SPP 1542 – Coordination and central tasks
Table of contents
Project data
| Titel| Title SPP 1542 – Koordination und zentrale Aufgaben | SPP 1542 – Coordination and central tasks Förderer | Funding Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) / SPP 1542 Zeitraum | Period 07/2011 – 09/2014 (1. Periode) 10/2014 – 03/2022 (2. Periode) Koordinator | Coordinator Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dr.-Ing. E.h. Manfred Curbach Geschäftsführerin| Executive director Dr.-Ing. Silke Scheerer Bearbeiter:innen | Contributors ÖA | PR: Ulrich van Stipriaan, M.A., Sven Hofmann, Stefan Gröschel Controlling: Sabine Hofmann, Dajana Musiol, Silvia Haubold Support: Dipl.-Ing. Egbert Müller |
Link to the project website
Report in the year book 2014
The SPP 1542 goes to the second round
Participants of the working meeting in Dresden in autumn 2014
In the autumn of 2014, the researchers in the DFG Priority Programme (SPP) 1542 „Concrete light − future concrete structures using bionic, mathematical and engineering formfinding principles“ could look back on a very successful first funding period. The end of the first funding period was the reason that the annual meeting took place in Dresden, like we have it already done at the start of the SPP in the summer of 2011. All three days were filled with discussions and presentations. On the one hand, it was time to look back, because almost all research projects from funding phase 1 were close to completion or had already ended. It was the right time to sum up and to compare the aims from the beginning with the achievements after three years of research. The speakers presented outstanding successes, but also wrong ways, such as may occur in basic research, were outlined and analysed. On time with the end of the SPP‘s first funding period a book was completed, in which the research of all sub-projects of the SPP is presented.
In addition, the meeting was an opportunity to pass in review all other activities, which have taken place within the past three years. These include, for example, the projects that had been initiated by various researchers and supported separately with financial resources from the coordination fund. To make them more public, for example by an appropriate presentation on the SPP’s website, is one of the future tasks.
An overview about the research activities is published in this book; available online at Qucosa
Secondly, this final meeting in Dresden was additional the kick-off meeting for the second funding period of the priority program, which had been granted in the summer of 2014 by the DFG. A total of twelve research projects will continue three more years. Three other projects from period 1 were extended for one year. There are also six completely new sub-projects at the Universities of Aachen, Berlin, Braunschweig, Dresden, Hanover and Munich.
The meeting was completed completed with a lecture by Prof. Knippers. He presented the thematically related SFB-Transregio `Design and Integrative Biological Structures‘ that launched in summer 2014 in Stuttgart, Freiburg and Tübingen.
Report in the year book 2013
Coordinating Research − SPP 1542
Enjoy while researching − summer school of the SPP 1542 in Meisdorf/Harz.
What a few years ago began with an idea that has become today a widely acclaimed Priority Program (SPP) of the German Research Foundation (DFG). The SPP 1542 „Concrete light − future concrete structures using bionic, mathematical and engineering formfinding principles“ is currently the only SPP, which is aimed at solid construction engineers in foreground. Since the beginning of funding in summer of 2011, about 50 researchers in Germany are working in 17 sub-projects to find innovative solutions for the building of the future.
Our Institute is responsible − in addition to the research into two SPP projects − for the coordination and organization of the entire Priority Programme. We are the contact persons for the DFG, but also for all participating scientists. We are responsible for the coordination of SPP meetings and partly also for their organization. In 2013 we were involved in the tendering of the phase II of the SPP, which is to begin in the summer of 2014.
To enhance the perception of the program in public, we maintain an informative website and present the aim of the SPP 1542 in the technical press or at conferences. An evidence for the excellent research in the Priority Program is that even 2013 − on the initiative of the coordinator, Prof. Curbach, − a complete edition of the Beton- und Stahlbetonbau is published with technical papers on the subject of light construction with concrete.
Highlight for the SPP researchers was certainly the one-week summer school in Meisdorf/Harz in June 2013, which was also organized by us. The local castle hotel offered excellent meeting rooms in a unique atmosphere, which almost invited to exchange ideas and expertise together to discuss ideas for future projects. The week has been used for an intensive exchange of experience. In addition to the reports from the projects, there were lectures on experimental techniques and new methods of measurement − also held by staff of our institute −, on the problem of shear tests or about the challenges of modeling concrete. The program was supplemented by optional seminars, high-profile evening lectures and an outlook to the third year of funding.
Report in the yearbook 2011
SPP 1542 – Concrete light
Scientists participating in the SPP 1542 during their 1st workshop in Trifels
Before concrete is hardening its plastic to liquid and can preserve almost any shape in the setting process. The possibility of free shaping when using reinforced concrete for construction is thus given. However, today the design language of ordinary reinforced concrete structures is very easy, especially for cost reasons. Plane surfaces and rectangular geometry are the rule.
We have two main objectives:
- The goal is an aesthetic change of paradigm, because the expansion of the spectrum of the usual forms of concrete increases the possibilities of design in building with concrete. The buildings should be functional, while allowing variable uses.
- Lightweight building with concrete accordingly “form follows force” leads to a reduction in the dead weight of the components, saving of natural resources and energy in fabrication the building materials but also to a reduction in CO2 emissions.
Our aim is that relevant structural elements such as ceilings, walls, columns get their geometry according to the principle “form follows force” as a result of the given, but also influenceable force flow in the component. We want to find the constructive and theoretical basics for design, calculation and construction of free-form and lightweight designed concrete components.
Special focus will be the component-specific basic research. The whole buildable structures – shells, plates, columns – should be explored. The components which are designed according to force fields are, ideally, minimum weight. Indications for effective bearing structures are offered by nature with the help of bionics.
Another focus is the development of formwork systems and building technologies for free-formed concrete structures. Joining technologies are in terms of deconstruction and reuse of (parts) of concrete structures of interest. In addition, appropriate calculation methods to design stability endangered structures safely.
The main objective of applied mathematical research – specifically of differential geometry – is to make the design language for the lightweight concrete describable and to analyze the force distributions and to define them mathematically.