Feasibility study on heavy-traffic fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) bascule bridges

The material properties of fibre reinforced polymer composites fundamentally differ from construction steel, and therefore a different approach is required in the design of structures composed of this material. Simple substitution of steel elements by composite counterparts will inevitably result in inefficient structures. When the material’s...

Solar updraft tower - structural optimisation under dynamic wind action

As fossil fuel reserves are rapidly being depleted, sustainable alternatives have to be found to fulfil the world's energy demand. Numerous concepts have been proposed to generate electricity by harnessing renewable energy sources such as solar or wind power. One of these concepts is the the so-called solar updraft tower (SUT). The SUT consists...