REHABILITATION OF BUILT AND NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS - CERIS – Civil Engineering Research and Innovation for Sustainability

Coordinator: Maria da Glória Gomes

This thematic strand represents a new paradigm in rehabilitating and restoring built and natural environments. This thematic strand seeks to mobilize activity within the CERIS research groups in rehabilitation and restoration and promote synergies to carry out research at the forefront of existing knowledge. Carrying out research at the forefront of existing knowledge is encouraged and supported by the recognized scientific achievements of CERIS. New knowledge and skills gathered through interdisciplinary activity are needed to respond to current demands. The main goals include developing novel and effective solutions to reducing risks, ensuring safety, and promoting more efficient and sustainable life cycle management of energy and natural resources to foster urban cohesion and protect natural and cultural heritage. The main research areas of this thematic strand are as follows:

Enhancement of the spatial functionality, energy efficiency, and structural performance of civil infrastructures, including improving seismic and fire resistance.
Study of deterioration processes and development of advanced inspection and monitoring techniques to enhance the durability and safety of civil infrastructures.
Development of urban management models to establish financing systems of urban rehabilitation and public investments and flexibility and efficiency of the existing transport network infrastructure and management.
Rehabilitation/restoration of natural and transformed water bodies, namely rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and aquifers, and improvement of the flexibility and efficiency of the existing water infrastructure and management systems, mainly concerning water supply and wastewater services.