- CHARACTERIZATION of MATERIALS, such as soils, waste, concrete and other structural and non-structural construction materials, by means of lab and in situ testing;
- CHARACTERIZATION of the mechanical and environmental ACTIONS on the constructions, by means of lab and in situ testing, field monitoring, as well as by analytical studies;
- Development of EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES on the behaviour of elements and constructions, using reduced-scale to full-scale physical models to be tested on the laboratory, or in situ testing of the constructions themselves;
- MONITORING the life-cycle of constructions, including their execution phase;
- Development of THEORETICAL STUDIES by analytical or numerical modelling of the behaviour of constructions, during the service phase, as well as during the execution phase;
- DEVELOPMENT of PRODUCTS, such as, materials, construction processes, technologies, methods of analysis, tests and software, related with characterization, analysis, design, building, monitoring and management of the constructions.
The Research Unit CONSTRUCT focus the scientific activity in 6 different thematic lines, aiming to address the important challenges that Civil Engineering is facing nowadays, as well as the strategy and scientific objectives at the EU level. Operationally the Strategic Programme of CONSTRUCT implements their scientific and technological research activities based on 6 Research Groups - with a sound recognition in their fields of expertise -, which contribute to fulfil the objectives set out in the Thematic Lines.
The R&D Unit CONSTRUCT intends to implement its research activities in accordance to the development strategy of the Northern Region where it is located and in accordance with the goals of international networks in which a strong participation is presently active. Thus, CONSTRUCT contributes:
- To participate in advanced training of human resources, supporting regional companies in their R&D projects;
- To establish strategic partnerships with national companies, particularly those from the Northern Region, aiming to develop new products and services for exportation;
- To strengthen the links with construction industry, by developing research targeted to the market needs. In this context it is expected that the number of patents, prototypes and industrial contracts may continue to progress.