UNIC

The Research Center in Structures and Construction of UNL

 

Director: Armando Nunes Antão

 

Objectives

The main objective of the Research Center in Structures and Construction of UNL - UNIC is to promote and to support research and development activities in Structural Engineering and Construction. The cooperation between investigators is encouraged, in order to establish a joint strategy that allows to mobilize the resources of the Center in the direction of a greater and better scientific production and technique.

UNIC initiated its activity in December of 2001, with a team of researchers in the areas of structures and construction from the Departments of Civil Engineering and Mechanical and Industrial Engineering of the Faculty of Sciences and Technology of the Nova University of Lisbon.

UNIC's activities consist of analytical and experimental investigations on different aspects of Civil Engineering  such as:

  • characterization of the mechanical properties and the durability of construction materials;
  • study of composite materials and their application in structural systems;
  • computational methods in structural modelling, such as finite elements, boundary elements, genetic algorithms and neural networks;
  • stability and probabilistic analysis of civil engineering problems using Limit Analysis;
  • dynamic analysis of structures. 

 

 

The Center will also promote consulting and services to the community in the areas of Civil Engineering, particularly in situations when scientific interest justifies it.

Cooperation with other centers and institutions, both national and from abroad, will allow an efficient exploitation of existing competences in Civil Engineering, as well as a widened dissemination of the results.

 

Members

UNIC is constituted by investigators that develop activity in the areas of Civil Engineering, distinguishing itself as:

  • effective members - members with the degree of PhD;
  • associated members - members with the degree of MSc or graduated;
  • collaborators - PhDs, MScs or graduated integrated in other research units, who collaborate in the activities of UNIC;
  • institucional members - companies or enterprise associations in the areas of Civil Engineering. 

 

Scientific objectives

  • Concentrate research on a number of relevant topics compatible with research groups of adequate size
  • Increase Visibility of Work and Certify its Quality encouraging publication of results in leading Journals
  • Seek further internationalization focused on joint projects with probability of financial support
  • Increase support of doctoral and post-doctoral activities as e main source of development of sustainablelines of research
  • Strengthen ties with engineering community and industry