The main activities in the field of the Structural and Transport Engineering research group are focused on research and development in the field of the load-bearing structures of buildings and transport structures. These activities concentrate on the development of new structural and material designs for the structural elements and components of the load-bearing structures of buildings, as well      as modern structures utilized in transport infrastructure. Emphasis is placed on advanced structures and technologies in terms of their improved reliability, durability and economy during their entire   life cycle, with regard to the mutual relationships and connections between monitored and solved problems. An integral part of the group’s activities is the experimental verification of load-bearing structures and systems, as well as the application of modern simulation methods. Another important research topic is the development of BIM technologies.

• comprehensive structural, technical and material surveys of wooden, masonry, concrete and steel structures; full-scale testing;
• analyses, reconstruction projects, rehabilitation and  revitalization  of  all  types of building structures including bridges;
• experimental verification   of   the   real-world   behavior   and   load   capacity   of ferroconcrete structural elements made of advanced materials;
• analysis and long-term evaluation of pavement surfaces and structures, pavement diagnostics, research and development in the area of new materials, and the full-scale testing of pavement structures;
• determination of traffic flow characteristics, transport and pedestrian modelling, design of safety improvements for roads, modelling of fire spread and fire safety in buildings and transport structures;
• effective and reliable railway structures, high speed rail infrastructure, development of switch and crossing design, assessment of dynamic behavior;
• testing of structural elements, details and models during extreme mechanical and thermal stress, including dynamic and fatigue testing;
• study of the structures of sloping green roofs and the physical processes affecting them, and  the  advanced  thermal  insulation  of  wooden  buildings  and energy self-sufficient buildings;
• robotic construction issues
• comprehensive methods for investigating the response of building structures and structural elements with respect to their reliability and durability.
• modeling of people’s movement and fire spreading models
• advice on BIM implementation
• extra-dimensional 3D printing, scanning and advanced modelling – rapid formation of extra-large functional prototypes of up to 690x690x1900 mm using an optical scanner and the largest FDM printer available on the market.

Geotechnical research focuses on:

• geomechanical characteristics  and  their  mechanical  behavior  in  interaction  with  geotechnical   structures;   research   into   the   exploitation of geothermal energy;
• development and verification of methodologies for testing the practical applications of field and laboratory measurements; the performance of evaluations (including the   use   of    mathematical    modelling),    and    the    development  of methodologies in the field of geotechnical methods of carrying out surveys  and the diagnostic assessment of the foundation conditions of structures;

Another important area of interest is the research, development and practical application of complex methods of investigation of building structures and structural elements responses with regard to their reliability and durability:

• Analysis of supporting structural systems – support for the experimental verification of the properties of building structures using modern simulation methods that allow a significant reduction in the necessary number of simulations; theoretical verification of the properties  of  building  structures  with  the  help of analytical or numerical solutions using the finite element method, and other methods.
• Support for structural design using interdisciplinary procedures – simulation methods; optimization of structural design via deterministic and stochastic approaches.

• The performance of calculations and simulations

– mathematical modelling of structural details, elements and components;

– simulation of structural stresses using experimental data;

– simulation of the effect of extreme stress on structural elements;

– statistical simulations and evaluations;

– modelling of selected technological processes;

– processing of data from “in situ” measurements.

• Development and verification of new methodologies – for the verification of practical applications in terms of durability analyses; improvement and  application  of  the  integral  method  for  complex  analyses   of cement composite elements;