Photo: London Array

New research can pave the way to optimised concrete structures

20.06.2018

Industrial PhD student Jens-Christian Kragh-Poulsen will spend much of the next three years in the company of 20 concrete beams in a test hall at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU). The purpose is to learn more about the strength of arch-shaped concrete structures, which are used in foundations for wind turbines.

There are loads of norms and standards on how to design wind turbine foundations, caissons, tunnels etc. However, when it comes to arch-shaped concrete structures, those norms and standards may not always provide a fair picture.

"Literature is full of tests involving straight construction members, but there is close to no data on arch-shaped construction members that are subjected to stress to determine their breaking point. We need that information in order to optimise the end result and the consultancy we offer to our customers," says Kragh-Poulsen.

He has delved into the research project with financial support from COWIfonden and in cooperation with COWI, the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and Aarhus University.

Maximising life of new and existing structures

Through theoretical and experimental testing, the research will vary parameters such as strength, aggregate size, arch radius and degree of reinforcement and thereby explore the shear strength of arch-shaped concrete members.

Tests will involve subjecting custom-made concrete beams to provoke a controlled break, thereby creating a basis for the theoretical modelling.

The purpose is to optimise the tools that the civil engineering industry uses to design and extend the life of concrete structures, by providing better assessments of their load-bearing ability.

This new knowledge will allow us to optimise concrete structures, and thereby minimise resource consumption and maximise the life of new and existing structures

Kragh-Poulsen