Recent Submissions

Real-time data-driven safety assessment for building structures 

Sang, Xiaohan (Date of defense: 2025-10-09)

(English) The evolution mechanism of structural performance remains a critical research topic in structural mechanics. Cracks, serving as indicators of performance deterioration, manifest physically at the meso-scale as ...

He.R.A. heritage at risk assessment: seismic and landslide vulnerability estimation of masonry churches for multilayer single-hazard analysis 

Del Carlo, Federica (Date of defense: 2025-09-29)

(English) This research was developed in response to the increasing need for coherent and integrated methodologies to assess the complex and multifaceted risks threatening cultural heritage. Three critical issues were ...

Application of BIM visual programming algorithms for infrastructure projects 

Collao Lazo, Jorge Alejandro (Date of defense: 2025-10-01)

(English) The BIM digitization has generated a growing automation of traditional AECO project development processes. However, this automation has mainly benefited building projects, which has generated a critical gap in ...

Framework for optimizing the construction process in Saudi Arabia: the integration of lean construction, building information modeling (BIM), and emerging technologies 

Elnaggar, Omar Ahmed Mahmoud (Date of defense: 2025-09-18)

(English) The construction industry in Saudi Arabia is experiencing rapid growth driven by the ambitious Vision 2030, but challenges related to inefficiencies, cost overruns, and delays persist. This research presents a ...

Analysis of cantilever construction of concrete cable-stayed bridges with time-dependent phenomena 

Farré Checa, Josep (Date of defense: 2025-09-17)

(English) This work presents a study on the construction analysis of cable-stayed bridges built by the cantilever method, with a particular focus on the effects of time-dependent phenomena such as creep and shrinkage. In ...

Recycled polypropylene fibre-reinforced concrete: from recyclability and recoverability to materials and application 

Liu, Guanzhi (Date of defense: 2025-07-25)

(English) In recent decades, fibre-reinforced concrete (FRC) has played a significant role in construction due to its enhanced residual flexural tensile strength in comparison to plain concrete. However, with the increasing ...

Contributions to the assessment of indoor air quality, thermal comfort and ventilation in educational buildings 

Miao, Sen (Date of defense: 2025-07-16)

(English) Indoor air quality and thermal comfort in educational buildings have significant impacts on students’ health, well-being, productivity, and learning performance. Schools, where students spend most of their day, ...

Graph-driven digital twins as assistants to bridge maintenance 

Ramonell Cazador, Carlos (Date of defense: 2025-05-28)

(English) Bridges are vital components of transport infrastructure networks which are facing a widespread lack of resilience due to aging and changing environmental conditions. Finding more efficient methods for monitoring ...

Comportamiento de estructuras de hormigón pretensado con armaduras pretesas de polímeros reforzados con fibras (FRP). 

Ortiz Bernal, Galo Fabian (Date of defense: 2025-04-29)

(English) The effect of corrosion on reinforcement and its impact on the service life reduction of existing reinforced and prestressed concrete infrastructures has led to the search for alternatives to conventional steel ...

Structural behavior of fiber reinforced concrete bridges 

Domingo Tarancón, Magí (Date of defense: 2025-04-29)

(English) The application of fiber-reinforced concrete (FRC) in bridge structures presents a significant advancement in structural performance, reinforcement optimization, and serviceability enhancement. This study examines ...

Optimize use of recycled aggregate in high-durability structural concrete: an experimental study 

Vintimilla Molina, Carla Teresa (Date of defense: 2025-04-11)

(English) Currently, the construction industry faces the challenge of adopting more sustainable practices, with the use of recycled aggregates in structural concrete production emerging as a key strategy. This doctoral ...

Aplicabilidad de la ceniza volcánica de baja actividad como nuevo recurso para materiales cementicios sostenibles 

Játiva Guzmán, Andrés (Date of defense: 2024-05-29)

(English) Volcanic ash (VA), abundantly available in various regions globally, serves as an effective supplementary cementitious material (SCM) for partially substituting Portland cement (OPC). However, its inherently low ...

Social sciences and humanities in civil engineering: a mixed methods analysis in the context of education 

Josa i Culleré, Irene (Date of defense: 2021-10-29)

(English) The challenges that the world is currently facing call for solutions that are interdisciplinary in nature. This implies that engineering professionals need to work together with professionals from different ...

Modelo de priorización de inversiones de soluciones tecnológicas en smart buildings con criterios de desarrollo sostenible 

Vinyeta Medina, Gil (Date of defense: 2024-07-22)

(English) This Doctoral Thesis addresses aspects of interest for designers, promoters, owners, and managers of office buildings, with the intention of providing clarity on the Smart Building paradigm, as well as identifying ...

Use of alternative materials in soil stabilization: mechanical and environmental aspects 

Baloochi, Hani (Date of defense: 2023-03-17)

(English) Currently, the two most raw material consumer industries are civil engineering and the pulp and paper industry. Meanwhile, these sectors face severe criticism due to their environmental impact. Additionally, by ...

WIM-based modelling of traffic load scenarios for extreme load effects in long-span bridges 

Wang, Xuejing (Date of defense: 2023-11-28)

(English) During the lifetime of long-span bridges, the traffic conditions are affected by the surroundings and will typically vary and also unpredictably change. In this thesis, a prior site-specific traffic load spatial ...

Structural behaviour and plastic design of carbon and stainless steel frames in fire 

Segura Valdivieso, Guillermo (Date of defense: 2023-09-22)

(English) This thesis investigates the response of carbon and stainless steel frames in fire, and proposes new and more efficient approaches for their design. The investigation is mainly focused on one bay frames comprised ...

Activación alcalina de residuos urbanos e industriales para la construcción de piezas prefabricadas 

García Díaz, Yineth Paola (Date of defense: 2023-09-27)

(English) A comprehensive evaluation of various industrial and urban by-products was conducted to determine their potential as precursors for alkali-activated materials (AAM) in Spain. Over 15 by-products were identified ...

Structural performance of continuous composite bridges with partial shear connection and double composite action 

Su, Hang (Date of defense: 2023-06-19)

(English) The steel-concrete composite structural solution has been widely applied in the execution of simply supported bridges since the merits of concrete compressive strength and steel tensile strength can be efficiently ...

Structural behaviour of stainless steel frames. Safety against accidental seismic actions 

González de León, Isabel (Date of defense: 2023-05-19)

(English) Stainless steel is one of the most promising construction materials due to its long service life, low maintenance requirements, excellent mechanical properties and high residual value. Nevertheless, for an efficient ...