Impact

IMPACT

Impact on European society

The recent earthquakes that have struck Europe over the last decade, Amatrice-Norcia (2016), L’Aquila (2009) and Lorca (2011) have shown that, even for a moderate seismic hazard level, seismic actions can cause huge personal and economic losses. The development of a novel and cost‐effective strengthening solution using natural fibres and lime mortars will contribute to advance the technology of TRM and natural fibres; it will greatly benefit society by providing safer and more sustainable buildings and infrastructure fostering a greener economy, less waste and cheaper construction and less economic lossesdue to earthquakes. This is especially important since about 30% of the total European construction output is invested in rehabilitation and maintenance of housing and infrastructure, with composites materials playing a leading role. This research project will increase current scientific and practical know-howin the following engineering fields: preservation of masonry construction, including cultural heritage (by developing a novel technology for strengthening substandard structures with lower environmental impact); natural fibres industry (by finding a high value use of natural fibres and creating new market opportunities); structural engineering (by developing guidelines for designing earthquake resistant masonry structures). It will also benefit infrastructure owners and insurance companies by reducing the vulnerabilityof a large proportion of the existing building stock. The proposed project will also benefit researchers involved in existing buildings, earthquake engineering and energy efficiency by contributing to the fundamentalunderstanding of the new mortar‐based composite material with natural fibres and providing numerical and design-oriented models for the new retrofitting solutions. In conclusion, the proposed project will benefit the European Research Area, contribute to its excellenceand competitiveness, and also provide an important stepping stone for the fellow’s career.