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This paper shows the developments on the digital twinning of a set of new High speed Railway bridges located in South Western Spain. The aim of this digitization is the generation of a twin-driven maintenance planning. This research is performed within the frame of a H2020 European project called ASHVIN, related to the use of Digital Twins for Design, Construction and Maintenance purposes within the AEC sector. The project provides a series of demo cases for all stages. One of the demo cases is a series of new bridges belonging to a high speed train network in Extremadura, Spain. The demo case is aimed at establishing sensor-based and image-based requirements, procedures and examples for the generation of realistic virtual replica of the physical bridges. The twins are deemed to as living assets that can be updated during operation. The paper depicts actions and deployments undertaken during the routine static load tests. The efforts related to sensoring, simulation, modelling, assessment and validation can be wrapped up systematically for further use during regular operation of the asset. All authors acknowledge the funding of Ashvin, “Assistants for Healthy, Safe, and Productive Virtual Construction Design, Operation & Maintenance using a Digital Twin” a H2020 project under agreement 958161. Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::9 - Indústria, Innovació i Infraestructura

This paper depicts the deployment of Ground-Based Interferometer Synthetic Aperture Radars for obtaining displacements and accelerations of El Tajo and Almonte Viaducts during their routine load tests. These Viaducts belong to the Highspeed Railway Network between Madrid and Badajoz, which represents a strategic infrastructure in Spain. Both Viaducts are concrete arches whose size as well as whose height over the reservoir posed a tremendous challenge for obtaining proper field data using traditional devices. The paper shows the gathered experience on the use of this technique for subsequent routine load tests. Jose Vicente Fuente Acknowledges the support ot the program Torres y Quevedo (PTQ). R. Chacón and C. Ramonell acknowledge the funding of Ashvin, “Assistants for Healthy, Safe, and Productive Virtual Construction Design, Operation & Maintenance using a Digital Twin” a H2020 project under agreement 958161. All authors are grateful to ADIF for the invaluable collaboration and openness during the execution of the load tests vis-à-vis all research performed within the railway network premises. Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::9 - Indústria, Innovació i Infraestructura

In the assessment of existing infrastructure performing only a desk study is often not sufficient to determine the structural reliability of a bridge or viaduct. For concrete structures gathering field data by performing a proof load test offers detailed information about the structural performance. However, the relation between the magnitude of the load and the structural reliability is not immediately clear. In the present study the challenges in determining the target load and the uncertainties that require attention are described. An approach is presented that addresses the time-dependent character of the structural reliability, the need for accurate stop-criteria, the knowledge level and spatial uncertainty. It is shown how both past traffic loads and a proof load test may contribute to the proven strength of a structure. The described methodology provides a starting point towards a flexible approach for proof load testing in which structure-specific information and requirements are considered.

Das Qualitätsmanagement von Strukturen aus Stahl- und Spannbeton, insbesondere jener von Straßenbrücken unterscheidet sich innerhalb Europas stark von Staat zu Staat. Diese Publikation gibt nicht nur einen Überblick über den aktuellen Stand der Technik, sondern es wird ein Vorschlag für eine holistische Performance-Bewertung von Brücken aus Konstruktionsbeton vorgestellt. Um die Vorgehensweise bei der Qualitätskontrolle von Straßenbrücken und infolgedessen die Entscheidungsfindung zur Umsetzung von Instandhaltungsmaßnahmen auf einen einheitlichen Standard zu bringen, hat sich das europäsche Forschungsprojekt COST (European Cooperation in Science & Technology) Action TU1406 zum Ziel gesetzt, eine in Europa allgemein gültige Richtlinie zur Erstellung von Qualitätskontrollplänen zu entwickeln. Die COST TU 1406 befasst sich mit der Erhebung der für die Zustandsbeurteilung von Straßenbrücken relevanten Leistungsindikatoren (performance indicators). Um Daten in Bezug auf diese Performance-Indikatoren zu sammeln, wurden die Mitgliedsstaaten der COST Action ersucht, sämtliche Informationen aus bereits in Anwendung befindlichen Dokumenten, wie Richtlinien und Normen, sowie aus Forschungsdokumenten zu erheben. In diesem Beitrag werden die Prozesse hinsichtlich der Erhebung und Dokumentation der Daten sowie deren Evaluierung eingehend beleuchtet. Ein wesentlicher Teil war auch die Homogenisierung und Kategorisierung der Ergebnisse aus den Erhebungen, um in weiterer Folge Performance- Indikatoren zu identifizieren und diese dann sogenannten Key-Performance-Indikatoren zuzuordnen. Die Erhebung der Performance- Indikatoren und die Definition von Key- Performance-Indikatoren waren wesentliche Schritte zur Entwicklung einer standardisierten Richtlinie zur Erstellung von Qualitätskontrollplänen für Straßenbrücken auf europäischer Ebene.

