures under static and seismic forces with the aim of proposing design expressions that guarantee more optimised and safer structures.Thus, this thesis presents the first known comprehensive experimental programme on stainless steel systems, in which four austenitic portal frames were tested under vertical and horizontal loading, and a detailed explanation of the different problems encountered in the planning and testing process is given in the document. The obtained results made it possible to validate, with experimental evidence, the design prescriptions included the Eurocode for the consideration of second order effects accounting for the influence of the nonlinear response of the material through the amplification of the horizontal forces.In addition, an alternative design method for the in-plane design of stainless steel structures under static loading is presented. The method is based on performing a second order structural analysis, and the material nonlinearities and different structural imperfections are considered by reducing the stiffness of the members through a set of proposed factors, requiring only cross-section checks to be performed. In contrast to the commonly adopted European approach, where a first order nonlinear material analysis is performed, this alternative design approach is typical of the US regulatory framework.Regarding the cyclic behaviour of stainless steel structures, this thesis investigates experimentally and numerically the performance of stainless steel cold-formed rectangular hollow section members under cyclic loading, focusing on the rotation capacities. The correct estimation of the rotation capacity allows establishing the actual capacity of the structure. A simple formulation to estimate the rotation capacity is proposed in terms of the local slenderness, and calibrated for the three main stainless steel families, which in turn allows the description of the full moment-rotation curves. Furthermore, this thesis studies the seismic performance of stainless steel moment resisting frames designed according to the new European design rules for carbon steel systems. Design adaptations and a new design formula to effectively account for material nonlinearities in the seismic design of these structures are proposed. The actual behaviour factors of stainless steel frames are assessed from a number of case studies, and new values of the behaviour factors for stainless steel moment resisting frames in the European and US design frameworks are recommended.Finally, this thesis investigates the post-necking behaviour of stainless steels under monotonic loading and proposes preliminary values for the key parameters of two common ductile fracture models to provide a material model that defines the response of stainless steels up to failure. One possible application of such model would be in the simulation of joint failure, which can be implemented in new design approaches that study structures as a whole, such as the Direct Design Method.
  

• SEGURA VALDIVIESO, GUILLERMO: STRUCTURAL BEHAVIOUR AND PLASTIC DESIGN OF CARBON AND STAINLESS STEEL FRAMES IN FIRE
  
  Author: SEGURA VALDIVIESO, GUILLERMO
  Thesis file: (contact the Doctoral School to confirm you have a valid doctoral degree and to get the link to the thesis)
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING
  Department: (DECA)
  Mode: Normal
  Reading date: 22/09/2023
  Thesis director: MIRAMBELL ARRIZABALAGA, ENRIQUE | ARRAYAGO LUQUIN, ITSASO
  

  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: VILA REAL, PAULO
       SECRETARI: ESPINOS CAPILLA, ANA
       VOCAL: KUCUKLER, MERIH
  Thesis abstract: This thesis investigates the response of carbon and stainless steel frames in fire, and proposes new and more efficient approaches for their design. The investigation is mainly focused on one bay frames comprised by rectangular hollow sections (RHS) classified as Class 1 (i.e., plastic sections) and full-strength welded joints. In order to evaluate the behaviour of carbon and stainless steel frames under fire situation, advanced finite element models are developed aiming to reproduce both the global and local scale behaviour of these structures at elevated temperatures, besides being capable of modelling explicitly the welded joints in the frame discretization. Based on these numerical models, a preliminary parametric study is presented, in which the performance of carbon and stainless steel frames at elevated temperatures is assessed, and the main factors conditioning the frames¿ response are identified. From these preliminary results, a set of knowledge gaps are identified, which are subsequently addressed throughout the different chapters of this thesis.First, an exhaustive parametric study on welded joints is carried out on both carbon and stainless steel tubular members under bending moment forces, which allows assessing the accuracy of the formulation prescribed in current European standards, and from which a new formulation for estimating the bending moment resistance of welded joints between RHS members is presented. The obtained results show a clear improvement compared to current design specifications, especially for stainless steel joints, as the new formulation accounts for strain hardening effects.Subsequently, an extensive parametric study on carbon and stainless steel frames with plastic cross-sections and full-strength welded joints considering different techniques for modelling the connections is carried out, from which the influence of welded joints on the frame response is analysed, both at room temperature and under fire situation. The results demonstrate that frames modelled with explicit joints and with simplified rigid joints exhibited similar responses for the two design scenarios, confirming that joints classified as full-strength can be modelled as perfectly rigid joints for numerical purposes under fire situation too.Based on the previous findings, the redistribution capacity of carbon and stainless steel frames under room temperature and fire conditions is studied numerically. The results obtained from the extensive finite element parametric study confirm the internal force redistribution capacity of carbon and stainless steel frames with plastic cross-sections and full-strength joints at room temperature, and demonstrate that these structures exhibit sufficient redistribution capacity to fail through the formation of plastic collapse mechanisms in fire situation too. Finally, two new methods for determining the time fire resistance of carbon and stainless steel frames are presented: fire design based on advanced numerical models and new analytical plastic approach. For the first design approach based on FE analysis, a set of failure criteria are presented; the collapse is defined in an objective manner by limiting the displacement and displacement rates described by the frames. The second proposed method is a new analytical design approach based on global plastic analysis; this methodology is capable of taking into account the redistribution capacity of carbon and stainless steel structures in fire, as well as the second order effects derived from the horizontal drift of the frames and the overstrength provided by strain hardening for stainless steel structures. The two proposed methods are shown to improve significantly the accuracy of the estimated time fire resistances, demonstrating that a new and more effective way of designing steel structures is possible.
  

