A cutting-edge engineering initiative is redefining how we protect buildings from catastrophic collapse.
Building collapses often begin with small, localized failures that quickly propagate into devastating structural breakdowns. But a pioneering approach, developed under the prestigious @ERC Consolidator Grant #Endure, is changing the narrative. The fuse-based segmentation method introduces specially designed structural “fuses” that isolate these failures, preventing them from spreading through the rest of the structure.
Taking this innovation a step further, the ERC Proof of Concept (POC) Project – #Encast – is focused on adapting and scaling this approach for use in precast concrete buildings — a construction method increasingly favored for its efficiency, sustainability, and widespread use in critical, high-occupancy facilities.
🔬 Experimental Testing Underway
As part of #Encast, the Building Resilient team is conducting rigorous experimental tests on two novel types of precast connections. These connections will be examined within structural sub-assemblies designed to replicate real-world building components. The goal is to demonstrate how the system achieves an optimal balance between continuity and segmentation, ensuring structural integrity while allowing for failure isolation.
🌍 Toward Real-World Application
The project combines advanced simulation software with experimental validation to accelerate the practical adoption of this technology. With safety, affordability, and sustainability at its core, #Encast represents a major leap forward in structural engineering — one that could pave the way for safer buildings worldwide.
The project is funded by the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme (grant agreement no. 101188699)