There are many traditional technologies available to extend the life of elderly rail infrastructure, some of which are being improved or developed, whilst new technologies continue to emerge.In two earlier reports a benchmark of new technologies was given and assessment methods were presented, ML-D1.1 (2013) and ML-D1.2 (2013). In this report, ML-D1.3, an overview is given of some of the most promising new or updated technologies. Based on the findings, work in the Mainline project has focused on the following two areas for bridges, tunnels and track:- Assessment methods- Repair and Strengthening methodsSome of the methods are still under development and may not yet be available commercially. Hence these are presented on a “for information” basis and as something that may be introduced on a broader scale in a near future.In the report assessment and strengthening of bridges are treated in Chapter 4 and Chapter 5.Tunnels are treated in Chapter 6 and track and earthwork in Chapter 7.The report also includes with five appendices with details of important work that has been donein the MAINLINE project. Appendix A presents results from the assessment and full scale testing to failure of a 50 year old metallic truss bridge. Appendix B presents results from the strengthening by post-tensioning of a concrete trough bridge. Appendix C presents methods to extend life for tunnels. Appendix D proposes methods for the assessment of fatigue andAppendix E, finally, gives a fairly comprehensive list of references on how to extend the life of structures.A Guideline for application of the new technologies is given in ML-D1.4 (2014). Godkänd; 2015; Bibliografisk uppgift: MAINLINE MAINtenance, renewal and Improvement of rail transport iNfrastructure to reduce Economic and environmental impacts Collaborative project (Small or medium-scale focused research project) Theme SST.2011.5.2-6.: Cost-effective improvement of rail transport infrastructure; 20150519 (elfgren)

The main objective of this background document is to bridge the gap between the most advanced structural assessment techniques based on probabilistic methods and the daily practice of bridge evaluators in the railway agencies, not specifically trained on them and responsible of the load and resistance assessments. To this end, the background document explains and summarizes the basis of the safety assessment using a probabilistic approach, providing simplified methods whenever possible and also providing examples of application in order to make the documents more readable and understandable.The present background document is divided in the following deliverables: D4.4.1 Safety format and required safety levels D4.4.2 Probabilistic modelling D4.4.3 Probabilistic non-linear analysis D4.4.4 Examination of fatigue safety and remaining fatigue life of structural details andcomponents in steel of railway bridges using probabilistic methods D4.4.5 Long-term behaviour of subsoil below railway embankments – A simplified predictionmethod of settlements with a probabilistic approach EC Sixth Framework ProgramSustainable Bridges – Assessment for Future Traffic Demands and Longer LivesTIP3-CT-2003-001653

A recent survey showed that 40% of existing rail network bridges in Europe are masonry arches. More than 60% of those bridges are over 100 years old and still carry ever increasing levels of loading and increasing volumes of traffic. Due to the constantly increasing weight of rail traffic there is increasing demand for better understanding of their life expectancy and fatigue limits. It is imperative that the bridge stock is not adversely affected by these changes in the loading regime and that appropriate assessment, modelling, repair and strengthening techniques are available. This background document is an attempt to address and solve the above questions.To this end, the document is divided in the following parts: D4.7.1 Structural assessment of masonry arch bridges D4.7.2 Numerical analyses of load distribution and deflections in railway bridge transitionzones due to passing trains D4.7.3 Methods of analysis of damaged masonry arch bridges D4.7.4 Potentiality of probabilistic methods in the assessment of masonry arches EC Sixth Framework ProgramSustainable Bridges – Assessment for Future Traffic Demands and Longer LivesTIP3-CT-2003-001653

