LSAAR - The Laboratory

The Laboratory of Structural Analysis & Antiseismic Research of the Civil Engineering School is one of the oldest laboratories of NTUA.

It comes from the Chair of "Statics, Iron Structures and Iron-Free Concrete", which was established in 1916 with Nicholas Kitsikis, who was the first elected Professor of NTUA.

The institute operates since 1917 and officially was established with the No. 132 Royal Decree (Official Gazette A’, Sheet No. 32, 02/22/1962).

The Director of the Laboratory is Professor E. Sapountzakis.

Former Directors:
Athanasios Royssopoulos (1928-1936)
Nikolaos Kitsiski (1936-1956)
Evangelos Panagiotounakos (1936-1956)
Eftichios Kokkinopoulos (1956-1972)
Evangelos Panagiotounakos (1972-1975)
Antonios Armenakas (1975-1983)
Ioannis Katsikadelis (1983-2002)
Manolis Papadrakakis (2002-2015)
Vlasios Koumousis (2015-2019)
Konstantinos Spiliopoulos (2019-2022)

Objectives

The objectives of the Laboratory cover the design and analysis of constructions and the seismic design of structures. In addition to supporting the educational work of the Civil Engineering School, the Institute conducts basic and applied research through diploma theses, post-graduate dissertations, PhD theses and research projects and provides specialized services to public and private entities.

The aim of the Laboratory is the theoretical and numerical determination of the behaviour of Structures and Materials subjected to external actions. This knowledge is very important in the assessment of the strength of existing structures, but also in the study, design and implementation of new materials and structures with a high degree of innovation and safety.

The activities focus on the development of software for the analysis and design of materials and structures, numerical simulation of static, dynamic, including seismic behaviour of structures, limit state analysis of materials and structures, multi-scale analysis of composite materials and structures, stochastic analysis of structures and optimisation of structures. Along with the computational component, there is also an experimental component since the Laboratory also has equipment that can be used in small-scale construction testing, as well as lightweight experimental setups for educational purposes.

The Laboratory produces interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research work in the broader areas of Analysis and Structural Design. The vision of the Laboratory's staff is to develop innovative computational methods and structural solutions with the ultimate goal of robust and safe operation of the cities of the future in a dynamically changing environment.

Indicatively, the laboratory is active in the following scientific fields:

* Development of numerical simulation methods for the static, dynamic and seismic behaviour of structures
* Development of software for the analysis and design of structures
* Analysis of limit states of materials and structures
* Multi-scale analysis of composite materials and structures, stochastic analysis of structures
* Optimal design of structures

Infrastructure

The Laboratory has an experimental laboratory equipped with

- A crane of maximum lifting capacity 12.5 tons.

- Actuator which can impose displacements-forces up to 100kN with the potential to apply dynamic displacement time-histories.

- Actuators that can impose pseudo-static load case scenarios.

- Small-scale Seismic Table of one degree of freedom.

- Light experimental setups for testing statically determinate and indeterminate frame structures for educational purposes.

- The Laboratory has also a network of personal computers for conducting numerical simulations independently or with connecting to the computer center of NTUA, which consists of 100 personal (desktop and laptop) computers of the latest generation as well as clusters of interconnected computers. Finally, the Institute has a lecture room also equipped with a network of personal computers.

- Technical construction analysis/design software developed by Faculty members and Research Associates of the Laboratory.

- Commercial construction analysis/design packages from the domestic and international market.

Finally, the Laboratory has a lecture room also equipped with a network of personal computers.

History

Objectives

Infrastructure

Contact

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