SERA – CEN/TC 250/SC 8 workshop on seismic hazard

The Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission organised a workshop on seismic hazard assessment, together with SERA partners and experts from CEN/TC 250/SC 8, which is responsible for the development of Eurocode 8, within the SERA communication activities. The objectives of the workshop were to provide first-hand insights on the outputs of SERA, integrate SERA activities with other scientific efforts in the field and ensure a widely accepted basis for the development of the new European Seismic Hazard Model. The workshop was attended by about 40 participants, including SERA partners, experts and national delegates in CEN/TC 250/SC 8, researchers, academics and practitioners with experience in seismic hazard assessment. SERA and CEN/TC 250/SC 8 agreed to further enhance collaboration with the objective of optimizing efforts and results in order to ensure consistency of requirements and outputs, and investigate the means for Eurocode 8 to take profit of the research performed by SERA to advance towards a harmonised European seismic zonation.JRC.E.4-Safety and Security of Building

Enhancing the collaboration of earthquake engineering research infrastructures

Towards stronger international collaboration of earthquake engineering research infrastructures International collaboration and mobility of researchers is a means for maximising the efficiency of use of research infrastructures. The European infrastructures are committed to widen joint research and access to their facilities. This is relevant to European framework for research and innovation, the single market and the competitiveness of the construction industry.JRC.G.4-European laboratory for structural assessmen

Purpose and Justification for New Design Standards Regarding the Use of Fibre-Reinforced Polymer Composites in Civil Engineering

The scope of this document concerns the purpose and justification for a new Eurocode for fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite materials, outlining the specific aims and reasons for standardization in this area, and the main interested parties (industry, consumers, trade, standardisation authorities and distributors) who will benefit from it.JRC.G.5-European laboratory for structural assessmen

Non-linear shear model for R/C piers

The work presented has been developed within the Prenormative Research in support of EuroCode 8 (PREC8) programme of the European Commission. The EuroCode 8 (EC8) are the provisional European standards for the design of civil engineering structures in seismic prone areas. This programme included experimental test on a series of bridge structures that have been tested under Pseudo-Dynamic conditions. Experimental tests were carried out to study the behaviour of bridge piers under cyclic loading. The results from these tests underlined the need to improve an existing fiber model to represent the non-linear behaviour of structures where the influence of the shear forces is not negligible. Thus, a strut-and-tie formulation coupled with the classic fibre model for flexural forces was developed. This formulation is based on the analogy of a R/C structure damaged with diagonal cracking with a truss made of concrete diagonals and steel ties. The model is applied to a set of bridge piers tested at the ELSA laboratory and the results are compared with the experimental response.JRC.DG.G.5-European laboratory for structural assessmen

Adoption of the Eurocodes in the Balkan Region

This report addresses the activities carried out for the adoption and implementation of the Eurocodes in the non-EU countries in the Balkan region within the context of the Enlargement and Integration Action of the JRC. The considerable interest in the implementation and adoption of the Eurocodes in the Balkan region is based on the opportunity to have an advanced common standardization environment, which is adaptable to the particular requirements of each country with regard to the geographical, geological or climatic conditions and also allows selecting the level of safety. Moreover, adoption and implementation of Eurocodes will help the Candidate Countries to fully implement EU acquis at the time of accession and support Potential Candidate Countries to progressively align themselves with the EU acquis. The main objective of the activities presented herein was to focus on progress and specific needs for adoption and implementation of the Eurocodes and related EN standards in the Balkan region. Generally, it may be concluded that most of the non-EU countries in the Balkan region are going to use the Eurocodes as primary standards. These countries are aware about needs for harmonization of national legislation and standardization framework for construction with EU legislation. However, in most of the countries there is a lack of relevant institutional support for adoption and implementation of the Eurocodes.JRC.G.5-European laboratory for structural assessmen

Simplified Models/Procedures for Estimation of Secant-to-Yielding Stiffness, Equivalent Damping, Ultimate Deformations and Shear Capacity of Bridge Piers on the Basis of Numerical Analysis

The present report gives charts and expressions for computing the equivalent stiffness and damping of bridge piers of rectangular hollow cross section at maximum displacement within the framework of displacement based design and assessment of bridges, based on the results of parametric non-linear cyclic fibre section analysis calibrated from full-scale experimental results. A state of the art review is presented concerning the different approaches that may be adopted to model shear effects in reinforced concrete columns concerning the different approaches that may be adopted to model the shear effects in reinforced concrete columns.JRC.G.5-European laboratory for structural assessmen

Achievements in Eurocodes implementation. Where do we stand?