• SU, HANG: Structural Performance of Continuous Composite Bridges with Partial Shear Connection and Double Composite Action.
  
  Author: SU, HANG
  Thesis file: (contact the Doctoral School to confirm you have a valid doctoral degree and to get the link to the thesis)
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING
  Department: (DECA)
  Mode: Change of supervisor + Article-based thesis
  Reading date: 19/06/2023
  Thesis director: CASAS RIUS, JUAN RAMON | SU, QINGTIAN
  

  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: WU, CHONG
       SECRETARI: SHAO, CHANGYU
       VOCAL NO PRESENCIAL: YANG, GUOTAO
  Thesis abstract: The steel-concrete composite structural solution has been widely applied in the execution of simply supported bridges since the merits of concrete compressive strength and steel tensile strength can be efficiently utilized. However, there is an inverse stress situation in the hogging moment region of a continuous composite girder, where the concrete tensile cracks and steel buckling are both likely to happen. Normal composite bridges adopt Full Shear Connection (FSC) due to convenient construction and clear mechanical properties. However, large tensile stress in concrete is generated in hogging moment regions in continuous girders. In response to this issue, Partial Shear Connection (PSC) achieved by reducing shear connection efficiency in hogging moment region of continuous composite bridge can help to decrease the interaction extent between concrete slab and steel girder, thus reducing the concrete cracking and simultaneously maintaining the ultimate bearing capacity and overall stiffness of the structure. Meanwhile, casting an extra concrete bottom layer to a steel-concrete composite box girder (double composite action) in a hogging moment region can also prevent steel buckling and improve the mechanical performance of the continuous composite bridge. In order to study the structural performance of composite girder with PSC and double composite action, this thesis presents an in-depth study through the combination of experimental, numerical and analytical studies as follows: (1) To study the mechanical properties of the rubber sleeved stud connector, five groups of 15 push-out specimens were fabricated and tested. Numerical models were established. The results of the test and numerical analysis show that the rubber sleeved stud (RSS) connector effectively reduces the shear stiffness of the push-out specimen without changing the load carrying capacity.(2) To study the structural performance of composite girders with partial shear connection, four simply supported composite girder specimens and two continuous composite girder specimens were fabricated and tested by static loading tests. The mechanical behaviour of the hogging moment regions of each specimen was compared and based on them, the theoretical background was settled for the practical application of partial shear connection in composite bridges.(3) A case study of Qiwu bridge in Jiangxi Province (China) using partial shear connection action was introduced. A nonlinear finite element model of Qiwu Bridge was established through ABAQUS to simulate and predict the mechanical properties and structural performance. Based on the FEM results, the influence of partial shear connection on various parameters were analysed by performing a parametric analysis. Monitoring of the bridge during the construction and in service stages is also carried out in order to check the design rules derived in this thesis in a real bridge(4) A static loading test on a large-scaled two-span continuous girder specimen with the double composite action in hogging moment region was conducted for mechanical investigation. In parallel, a parametric analysis was carried out as well for a rational design scheme of the double composite section.
  

Last update: 05/12/2023 06:01:46.

Research groups

• ATEM-Structural and Materials Technology
• EC-Construction Engineering
• GRIC-Group of Construction Research and Innovation
• MATCAR-Construction Materials and Roads

Teachers

• Aponte Hernandez, Diego Fernando
• Arrayago Luquin, Itsaso
• Bairan Garcia, Jesus Miguel
• Barra Bizinotto, Marilda
• Casals Casanova, Miquel
• Casanova Hormaechea, Ignasi
• Casas Rius, Joan Ramon
• Cervera Ruiz, Miguel
• Chacon Flores, Rolando Antonio
• de la Fuente Antequera, Albert
• Etxeberria Larrañaga, Miren
• Fernandez Carrasco, Lucia
• Forcada Matheu, Nuria
• Gangolells Solanellas, Marta
• Lopez Almansa, Francisco
• Mari Bernat, Antonio
• Mirambell Arrizabalaga, Enrique
• Molins Borrell, Climent
• Murcia Delso, Juan
• Oller Ibars, Eva
• Pelà, Luca
• Pons Valladares, Oriol
• Ramos Schneider, Gonzalo
• Real Saladrigas, Esther
• Roca Fabregat, Pedro
• Roca Ramon, Xavier
• Segura Perez, Ignacio
• Turmo Coderque, Jose
• Valls del Barrio, Susanna
• Villalba Herrero, Sergi