News

Cava EuroCodes: developing digital building data models

  • Faculté des Sciences, des Technologies et de Médecine (FSTM)
    29 novembre 2018
  • Catégorie
    Recherche
  • Thème
    Ingénierie

The University of Luxembourg in cooperation with the University of Science and Technology Wrocław (Poland), the University of Applied Sciences Trier (Germany) and the University of Wuppertal (Germany) have recently launched the Erasmus+ project “Cava EuroCodes” which will focus on digitalization in construction and on computer-based design for structural elements.

Digital transformation

Digitalization in the building sector will play an increasingly important role with the development of new tools and techniques. “In the civil engineering field, there is a strong demand for digital building data models to increase the level of integration with the computational engineering. Thus, future structural civil engineers, who take care of the design and dimensioning of structural elements, will have to work with computer-based advanced design methods. The knowledge about the validation and assessment of the results of these design methods will become essential. Therefore, courses have to be constantly adapted to the state-of-the-art and new technologies to prepare student’s future”, explains Markus Schäfer, Professor in structural engineering and composite structures at the University of Luxembourg and coordinator of the project. 

Kick-off meeting Cava Eurocodes, 25 October 2018, Kirchberg Campus, Luxembourg

Eurocodes

At European level, structural design has to be performed according to the EuroCodes, a set of European standards for the design of buildings and other civil engineering works. “The design models of EuroCodes are mainly based on analytical and mechanical models, but do not give much information on the application and interpretation of advanced design methods. Thus, interpretation and acceptance of those results is a serious issue among civil engineers and control engineers. That is why we have decided to launch the Cava EuroCodes project to further study the link between computational engineering and design as well as the exchange from data of digital building model with structural design software”, continues Prof. Schäfer. 

Creating an online curriculum

The Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership Cava EuroCodes was launched in September 2018 for a three-year period in partnership with the University of Applied Science Trier, the University of Wuppertal and the University of Science and Technology Wroclaw. The project includes both teaching and research activities with the final goal of creating an interdisciplinary online curriculum fulfilling market needs. Bachelor, master and PhD students will have the opportunity to learn about different national interpretations of design processes in the participating countries and different cultures in construction with its country-specific characteristics. They will acquire the necessary knowledge and skills in structural engineering to be prepared for the fast-changing job market. 

Partners of the Cava EuroCodes project

At the University of Luxembourg, Norman Teferle, Professor for Geodesy and Geospatial engineering, and Slawomir Kedziora, Professor for Mechanical Engineering, work on the project in cooperation with Markus Schäfer. Furthermore, students of engineering sciences will be involved in the project by study works, Bachelor and Master Thesis. Cava Eurocodes offers the student the possibility to participate in transnational teaching activity weeks and international workshops at the partner universities.  

The project is funded by the EU-Program Erasmus+ Strategic Partnerships for a period of three years.