The implementation of the Eurocodes is now in the key stage of National implementation where almost all Member States are approaching the final phase of the predefined roadmap. A limited but targeted assistance from the European Commission is provided to interested parties and stakeholders in the Member States supporting full implementation of the Eurocodes as well as further harmo-nization and extension of the scope of the European standards for construction to cover emerging demands of modern society. In order to assess the potential for further harmonization, detailed statistical analysis of the Nationally Determined Parameters (NDPs) is essential. For a selected representative set of NDPs - mostly from EN 1992, the similarities and discrepancies between the parameters set by Member States along with the motivation of these tendencies are investigated in detail and possibilities for further harmonization are identified.JRC.G.5-European laboratory for structural assessmen

Predictors of Acute Postsurgical Pain After Inguinal Hernioplasty

Acute postsurgical pain (APSP) is a common and anticipated problem after surgery with detrimental consequences if not appropriately managed. This study examined the independent and joint contribution of presurgical demographic, clinical, and psychological variables as predictors of APSP intensity, evaluated using an 11-point numeric rating scale, after inguinal hernioplasty, one of the most performed surgeries worldwide. In a prospective observational cohort study, a consecutive sample of 135 men undergoing hernioplasty was assessed before and 48 hours after surgery. When adjusted for depression, helplessness, and magnification scores, a multiple hierarchical regression analysis revealed that younger age (beta = .247, P < .005), previous chronic pain (beta = .175, P < .05), presurgical anxiety (beta = .235, P < .05), and the rumination component of pain catastrophizing (beta = .222, P < .05) were significant predictors of APSP intensity. The integrative predictive model found in this study revealed the simultaneous influence that demographic, clinical, and psychological factors have on APSP after inguinal hernioplasty. Therefore, these results improve knowledge on APSP predictors after inguinal hernioplasty and highlight potential modifiable intervention targets, such as anxiety and pain catastrophizing (rumination), for the design of interventions focused on APSP prevention and management. Hence, taken together, these findings lend support for the inclusion of presurgical screening and psychological interventions among surgical patients at risk for higher APSP intensity. Perspective: This study found that, when adjusted for depression, helplessness, and magnification scores, the variables younger age, previous chronic pain, presurgical anxiety, and the rumination component of pain catastrophizing are significant predictors of APSP intensity after inguinal hernioplasty. These findings improve knowledge on APSP and highlight potential modifiable intervention targets for the design of interventions focused on APSP prevention and managementThis work was supported by a grant (SFRH/BPD/103529/2014) from the Portuguese Foundation of Science and Technology.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Eurocodes Promotion in Third Countries

The work reported is a deliverable within the framework of the Administrative Arrangement between DG ENTR and JRC on support to the implementation, harmonization and further development of the Eurocodes. The document addresses the need to coordinate the activities on the international promotion of the Eurocodes at the Community level and proposes a strategy and an initial programme for their coordinated promotion in third countries. The goals and interests of the stakeholders in the international promotion of the Eurocodes are analysed. Their convergence naturally calls for the setting up of a framework for coordinated promotion of the Eurocodes in third countries. The coordinated actions will provide considerable benefits to the stakeholders through: Putting into operation common implementation strategy, tools and resources, Organizing joint missions involving more than one stakeholder, and Making the most effective use of the co-financing instruments available at the Community level. A methodology for promotion of the Eurocodes in third countries is proposed, which aims at a better use of the resources available and tailored the promotion actions according to the needs of the individual countries. The methodology encompasses: The approach and the tools necessary for coordinated international promotion, The identification of target groups within a country, The involvement of organisations/individuals interested in the international promotion.JRC.G.5-European laboratory for structural assessmen

The Garda Area (Italy) Earthquake of 24 November 2004: a Field Report

On November 24 2004 an earthquake hit the area of the Garda Lake, part of the Lombardia region in Italy. This report presents the evidence collected in the investigation trip. The historical seismicity is provided. The behaviour of different categories of buildings is analysed and discussed, and the an overview of the procedures used to deal with the emergency is carried out.JRC.G.5-European laboratory for structural assessmen