A substantial part of the research activities developed at CERIS aim at improving/developing innovative products that can be applied by the construction industry, improving its competitiveness. This was achieved, along the past years, with many funded research projects involving CERIS and construction companies. From these partnerships, new Products or Prototypes, New Materials, Patents, Software Solutions, Special Testing Techniques and Expert studies were developed and implemented in private and public works. The following works illustrate the strong collaboration between CERIS and the construction Industry: i) products and prototypes; ii) development of materials; iii) software solutions; special experimental tests; expert studies; and patents.
Product description: Pontalumis – 10.5 m span pedestrian bridge with GFRP beams and a fiber reinforced concrete slab.
Application: S. Silvestre Bridge in Ovar, Portugal, built in 2 hours.
Research partners: CERIS/IST; ALTO; UM.
CERIS contacts: José Gonilha; João Ramôa Correia; Fernando Branco.
Product description: Pontalumis – 10.5 m span pedestrian bridge with GFRP beams and a fiber reinforced concrete slab.
Application: S. Silvestre Bridge in Ovar, Portugal, built in 2 hours.
Research partners: CERIS/IST; ALTO; UM.
CERIS contacts: José Gonilha; João Ramôa Correia; Fernando Branco.
Product description: S. Mateus bridge – 13.3 m span pedestrian bridge, with steel girders and a GFRP multicellular deck.
Application: S. Mateus Bridge in Viseu, built in 1.5 days.
Research partners: CERIS/IST.
CERIS contacts: Mário Sá; Augusto Gomes; João Ramôa Correia; Nuno Silvestre.
Product description: REHAB-GFRP – Lightweight high-performance glass fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP) sandwich panel produced by vacuum infusion.
Application: Rehabilitation of building floors.
Research partners: CERIS/IST; UM.
CERIS contacts: Mário Garrido; João Ramôa Correia; Fernando Branco.
Product description: Modular system for multi storey buildings.
Application: Collective Housing, Single Family, Hospitality or Commercial buildings – two single family buildings and a Hotel (two six storey buildings with a total gross area of 3,000 m2) have already been built.
Research partners: CERIS/IST; BMM; MSB arquitectos; BETAR.
CERIS contacts: António Sousa Gago; Jorge Proença.
Product description: Hi-Tech-Concrete-Design – Precast elements in advanced cementitious materials.
Application: Urban furniture in Lagoa das Sete Cidades, designed by Souto de Moura (Pritzker prize winner 2012).
Research partners: CERIS/IST; ISEC.
CERIS contacts: Eduardo Júlio.
Product description:Technical wall – Infrastructure wall for modular housing.
Application: Solution for public infrastructures to the auto-assisted housing construction program for the private sector.
Research partners: IST/CERIS; UM.
CERIS contacts: Miguel Amado; Tânia Lopes.
Product description: Constructed wetlands experimental facility – System to improve the design of constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment.
Application: Domestic wastewater treatment.
Research partners: IST/CERIS; SIMTEJO.
CERIS contacts: Ana Galvão; José Saldanha Matos.
Product description: Sludge drying beds experimental facility – System to improve design for sludge drying beds.
Application: Sludge drying beds planning, design and management.
Research partners: IST/CERIS.
CERIS contacts: Osvaldo Moiambo; Filipa Ferreira; José Saldanha Matos.
Product description: Low cost, low skilled monolithic wall building technology based on earth, air lime and reed, with light wood bracing.
Application: Building technology for small buildings – Experimental prototype.
Research partners: FCT NOVA; FRADICAL; CAS Studio; CERIS/IST.
CERIS contacts: Paulina Faria.
Product description: Behaviour of two typical stents towards a new stent evolution.
Application: Medical Engineering.
Research team: M. Simão; J. M. Ferreira; J. Mora-Rodriguez; J. Fragata; H. M. Ramos.
CERIS contacts: Helena Ramos.
Product description: System for identification of DVT diseases using numerical simulations.
Application: Diagnosis and understanding of the vein blockage induced by a deep venous thrombosis.
Research team: M. Simão; J. M. Ferreira; J. Mora‑Rodriguez; H. M. Ramos.
CERIS contacts: Helena Ramos.
Product description: System to model irrigation networks to quantify the potential energy recovery.
Application: Energy recovery in irrigation systems.
Research team: M. Pérez-Sánchez; F.J. Sánchez-Romero; H. M. Ramos; P. A. López-Jiménez.
