FREEDAM +

Valorisation of knowledge for FREE from DAMage steel connections

 

The main goal of the recently accomplished RFCS research project FREEDAM (RFSR-CT-2015-00022) has been the development of beam-to-column connections able to withstand destructive seismic events without any damage to the steel components. This project has raised the problem of the seismic protection of buildings with a focus on the sustainability issues, proposing a resilient and FREE from DAMage solution. The added value of the FREEDAM project to what has already been achieved at both European and worldwide level is significant. The project has led to the development of an innovative solution able to increase the safety of buildings and to reduce the direct and indirect costs related to the development of structural damage in case of rare seismic events or exceptional loads. This proposal aims at the valorisation and the dissemination of the results achieved within the FREEDAM project. Given the importance of the outcomes raised up from FREEDAM Project, design-oriented documents (guidelines, handbook, tools and design examples) will be produced in 13 different languages, and distributed among the partners of steel construction sectors, including all academic institutions, engineers and construction companies. Moreover, workshops and seminars will be organized all over Europe, in USA and in New Zealand for presenting material, and sharing knowledge. The current proposal is conceived in response to the need of the steel construction sector and practice in Europe for simple design tools for friction beam-to-column joints for seismic applications. With this regard, the widespread distribution of the design handbook and codified design procedures plays a key role in overcoming the intrinsic limitations of design assisted by tests in terms of both time and economical efforts and in providing reliable standard joints that can be easily used by designers.