The guideline SB-ICA Inspection, and Condition Assessment presents new and enhanced tools, equipment and procedures for railway bridge inspection and condition assessment to achieve the objectives of the project. The Guideline SB-ICA Inspection and Condition Assessment with three annexes summarizes and completes the technical research work described in technical deliverables D3.2 to D3.14, available as background documents. The guideline also refers to UIC-documents, national standards and results of research done so far in international research. The guideline is prepared to transfer the latest research results to the end users, the European railway infrastructure departments. The technical deliverables, attached as background documents to this guideline, describe the research, which focussed on the following topics: - Basic research for appropriate non-destructive testing methods to be used by the railways in refined inspection and condition assessment of reinforced concrete, steel and masonry arch bridges as well as for the investigation of foundations and subsoil, - Development of procedures for effective condition assessment and defect appraisal, - Enhancing the applicability of non-destructive inspection tools to railway bridges with focus on the compatibility with the railway infrastructure, - The application to railway bridges includes both, the reviews of techniques and methods (state of the art) and latest research, e.g. automation of acoustic imaging techniques, advanced image data processing for results obtained from different NDT-measurement (data fusion, data reconstruction), - Development of automated equipment for faster operating onsite measurements with high geometrical accuracy, which is a precondition for super positioning of data obtained from different methods and different measurements, - A proposal for classification of defects, description of deterioration, defect location. - Finite element modelling of RC-deterioration processes and degradation by corrosion. Based on refined information from inspections about the current condition of the bridge elements, an entire bridge and the capability of the bridge stock along a railway line has to be assessed in a fast and unique way, e.g. in order to allow new train types, increase of train frequency, transfer of higher loads or higher speed. The guideline on inspection and condition assessment presents tools to update bridge documentation, which is some times insufficient, inaccurate or incomplete. Systematic application of repeatable procedures are presented, which are using new tools with high degree of geometrical accuracy. Advanced technologies help also to follow time dependent processes and to alleviate the effects of the loss of operational experience of retiring workers. Research for better inspection and condition assessment tools for the railway infrastructure, e.g. using Non-Destructive testing methods was concentrated on gaps, identified in the first phase of the project. The analysis of the bridge stock by the partner railways in WP1 revealed that steel and masonry arch bridges need to be incorporated into the scope of the project. Following this advice, the guideline for inspection and condition assessment covers inspection of reinforced concrete, steel and masonry arch bridges, as well as testing of subsoil and foundation. This guideline proposes inspection and condition assessment tools to get comparable description of the railway infrastructure condition in different countries of the European Community. The work also revealed the need of common terminology, a database for defects and a database with applicable non-destructive testing methods in single page information. Sustainable Bridges - Assessment for Traffic Demands and Longer Lives

The objectives are: 1.- To set the definitions, objectives and phases included in the condition assessment process 2.- To examine and review the existing procedures used for the condition assessment of railway bridges in twelve selected european countries 3.- To create the necessary knowledge to develop a future expert system for bridge condition evaluation that may be assumed, understood and incorporated by the different european countries EC FP6 Sixth Framework ProgramTIP3-CT-2003-001653 Sustainable Bridges – Assessment for Future Traffic Demands and Longer Lives