CERIS contacts: Helena Ramos.
Product description: Compressed air vessel to control the pressure surge in water networks: CFD and experimental analysis.
Application: Hydraulic design of pipe systems.
Research team: M. Besharat; R. Tarinejad; M.T. Aalami; H.M. Ramos.
CERIS contacts: Helena Ramos.
Product description: Aerial transport system made of hybrid airship with flexible design, berthing tower and mooring mechanism, and modular cabin (people and cargo).
Application: Transport, Surveillance, Communications, Flying Lab (weather).
Research partners: IST/CERIS; UBI.
CERIS contacts: Rosário Macário; Vasco Reis.
Product description: Rehabilitation solution to remove longitudinal steel reinforcement in RC beams and replace it with GFRP bars.
Application: Rehabilitation of concrete beams and slabs.
Research partners: IST/CERIS; UMa.
CERIS contacts: Paulo França; Patrícia Escórcio.
Product description: Sustainable assessment certification model to select cost-effective environmentally-sound (factor 2, 4 and 10) solutions, using the LiderA system.
Application: Urban zones (Belas Clube Campo) and buildings: Environmental Demonstration and Education Center Torres Vedras municipal protocol; Green Houses at Bairro Pelame, Beja municipal protocol.
Research partners: CERIS/IST.
CERIS contacts: Manuel Duarte Pinheiro.
Product description: Model for sustainable tourism management and destinations, using the LiderA System.
Application: Setúbal Municipality and local tourist agents including the refurbishment of Eco Camping Outão (Setúbal).
Research partners: CERIS/IST.
CERIS contacts: Manuel Duarte Pinheiro.
Product description: New construction system for roofs and façades.
Application: Construction of “all-in-one” building roofs and façades, with discontinuous tiles for a one-way complex geometry achieved by overlapping two curved tiles with one axis of rotation and inner insulation.
Research partners: CERIS/IST.
CERIS contacts: Mafalda Batista Pacheco.
Research objective: Fire protection systems for carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) strengthening systems.
Application: Strengthening of existing structures.
Research partners: CERIS/IST.
CERIS contacts: João Pedro Firmo; João Ramôa Correia; Mário Rui Arruda
Research objective: High-performance green concrete – Evaluating the feasibility of reintroducing recycled concrete aggregates in the precast industry.
Application: High performance concrete mixes without natural aggregate incorporation (patent request).
Research partners: CERIS/IST.
CERIS contacts: Diogo Pedro, Jorge de Brito; Luís Evangelista.
Research objective: Concrete with recycled aggregates (RA) from construction and demolition waste (CDW) from various Portuguese recycling plants.
Application: Concrete buildings.
Research partners: CERIS/IST.
CERIS contacts: Miguel Bravo; Jorge de Brito; Luís Evangelista.
Research objective: Repair products based on TEOS-dicarboxylic acids for consolidation of carbonate stones.
Application: Consolidation treatment of carbonate stones.
Research partners: CERIS/IST; CQE/IST; CQFM/INN/IST.
CERIS contacts: Ana Paula Pinto.
Research objective: Nanorender – Thermal render with subcritical based aerogel and natural lightweight co-aggregates.
Application: Multifunctional and innovative renders prototypes for energy efficiency buildings’ facades (patent request).
Research partners: CERIS/IST; CFQM/IST.
Research team: A. Soares; I. Flores-Colen; M. Júlio; L. Ilharco; J.G. Martinho; J. de Brito.
CERIS contacts: Inês Flores-Colen.
Research objective: Use of bacteria to produce biocement for the improvement of mechanical properties of construction materials (soils, masonry, stone and concrete).
Application: Biocementation of soils and crack sealing by biodeposition.
Research partners: CERIS/IST; IBB/IST; INESC-MN/IST.
CERIS contacts: Rafaela Cardoso.
Research objective: Insulation boards based on bio-wastes (corncob, olive lump, rice husks, plant fibers) and natural glue.
Application: Thermal and acoustic insulation.
Research partners: FCT NOVA/CERIS; REQUIMTE; CENIMAT; LNEC.
CERIS contacts: Paulina Faria.
Research objective: Use of rubber tire as mortar aggregates.
Application: Eco-efficient lime-based mortars for screeds.
Research partners: FCT NOVA/WASTE@NOVA/CERIS.
CERIS contacts: Paulina Faria.
