19–22 Mar 2025
Split
Europe/Zagreb timezone

Special workshops/panels/round tables

Panel Discussion - Rules and Guidelines for the Design of Simple Masonry Buildings in Seismically Active Area
Co-chairs: professors Davor Grandić, Boris Trogrlić and Mario Uroš (alphabetical)
The panel will feature lectures by prof. Christoph Butenweg and prof. Davor Grandić, followed by a discussion with leading researchers in the field. It will focus on the rules and guidelines for designing simple masonry buildings in seismically active areas – a topic of ongoing importance, made even more relevant by the recent earthquakes in Croatia and the development of the new generation of Eurocodes. Given that these buildings are primarily family homes, they make up a significant portion of the building stock in both urban and rural areas. As such, this subject is of particular interest to both designers and brick manufacturers. The discussion will cover the rules for designing simple masonry buildings, along with the associated design tables. It will also feature the latest findings and techniques in the design and construction of these structures, and introduce a proposed design table for simple masonry buildings for the territory of the Republic of Croatia.

 

Three Earthquake Engineers walked into a bar in Split: the Risk Uncertainty Brawl
Co-chairs: professors Paolo Bazzurro, Vitor Silva and Dimitrios Vamvatsikos (alphabetical)
Three earthquake engineers walked into a bar in Split, hoping for a quiet yet entertaining night. Little did they know it would turn into a heated argument about what drives the uncertainty in earthquake risk. The darned, unwanted, and unforgiving but yet unavoidable uncertainty in risk. One argued for the hazard component with all its ground motion equations, source models and often neglected site conditions. The other advocated for the vulnerability component, plagued with insufficient intensity measures and poorly defined demand parameters. The last one asked about the exposure component, where we know what we do not know, but also do not know what is unknown! With no hope for agreement, the three earthquake engineers decided that the only path forward was to invite additional opinions to spice up the conversation.       
Please join us in Split to settle this scientific brawl!

 

Special session: Repair and Retrofit of Structures
Co-Chairs: Professors Michele Calvi, Amr Elnashai, and Michael Fardis (alphabetical)       
Coordinator: Professor Luigi di Sarno
This special session brings together internationally leading experts on earthquake repair and retrofitting of structures to achieve pre-defined performance objectives. The session covers the two sub-themes of (a) concepts and applications and (b) regulations and guidelines, to provide the attendants with a broad view of the topic. The three co-chairs have extensive experience and track records in Europe and the USA, and the speakers are carefully selected to represent the state-of-the-art. For both repair and retrofitting, a performance-based approach is adopted, and the interaction between local section/member and sub-assemblage/system capacity assumes center stage. The session is structured in 2 parts, each starting with an overview by one of the co-chairs. The morning session features Professor G.M. Calvi overviewing concepts and applications, and the afternoon session features Professor M. Fardis overviewing regulations and guidelines. Four detailed presentations in each half-session follow the overview presentations. The half-sessions are kicked-off by Professor A. Elnashai and wrapped-up by Professor L. di Sarno.

Detailed programme of the special session

Introduction to special session by prof. A. Elnashai

Overview of the morning session – Guidelines and Regulations by prof. M. Calvi

Professor V. Sendova, IZIIS, North Macedonia: “Earthquake protection of heritage structures: status of regulations and practice in North Macedonia”

Professor E. Vintzeleou, National Technical University of Athens, Greece: “Behavior and design of interfaces between concretes cast at different times”

Professor G. O’Reilly, IUSS Pavia, Italy: “Recent developments in the risk-targeted repair and retrofitting of existing structures”

Professor A. Benavent-Climent, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Spain: “Applicability of the new methods of the second-generation of Eurocode 8 to seismic upgrading RC frames using hybrid dampers with recentering capability”

Wrap-up, Summary by prof. L. di Sarno

Introduction to session by prof. A. Elnashai

Overview of the afternoon session by prof. M. Fardis

Professor S. Pantazopoulou, York University, Canada: “Assessing and Mitigating the Effects of Reinforcement Corrosion in Bridge Infrastructure with Novel Cementitious Materials: the opportunities provided by Ultra-High Performance Concrete”

Professor R. Landolfo, University of Naples Federico II, Italy: “Seismic Strengthening of Existing Buildings with Steel Exoskeletons: Design Methodology and Applications”

Professor G. Thermou, University of Nottingham, UK: “Innovative and sustainable retrofitting using mortar-based composites”

Professor S. Bousias, University of Patras, Greece: “Large scale experimental verification of seismic retrofitting of substandard RC structures”

Wrap-up, Summary by four Organizers