The bridge assessment in many aspects is very similar to the bridge design. The same basic principles lie at the heart of the process. Nevertheless, an important difference lies in the fact that when a bridge is being designed, an element of conservatism is generally a good thing that can be achieved with very little additional costs. When a bridge is being assessed, it is important to avoid unnecessarily conservative measures because of the financial implications that may follow the decision of ratingthe bridge as deficient. Therefore, the design codes (e.g. EC codes) may not always be appropriate for assessment of existing bridges and some additional recommendations or guidelines are required that will lead to less conservative assessment of theirs load carrying capacity. Such guidelines have been already proposed for assessment of highway bridges in Europe. However, there is a lack of this type of documents that can be applied for the assessment of railway bridges. The present "Guideline for Load and Resistance Assessment of Existing European Railway Bridges - advices on the use of advanced methods" is providing guidance and recommendations for applying the most advanced and beneficial methods, models and tools for assessing the load carrying capacity of existing railway bridges. This includes systematized step-level assessment methodology, advanced safety formats (e.g. probabilistic or simplified probabilistic) refined structural analysis (e.g. non-linear or plastic, dynamic considering train-bridge interaction), better models of loads and resistance parameters (e.g. probabilistic and/or based on the results of measurements) and methods for incorporation of the results form monitoring and on-site testing (e.g. Bayesian updating). Basis for the "Guideline for Load and Resistance Assessment of Existing EuropeanRailway Bridges - advices on the use of advanced methods" is the research work carried out in the work package WP4 of the Sustainable Bridges project combined with the best practical experience and know-how of all the partners involved. The research activities within the work package WP4 have been carried out in the following five groups: − Loads and dynamic effects, with focus on train loads and dynamics (Deliverables D4.3, also referred as SB 4.3 Dynamic (2007), or just SB4.3 (2007)); − Safety and probabilistic modelling (Deliverables D4.4, also referred as SB4.4Safety (2007), or just SB4.4 (2007)); − Concrete bridges, with focus on non-linear analysis (Deliverables D4.5, also referred as SB4.5 Concrete (2007), or just SB4.5 (2007)); − Metal bridges, with focus on riveted bridges (Deliverables D4.6, also referredas SB4.6 Metal (2007), or just SB4.6 (2007)); − Masonry arch bridges including soil/structure interaction (Deliverables D4.7,also referred as SB4.7 Masonry (2007), or just SB4.7 (2007)). The results of these activities are reported in corresponding Background Documents (Deliverables) listed above within parenthesis. The main results from the research activities performed and the know-how of all the partners in the specific areas of bridge assessment are tried to be presented in this Sustainable Bridges SB-LRA 2007-11-30 6 (428) Guideline in such a way that the target reader of the Guideline, a structural engineer experienced in assessment of railway bridges, is able to apply them in the everyday practice, without necessity of searching for several specific scientific publications. Nevertheless, in some cases it has been necessary to refer to public available literature and Background Documents prepared in the Sustainable Bridges project. The present Guideline has been prepared aiming to follow somehow the structure of the EC codes and it is divided into 10 chapters and 12 Annexes concerning: − Assessment procedure (Chapter 2); − Requirements, safety formats and limit states (Chapter 3, Annexes 3.1-3.7); − Basic information for bridge assessment (Chapter 4); − Load and dynamic effects (Chapter 5, Annex 5.1); − Concrete bridges (Chapter 6); − Metal bridges (Chapter 7, Annex 7.1); − Masonry arch bridges (Chapter 8, Annexes 8.1 and 8.2); − Foundations and transition zones (Chapter 9); − Improvement of assessment using information from testing and monitoring (Chapter 10, Annex 10.1). In most of the topics related to railway bridges assessment the Guideline uses the current state-of-the-art knowledge and the presently best practice. Nevertheless, in many subjects it propose the use of original methods and models that have been developed, obtained or systematized due to research performed within one of the five groups of work package WP4. EU, FP6, Sjätte ramprogrammetTIP3-CT-2003-001653 Sustainable Bridges - Assessment for Future Traffic Demands and Longer Lives

Bridges are important infrastructure assets that are vital for the connectivity of communities. Visual inspections remain a key method for bridge condition monitoring. However, visual inspections are often considered to be highly subjective and therefore alternative technologies are often proposed as a means of replacing or enhancing current visual inspection practices. This paper presents the results of a survey which aims to document the emerging trends for future visual inspection practice related to bridges. The implementation of new technological solutions has the potential to improve the quality of inspection data, reduce the safety risks posed to visual inspectors by moving more of the process off-site and improve the quantification of the rate of change in condition. The survey covers two key topics: (i) Emerging data capture methods and (ii) Emerging data analysis methods. Emerging data capture methods include: use of uncrewed vehicles, 360° cameras, photogrammetry, laser scanners, point cloud systems, and Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSar). Emerging data analysis methods include: remote inspection, augmented reality and virtual reality, digital image correlation, artificial intelligence, Big Data and the Internet of Things. The survey concludes with a detailed discussion on the opportunities and barriers to implementation of the reviewed technologies and approaches.

