Structural Design Laboratory

Structural design laboratory focuses on the elemental technology development of structural design for long span cable-stayed bridges. As proved by the construction project of the Gwang-yang suspension bridge that has 1,545m distance between the main towers(or pylons), the bridge related technology is developing rapidly. Our laboratory performs the study related to a long-span bridge analysis and design such as developing Steel Cable Bridge Design Guide, proposing design criteria for Gwang-yang suspension bridge, researching wind environmental model through Wind-resistance research facilities, developing aero-elasticity analysis and design technology and supplying techniques for the wind tunnel experiment and etc. Especially, we provide analysis-design program of both suspension and cable-stayed bridge to domestic construction companies from the 1990’s. BUFFET2 program developed for the stability assessment of bridge buffeting due to strong wind is applied to wind-resistant design. We also intensively develop new types of elemental technology structural system that can help constructing high-strength long span bridges.

Structural/System Reliability Group

There exist various types of uncertainties in civil and environmental engineering systems and their surroundings. It is therefore critical to develop statistical models of these uncertainties and perform probabilistic analysis of the systems so that the society can make the best decisions with regard to planning, design, construction, repair and maintenance of its infrastructure systems. To this end, the structural/system reliability group (SSRG) at Seoul National University is performing active research in the following areas: (1) state-of-the-art theories and methods for accurate and efficient reliability analysis of complex civil and environmental engineering systems; (2) new methods for optimal design of structures based on the integration between structural/system reliability analysis and advanced computer simulations such as finite element analysis; (3) reliability analysis methods for complex lifeline networks subject to natural and man-made hazards and applications to real-time analysis; and (4) random vibration analysis of structures subject to seismic hazards and applications to seismic design considering uncertainties in stochastic excitations.

Multiscale Structural Materials Laboratory

Our lab is developing various structural civil materials including next-generation concrete based on fundamental and advanced characterization methods. From the understanding on electronic structure of a material, numerous sustainable and high-performance concrete materials are being theoretically and experimentally verified, developed, and actually implemented for enabling next-generation infrastructure development and its rehabilitation.

Concrete Structures Laboratory

Concrete is the most widely used essential structural material for building infrastructure such as bridges, tunnels, dams, underground structures, and power plants. Therefore, construction and maintenance of concrete structures such as planning, design, and construction are always important social issues. In addition, interest in concrete structures is developing into a wide range of areas, including large infrastructure such as high-rise buildings and ultra-long bridges, and the behavior of structures under extreme conditions such as terrorist incidents, accidents, and ship collisions. To this end, experimental and analytical studies are essential to predict and analyze the behavior of concrete structures exposed to various environments through world-class experimental equipment and facilities.

1. (1) Performance Evaluation and Development of Design Criteria for Concrete Members with High Strength Reinforcement and High Performance Concrete
2. (2) Development of Safety Diagnosis and Maintenance Techniques for Practical Bridges
3. (3) Verification Analysis and Experiment on the Design Method of the Limitation Condition of the Road Bridge Design Standards
4. (4) An Experimental and Analytical Study on the Observation and Evaluation of Concrete Material/Member Behavior under Impact Loads
5. (5) Development of Design and Construction Method for Polar Land Structures
6. (6) Development of Standard Experimental Procedure for Extreme Performance

Applied Structural Dynamics Laboratory

The applied structural dynamics lab (ASDL) analyzes the dynamic response of civil infrastructure such as bridges, power plant structures, and buildings through the rigorous dynamic analysis and advanced real-time testing. The major research interests of ASDL include, but not limited to, structural vibration control, seismic performance evaluation of structures, nonlinear dynamic analysis, and real-time hybrid simulation (RTHS). In particular, RTHS is a very efficient testing method for analyzing the response of large-scale structures under earthquake loads. Since only the structural component of interest, which is difficult to be analytically analyzed, is physically tested and the rest of the structure is numerically modeled, RTHS enables a large-scale dynamic testing with a relatively low cost. The substructuring concept of RTHS can be extended to the areas of wind engineering and coastal engineering so that the aeroelastic behavior of bridges or the coastal structure subjected to both wind and wave loads can be also effectively analyzed using RTHS. Furthermore, ASDL will expedite the development of a robot that can be used in a high-risk construction site or disaster area by using its unique real-time displacement/force control algorithms which are the core elements for high-speed motion control of humanoid robots.

Structural Analysis Group

Our mission is to provide engineering solutions to pressing challenges in human activities while advancing the fields of engineering, mechanics, mathematics, and computing. A wave—whether elastic, acoustic, or electromagnetic—is a physical phenomenon that transports energy through a medium in space and time. The forward modeling of wave phenomena allows us to predict how natural or engineered systems respond when excited by waves. On the other hand, the modeling of wave-driven inverse problems serves as a powerful platform for addressing outstanding engineering challenges by refining information from data. We employ analytical and numerical methods to study wave physics, enabling us to identify structures or systems and to control and harness wave propagation through the design of engineering devices. Building on these methods, our research spans wave scattering, subsurface imaging and energy delivery, seismic wave control, nondestructive testing, analog computing, image processing, and more.