Research objective: Earth-natural fiber-based healthy and durable mortars.
Application: Eco-efficient plasters for new construction.
Research partners: FCT NOVA/CERIS; LNEC; FA UL.
CERIS contacts: Paulina Faria; Tânia Santos.
Research objective: Thermal insulation and sound absorption material based of fibres extracted from pine needles.
Application: Environmental comfort in buildings.
Research partners: CERIS/IST.
CERIS contacts: Albano Neves e Sousa.
Research objective: Mortars incorporating aggregates from construction and demolition wastes and non-compliant fly ash.
Application: Use of aggregates from construction and demolition wastes and non-compliant fly ashes in non-structural mortars.
Research partners: FCT NOVA/CERIS.
CERIS contacts: Fernando Pinho.
Research objective: Environmental-friendly concrete and mortar produced with hydraulic recycled binders from waste cementitious materials.
Application: Building renders with 100% recycled binder of similar mechanical properties as hydraulic lime. Partial cement replacement for more sustainable and environmental-friendly concrete.
Research partners: : CERIS/IST; CERENA/IST.
Research team: J. A. Bogas; M. Pereira.
CERIS contacts: José Alexandre Bogas.
Research objective: Structural lightweight aggregate concrete.
Application: Normal and self-compacting low to high performance concrete for buildings and special structures.
Research partners: CERIS/IST.
CERIS contacts: José Alexandre Bogas.
Research objective: High-performance cementitious materials reinforced with nanomaterials.
Application: Innovative cement based materials with incorporation of nanomaterials, such as nanosilica and carbon nanotubes, with improved physical, mechanical and durability performance.
Research partners: CERIS/IST; CeFEMA/IPS.
Research team: J. A. Bogas; M. Guedes; H. Hasan.
CERIS contacts: José Alexandre Bogas.
Research objective: Warm-mix asphalt concrete containing by-products (recycled asphalt; crushed concrete) – Warm mix asphalt AC20 bin/base 35/50.
Application: Base and binder layers of road pavements.
Research partners: CERIS/IST.
CERIS contacts: Luís Picado Santos; Fernando Martinho; Silvino Capitão.
Research objective: Warm-mix stone mastic asphalt (WMA SMA) with reclaimed bituminous materials.
Application: Surface layers of road pavements.
Research partners: CERIS/IST; ISEC/PC.
CERIS contacts: Silvino Capitão; Luís Picado Santos.
Research objective: Nano-modified bituminous binders with improved performance and resistance to aging.
Application: Layers of flexible pavements; highways and airport pavements.
Research partners: CERIS/IST.
CERIS contacts: João Crucho; José Neves; Silvino Capitão.
Software description: CENDYGEO – Coupled numerical-experimental procedure for the reliable dynamic characterization of geomaterials.
Application: The procedure and the supporting software will be bundled with bender element kits for the automatic interpretation of the output signal.
Research partners: CERIS/IST; UM.
CERIS contacts: Ionut Dragos Moldovan.
Software description: HYBRIS – Hybrid and Trefftz finite element platform for acoustic, thermal and structural applications.
Application: A user-friendly, open-source software aimed at becoming a ‘community platform’ among hybrid finite element users and developers.
Research partners: CERIS/IST.
CERIS contacts: Ionut Dragos Moldovan.
Software description: SimPlas (www.simplas-software.com) – Nonlinear and nonsmooth finite element product created as a direct-use simulation package and also as a software library for custom implementations.
Application: Newton-Raphson-based Finite Element (FE) package for nonlinear and non-smooth problems of solid mechanics. Simulation of finite strain behaviour, realistic constitutive laws, frictional contact, nonlinear multiple-point constraints and fracture (both brittle, quasi-brittle and ductile cases).
Research partners: CERIS/IST; University of Bauhaus.
CERIS contacts: Pedro Areias.
Software description: AEROSept – Simulation of aerobic and septic conditions and its impacts in sewer systems.
Application: Support water utilities for forecasting water quality impacts and options of rehabilitation and management procedures.
Research partners: CERIS/IST.
CERIS contacts: José Saldanha Matos; Filipa Ferreira; Rita Matos.
Software description: TRUST&GO – Software guidance tool for assessment of Urban Water Cycle Systems (UWSC) current situation and future scenarios.
Application: Support of water utilities to establish a strategy to manage a transition to more sustainable UWSC.
Research partners: CERIS/IST; ADDITION.