Bridge scour is a major cause of bridge collapse worldwide. Various approaches are available to estimate levels of scouring due to hydraulic loading. Such scour depth assessment methodologies typically employ a series of empirical and semi-empirical equations to estimate scour around a bridge element. This workexamines three such methodologies, namely the Hydraulic Engineering Circular Number 18 method (HEC-18) 4th edition, the HEC-18 5th edition method and the Texas A&M University method (TAMU). The paper compares the results from these three calculation methods with field data from 23 bridge piers (eight bridges) located in the State of Maine (USA). The paper investigates the levels of conservatism in the estimates of scour depth calculated using these three methodologies. All three approaches tend to give conservative estimates of maximum scour depth, especially for low values of scour depth, when compared to the field dataset examined in this paper.

Reinforced concrete structures are exposed to deterioration due to aggressive environments, excessive loads, extreme events worsened by climate change effects and, in some cases, lack or insufficiency of maintenance interventions. Effective maintenance management approaches are needed to guarantee or increase their service life, while adhering to budget constraints. The optimal scheduling of maintenance actions, under a predictive regime, requires targeted and condition-informed actions to ensure a maximal return on investment, while guaranteeing a safe and performant infrastructure. A focal activity of the international federation for structural concrete (fib), developed as part of Commission 3, lies in providing guidance for the assessment of existing concrete structures. In this context, the Task Group 3.3 has recently developed a Bulletin containing practical state-of-the-art guidelines for condition assessment and support of decision-making procedures for the through-life management of existing concrete structures. The Bulletin is organized into 6 chapters that cover the topics of data acquisition, condition and performance assessment and decision-making procedures. The document is complemented with a portfolio of case studies that report practical applications to real world structures. This contribution overviews chapters 3 and 6 of the Bulletin; the former outlines methods and best practices for condition assessment, whereas the latter exemplifies application of these tools on selected case studies on actual full-scale structures.

Current Topics and Trends on Durability of Building Materials and Components. Proceedings of the XV edition of the International Conference on Durability of Building Materials and Components (DBMC 2020) Barcelona, Spain 20 – 23 October 2020, ISBN:978-84-121101-8-0

Bio-based materials are gaining importance in the building industry, as the focus on sustainability and life-cycle-assessment has increased substantially over the last decade. Wood and wood-engineered products as well as insulation materials made from cellulose, wood, flax, hemp, etc. are increasingly used. These materials are made from renewable resources and with considerably lower energy consumption than various other building materials, such as insulation polymers, steel and concrete. As steel can corrode and concrete can rot, so can bio-based building materials degrade over time when exposed to those conditions that favour decay. Since fungi cause not only aesthetical degradation, but can also severely compromise the structural integrity of a building component this is critical for any service life approach. Consequently, a proper understanding of the fungal susceptibility of bio-based materials is needed, both for optimal application of bio-based materials as for the design of new materials. Based on a combination of tests we try to unravel the role of the material’s chemical components, structure and moisture dynamics on its fungal susceptibility, as well as the interaction between those material characteristics. In a first test set-up, the ‘paste test’, the material’s structure is removed and fungal growth is assessed over time in 2D, with only the material’s chemical components playing a role. In the second test set-up, the ‘X-ray CT test’, fungal development is assessed non-destructively in 3D with X-ray CT, giving an indication of moisture production and distribution over time, in relation to the material’s structure. By comparing the results, we have a better idea of how much each material characteristic influences fungal susceptibility. This knowledge can then be used for optimising fungal testing of bio-based materials, ensuring optimal application and providing the building industry with the confidence they need to pave the way to a more sustainable future.

