On 13 May 2019, Professor Ezio Cadoni, head of the DynaMat Laboratory, was invited by the University of Oxford to hold a seminar on "Mechanical Behaviour of Construction Materials at High Strain Rates".

Nowadays, one of the most important challenges for structural engineering is the mitigation of the disastrous consequences, in terms of loss of life and economic impact, caused by extreme loads resulting from accidents (explosions, fires), natural disasters (earthquakes, hurricanes, floods) and terrorist attacks (impact and explosion).

Very intense dynamic actions applied to special constructions such as protective structures, offshore platforms, nuclear waste containers, bridges and any other socially sensitive infrastructure must therefore be taken into account.

This new scenario imposes on the research community the need to improve its knowledge of the effects of dynamic loads on structures by analysing the behaviour of materials under extreme conditions as a priority.

The use of laboratory experimentation with innovative techniques can provide a solid basis for the validation of existing computational models, or for the implementation of new models, for the prediction of structural response under these extreme loading conditions.

Starting from the research projects developed at the DynaMat laboratory, some advances in dynamic testing methodologies will be presented during the seminar, particularly with regard to building materials (e.g. concrete, UHPFRC, steel).

Further information: Website University Oxford