Researcher team: A. Galvão; A. Monteiro; J. Pisoeiro.
CERIS contacts: Ana Galvão.
Software description: STAV2D – HPC software for large-scale hydrodynamic modelling under arbitrary and time-evolving geometries.
Application: Simulation of flooding of any origin (storm, tsunami, dam collapse) with potential geomorphological impact. HPC allows for faster-than-real-time simulation, promoting integration on Civil Protection decision systems and scenario building for project purposes.
Research partners: CERIS/IST.
Researcher team: R. Ferreira; R. Canelas; D. Conde.
CERIS contacts: Rui Ferreira
Software description: GBTUL 2.0 – A free tool for research works on thin-walled member analysis and disseminate Generalised Beam Theory (GBT).
Application: A user-friendly freeware code for linear buckling and free vibration analysis of thin-walled members using GBT.
Research partners: CERIS/IST.
CERIS contacts: Rui Bebiano; Dinar Camotim.
Software description: Higher Order Beam Model – Software for the analysis of thin-walled structures.
Application: Analysis and design of thin-walled steel members with a focus on buckling phenomena.
Research partners: CERIS/IST.
CERIS contacts: Ricardo Vieira; Francisco Virtuoso; Eduardo Pereira.
Software description: System for life-cycle management of maritime works.
Application: Maritime works.
Research partners: Nuno Marujo; WW Staff; Advantis solutions; Fred Lehodey.
CERIS contacts: António Trigo Teixeira.
Software description: XLWAT – MS-Excel add-in with mathematical models for hydrologic simulation, using monthly, weekly or daily time steps.
Application: Hydrological studies and water resources management plans, namely climate change impacts assessment studies, river basin management plans and environmental impacts assessment studies.
Research partners: CERIS/IST; Bluefocus.
CERIS contacts: Rodrigo Proença de Oliveira.
Software description: Statwat – MS-Excel add-in with statistical tools for hydrologic data analysis.
Application: Hhydrological studies and water resources management plans, namely flood risk and drought risk assessment studies.
Research partners: IST/CERIS and Bluefocus.
CERIS contacts: Rodrigo Proença de Oliveira.
Software description: Determination of the efficiency of pumping systems.
Application: Efficiency measurement of water supply pumping systems.
Research partners: CERIS/IST.
CERIS contacts: Dídia Covas; João Delgado; João Paulo Ferreira.
Software description: PENGUIN (PipE Network Graphical User Interface) – Calculation of hydraulic transients.
Application: User friendly tool for the calculation of hydraulic transients in pressurized multi-pipe systems in with different components.
Research partners: CERIS/IST.
CERIS contacts: Dídia Covas; João Delgado; João Paulo Ferreira.
Software description: Tool to determine indicators of accessibility and attractiveness of pedestrian built environment – IAAPE.
Application: Evaluation of the walkability of urban built environment and support urban planning and decision-making.
Research partners: CERIS/IST.
CERIS contacts: Filipe Moura; Paulo Cambra; Alexandre Gonçalves.
Objective of the test: Sensors for soil suction measurement incorporated in samples during oedometer and triaxial tests.
Application: Experimental testing in unsaturated soils.
Research partners: CERIS/IST; INESC-MN/IST; CQFM/INN/IST.
CERIS contacts: Rafaela Cardoso.
Objective of the test: Bridge load tests with spring deflectometer for measurements in spans over water.
Application: Several bridges.
Research partners: CERIS/IST.
CERIS contacts: João Gomes Ferreira; Fernando Branco.
Product description: Evaluation of cover deviation and resistance of steel anchorages in masonry walls.
Application: Structural rehabilitation of stone masonry walls.
Research partners: FCT NOVA/CERIS.
CERIS contacts: Fernando Pinho; Válter Lúcio.
Objective of the test: Experimental evaluation of flat slab-column connections under combined gravity and horizontal cycling loading.
Application: Study on the behaviour of flat slabs under cyclic and seismic loading.
Research partners: FCT NOVA/CERIS.
CERIS contacts: António Pinho Ramos.
Objective of the test: Diagonal Tension Shear (DTS) method – Characterization of shear properties of low-density core materials used in lightweight sandwich panels.
Application: Material characterization experiments.
Research team: M. Garrido; J.R. Correia; F. Branco.
CERIS contacts: Mário Garrido; João Ramôa Correia.
Software description: Methodology to estimate the compressive strength of low-strength mortars by the drilling resistance test.