During a rain event, most of the raindrops reaching the facade either splash back or run off the exterior surface of the facade. However, it is evident that also a portion of the water infiltrates through the open joints of a ventilated facade. The infiltrated water may either be drained in the cavity to the bottom of the wall or reach the insulation layer. If there are any deficiencies present in the insulation layer or at the connection of the brackets, the infiltrated water might introduce problems. Additionally, if the cavity is not able to drain all the infiltrated water or adhered droplets to one of the cavity surfaces do not dry out, moisture problems might occur. Experiments were conducted to determine the infiltration rate through ventilated facades with open joint widths of 5 mm, 10 mm and 15 mm and cavity widths ranging from 190 mm to 40 mm. It was observed that the amount of infiltrating water was larger for larger joints widths. Due to the larger kinetic energy of the drops flowing through the larger joint widths, the drops were able to reach the exterior surface of the insulation layer, even for large cavity widths. The results from the experimental assessment were used as input parameters for hygrothermal simulations to determine the risk of moisture problems.

Capillary imbibition is a transport phenomenon occurring in concrete structures exposed to weathering, frequently in direct connection with the resistance against different deterioration processes. This property depends on the volume and connectivity of pores. For ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBFS) and fly ash blended concrete mixes, the pore refining action of these supplementary cementitious materials plays a positive role in the disconnection of the capillary porosity and consequent reduction of the capillary imbibition rate. Moreover, for this particular transport process, primary and secondary transport rates can be defined in connection with different driving mechanisms. This allows a complementary description of the pore structure of concrete. In this paper, blended concrete mixes were prepared by substituting 20, 40 and 60 % of OPC by GGBFS, and 20, 30 and 40 % of OPC by fly ash. The pore structure of these concretes is assessed by water absorption under vacuum and mercury intrusion porosimetry after curing periods of 28 and 90 days. Long-term capillary imbibition tests were also performed and primary and secondary imbibition rates are computed by a novel approach that considers their linear evolution with the fourth root of time. Results show the refinement action of GGBFS and fly ash by a softening in the transition stage between the primary and secondary imbibition periods. A low water flow rate is consequently correlated with the increased tortuosity of samples.

Construction project costs often reach values higher than planned. Accuracy in project cost estimation is one of the most important criteria for project success, even for its sustainability.The main idea of this research is to examine the relationship between realized cost and contracted cost values for residential buildings. The aim of the research is to determine the mathematical relationship between realized and planned costs in the project implementation phase by using a few mathematical methods and some machine learning methods in comparison to linear regression. This would enable validation of methods themselves by comparing and evaluating the obtained relevant parameters.Comparison would be performed on two levels, based on its general characteristics, as well as on the results of their application on the basis of 24 building reconstructions and new buildings by comparing the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) and the determination coefficient (R2) using Predictive Modelling Software DTREG (pronounced D-T-Reg). The relationship of realized and planned costs will be determined for the building as a whole and for certain types of construction works. That relationship would enable more realistic budget planning of similar future projects. Cost overrun factors will be analysed for particular types of construction works, as well as the probability of their occurrence, and what measures should be undertaken to prevent or reduce them in similar future projects. The phenomenon known in project planning as "optimism bias" will be analysed in the context of research focus of exceeding the construction cost.

The Palace of Westminster, commonly known as the Houses of Parliament, serves as the\ud meeting place of the House of Commons and the House of Lords and is situated on the north bank of\ud the River Thames in London, England. The site is part of the UNESCO Westminster World Heritage\ud Site. The building was constructed of magnesian limestone, selected following a nationwide survey of\ud building stones carried out by a Government Select Committee. However, some of this stone began\ud to decay soon after construction in the mid 1800s. As the majority of the stonework has survived very\ud well the aim of the work was to source a demonstrably durable material with characteristics which\ud align with the majority of the existing stonework. Samples were taken from the building for\ud petrographic analysis in order to identify compatible material in quarries, either working or which\ud could be re-opened. Durability of the magnesian limestone was assessed using both accepted tests\ud and novel methodology. Large scale walls were constructed in the laboratory and exposed to\ud accelerated frost weathering with realistic temperature parameters. The logistical problems with\ud sourcing the original building material, the nature of the transport and the masons' unfamiliarity with\ud the stone may all have played a part in undermining its durability. When magnesian limestone is\ud properly selected and used correctly, its reputation for being of poor durability is largely unfounded.\ud Suitable sources for replacement stone were located which provided several options for both\ud immediate and long-term sourcing for repair and conservation.

