Past  Conferences

	A Conference on Architectural SuretyÒ
	Assuring the Performance of Buildings and Infrastructures
	PROCEEDINGS

The Nature of Materials and Their Effective Use

in Civil Engineering Structures

Carlos Ventura

University of British Columbia

ABSTRACT

Several aspects of construction materials behaviors are discussed in this presentation. The current global infrastructure crisis is discussed and alternatives for breaking the cycle of deterioration of existing structures are explored. The effectiveness of these techniques depends significantly on the understanding of the properties of materials used during construction. It is shown that realistic predictions of the performance of structures subjected to serviceability loads or to extreme environmental loads, such as wind storms and earthquakes, are successful if there is a good understanding of the strength and ultimate capacity of the materials used. A discussion on effective ways to combine new and old materials to improve the load carrying capacity of existing structures is also presented.

1997 Conference Home Page

1997 Conference Contents