Application: Lime-based and ancient masonry mortars (pointing, bedding and plasters or renders for wall covering).
Research partners: CERIS/IST.
CERIS contacts: Rita Nogueira.
Objective of the test: Dynamic pile loading test.
Application: Pile industry (Portugal, Angola and Brazil).
Research partners: CERIS/IST.
CERIS contacts: Jaime Santos.
Objective of the test: Combined resonant column and bender elements to evaluate soil stiffness.
Application: Several applied projects with the industry.
Research partners: CERIS/IST.
CERIS contacts: Jaime Santos.
Software description: Non-invasive in-situ seismic tests to measure ground stiffness.
Application: Several applied projects with the industry.
Research partners: CERIS/IST.
CERIS contacts: Jaime Santos; Rui Gomes; Isabel Lopes.
Product description: TEAGE – Prototype for simulation of long-term aging of bituminous mixtures due to weather exposure.
Application: Study the effects of aging on the performance of materials.
Research partners: CERIS/IST.
CERIS contacts: João Crucho; Luís Picado Santos; José Neves; Silvino Capitão.
Objective of the test: Study the fish movement behaviour under hydropeaking conditions in an artificial flume at IST.
Application: Development of structural mitigation measures downstream a hydropower dam.
Research partners: ISA; COOKE LAB; CERIS/IST.
CERIS contacts: Isabel Boavida; António Pinheiro.
Objective of the test: Test-Hydro – Innovative pipe-rig for testing small power hydraulic turbomachines fully equipped with a state-of-the-art instrumentation.
Application: Energy recovery in water supply systems using pumps running as turbines.
Research partners: CERIS/IST; LMH-EPFL.
CERIS contacts: Dídia Covas; João Delgado.
Research objective: Technical specification for the incorporation of fine and coarse recycled aggregate produced from precast elements on high-performance concrete.
Application: This specification complements LNEC’s specification E 471.
Research partners: CERIS/IST.
CERIS contacts: Diogo Pedro; Jorge de Brito; Luís Evangelista.
Research objective: Technical specification for the use of fine recycled aggregates (RA) obtained from construction and demolition waste in concrete production.
Application: This specification complements LNEC’s specification E 471.
Research partners: CERIS/IST.
CERIS contacts: Miguel Bravo; Jorge de Brito; Luís Evangelista.
Research objective: Partial safety factors for recycled aggregates concrete design in compliance with the target reliability indices of Eurocode 0.
Application: Concrete industry; EU’s Directive 2008/98/EC on waste.
Research partners: CERIS/IST.
CERIS contacts: João Pacheco; Jorge de Brito; Carlos Chastre Rodrigues; Luís Evangelista.
Objective of the test: Bridge Static and Dynamic Testing.
Application: Several bridges.
Research partners: CERIS/IST.
CERIS contacts: Fernando Branco; João Gomes Ferreira; João Ramôa Correia.
Objective of the test: Experimental testing of full-scale recycled aggregates concrete structures (http://barpinp.tecnico.ulisboa.pt).
Application: Concrete industry; EU’s Directive 2008/98/EC on waste.
Research team: J. de Brito; J.G. Ferreira; J. Pacheco; D. Soares.
CERIS contacts: Jorge de Brito; João Gomes Ferreira; João Pacheco.
Rodrigues, F.; Evangelista, L.; Brito, J. de (2013): “Método para a determinação da absorção de água de agregados finos reciclados”, Patente de Invenção Nacional n.º PT 105921, Instituto Nacional da Propriedade Industrial.
Santos, P.; Branco, F.; Neves e Sousa, A (2015): “Bloco de alvenaria duplo constituído por dois blocos (de cerâmica ou betão) fixados paralelamente, fixados a uma camada de isolamento térmico e acústico, constituída por parte de plásticos (poliestireno ou polietileno ou polipropileno ou poliuretano) ou cortiça, e por outra parte de lã (natural ou mineral)”, Modelo de Utilidade Nacional n.º 11055, Instituto Nacional da Propriedade Industrial.
Flores-Colen, I.; Ilharco, L. M.; Júlio, M.; Soares, A.; de Brito, J.: (2020): “Argamassas térmicas de revestimento com aerogel subcrítico à base de sílica e co-agregados naturais leves”, Patente de Invenção Nacional n.º PT 108864 B, Instituto Nacional da Propriedade Industrial.