During the second half of last century the forestry-wood chain has evolved and today ecosystem services in a sustainability framework are important. Forests are intended to provide services for the bio-economy, human health, biodiversity and climate control. An increased need for more renewable resources both for material and energy use has initiated extra interest for the potential to produce more lignocellulosic biomass, in short to increase wood production. One option is to provide in complementary production in planted forests. Both forestry and agriculture can take part in this. The cultivation of poplar hybrids in the temperate regions is a key option for the current and future bioeconomy. These fast-growing trees are producing lightweight hardwood with a low natural durability, but with an important potential as construction material especially as engineered wood products. All wood protection methods are of interest to be evaluated for this wood resource, making it suitable even for high quality applications. Poplar, for many reasons, has been nominated as hardwood with the best potential to perform similarly as softwoods for applications in wood construction. Benchmarking with wood species like spruce is relevant for several engineered wood products like plywood, LVL and even CLT. Wood treatments to increase durability have evolved from traditional wood preservation towards modification techniques such as thermally modified timber. Innovative poplar based products have been assessed on their performance and are designed to fit for purpose in relation to a specific combination of use class and service life. Introducing innovative poplar based construction product for green building requires adequate testing tools. Performance based assessment should allow to integrate different protective measures. Related to moisture dynamics and the linked fungal decay risk, opportunities to extend service life are manifold. Treatment can be differentiated e.g. for cladding (building envelope) and loadbearing construction components. Simple or sophisticated modification processes can alter the equilibrium moisture content. The use of wood based panels and new engineered wood products allow for better moisture control impacting fungal decay risk, but also alter the probability of insect damage. This paper intends to present several innovative poplar based construction products and show some cases of benchmarking in relation to an integrated service life approach.

Understanding how climate change accelerates or slows down the process of material deterioration is the first step towards assessing adaptive approaches for the preservation of historical heritage. Analysis of the climate change effects on the degradation risk assessment parameters like freeze-thaw cycles and salt crystallization is also a key parameter when considering mitigating actions. Due to the vulnerability of cultural heritage in Iran to climate change, the impact of this phenomenon on basic parameters like temperature was analyzed. Choosing an appropriate regional climate model is the first and most crucial step in the analysis of climate change effects on heritage. The outputs of two different regional climate models: the ALARO-0- SURFEX model (Ghent University, Belgium) and the REMO model (HZG-GERICS, Germany) were analyzed to find out which model is more adapted to the region. So the focus of this research is mainly on the evaluation process to find a feasible approach for validation study to determine the reliability of each model. For model validation, a comparison between model data and observations was performed for 30 years from 1980-2017. Besides, some climatic parameters which are likely critical for heritage like freeze-thaw cycles were studied to find out how reliable these models are in the field of building pathology.

This paper introduces the ForestValue research project CLICKdesign – delivering fingertip knowledge to enable service life performance specification of wood. The consortium is working on a primary innovation to move from the complex, fragmented and general to the easy-to-use, consolidated and specific by provision of a digital tool for specifiers. Other materials tackle this and provide designers and architects with software. The specification of performance of wood products is complex and fraught with inconsistency and requires use of multiple platforms for data, experience, standards and national recommendations. CLICKdesign will provide a tool that has within it the decades of research, the complexity of the standards specification systems and the variation of approach due to tradition, materials and culture across Europe and beyond. A simple tool for nonexpert public users will be available as well as a tool accessible to professional users that will be refined with industry to ensure relevancy and accelerate uptake and use.

Chloride ingress in cracked concrete leads to rapid corrosion of embedded steel reinforcement and a decrease of the expected service life. Corrosion monitoring experiments showed that a 300 μm wide crack caused initiation of corrosion of a rebar (O 10 mm) with a concrete cover of 26 mm within three weeks of cyclic exposure to a 33 g/l NaCl solution. After a period of unstable corrosion activity during the first 20 weeks of exposure, corrosion propagated further at a relatively high rate (0.345 to 0.718 mm³/week). Application of a theoretical pitting model revealed that a reduction of about 50% of the rebar cross-section would occur after a period of 9 to 20 years of continuous cyclic exposure to chlorides. To avoid such rapid degradation, the use of self-healing concrete can be proposed. Introduction of macro-encapsulated polyurethane into the concrete matrix, will lead to the formation of a (partial) barrier against ingress of chlorides at the moment cracks appear. Corrosion monitoring experiments showed that the autonomous crack healing could not always prevent corrosion initiation, but caused an important reduction of the corrosion rate during the 44 weeks exposure period. The mean rate of volumetric loss of steel amounted to 0.042 mm³/week, about 15 times lower than for the untreated cracked samples. The rebars also showed no or very limited signs of corrosion after visual inspection. The simplified pitting model indicated that a 50% reduction in steel cross-section would take more than 5 times longer for samples with self-healing properties versus ordinary cracked samples.

Previously, only solutions with long-term experience were used in the building sector and it was sufficient to describe, e.g. in the building regulations, how they should be constructed. However, the innovation rate has gradually increased, encouraged by industrialization and by building regulations becoming more functional based. As a result, the required performance is often described for the whole building or for a building component, but not at product level. Furthermore, CE marking makes it possible to market and sell a product in any country within the European Union if only one or a few properties are declared, and these may even not be the most relevant ones for a specific application in a technical solution. A CE mark is therefore neither a quality mark nor an approval of the product for a specific application, although clients and consultants often believe this is the case. It is therefore a major challenge for the building sector to determine if a new building product is suitable in a specific technical solution (wall, roof, etc.). The paper identifies a gap between performance-based requirements for a technical solution and specific requirements to properties of building products. Two cases (flat roofs with no slope, MgO-containing boards used as wind barriers) show the possible economic consequences of not closing this gap; the technical solution failed, as one of the products was not suitable for Danish weather conditions. The first case initiated the formation of the Danish Building Defects Fund in 1986, the second one from 2015 shows that the gap still exits, 30 years later. The cases show how difficult it can be even for professionals to understand different certifications, especially when a product seems to be well suited for a specific use. Based on the cases, the paper presents a systematic approach that guides users through important issues relating to requirements for a moisture-safe building envelope. Previously, only solutions with long-term experience were used in the building sector and it was sufficient to describe, e.g. in the building regulations, how they should be constructed. However, the innovation rate has gradually increased, encouraged by industrialization and by building regulations becoming more functional based. As a result, the required performance is often described for the whole building or for a building component, but not at product level. Furthermore, CE marking makes it possible to market and sell a product in any country within the European Union if only one or a few properties are declared, and these may even not be the most relevant ones for a specific application in a technical solution. A CE mark is therefore neither a quality mark nor an approval of the product for a specific application, although clients and consultants often believe this is the case. It is therefore a major challenge for the building sector to determine if a new building product is suitable in a specific technical solution (wall, roof, etc.). The paper identifies a gap between performance-based requirements for a technical solution and specific requirements to properties of building products. Two cases (flat roofs with no slope, MgO-containing boards used as wind barriers) show the possible economic consequences of not closing this gap; the technical solution failed, as one of the products was not suitable for Danish weather conditions. The first case initiated the formation of the Danish Building Defects Fund in 1986, the second one from 2015 shows that the gap still exits, 30 years later. The cases show how difficult it can be even for professionals to understand different certifications, especially when a product seems to be well suited for a specific use. Based on the cases, the paper presents a systematic approach that guides users through important issues relating to requirements for a moisture-safe building envelope.