On Tuesday, October 28, 2025, from 16:00 to 17:00 (CET), in English, via the Zoom platform, the SAEE lecture "Seismic performance of RC buildings: Field lessons, standards and research needs" was held.
The lecture was delivered by professor Humberto Varum, PhD, from Civil and Georesources Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Portugal.
Below you will find the lecture abstract, the speaker biography, lecture slides, as well as the recording of the presentation.
Abstract:
Recent earthquakes demonstrate that many of the existing reinforced concrete buildings structures may not perform adequately in future seismic events, due to several factors, including the design strategy adopted in the project, the irregular characteristics of the structural system, inadequate detailing and the potential influence of non-structural elements in the structural response. In some design situations, designers report difficulties in applying certain rules and requirements included in the codes. On the other hand, the materials, technical solutions and construction systems used in structures and non-structural elements continue to evolve, introducing new levels of complexity and uncertainty in the project. This justifies the research and continued development of seismic design rules and requirements to be included in codes with the aim of achieving rigorous design guidelines. but with an acceptable level of complexity.
Biography:
Humberto Varum is full professor at the Civil Engineering and Georesources Department of the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, Portugal. He is integrated member of CONSTRUCT research unit: Institute of R&D in Structures and Construction.
He has been Seconded National Expert to the ELSA laboratory, Joint Research Centre, European Commission, Italy, in the period July 2009 to August 2010. Since 2023, he has served as President of the Directorate of the Institute for Sustainable Construction at the University of Porto. He was member of the Project Team 2 for the development of the 2nd generation of EN Eurocodes (SC8.T2 - material dependent sections of EN 1998-1).
He is member of the National Committee of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), since 2009, and Expert Member of the ICOMOS’s International Scientific Committee of Earthen Architectural Heritage (ISCEAH). He has participated to post-earthquake field reconnaissance missions, in particular in L’Aquila (Italy, 2009), Lorca (Spain, 2011), Emilia-Romagna (Italy, 2012), Gorkha (Nepal, 2015) and Puebla (Mexico, 2017).
His main research interests include: assessment, strengthening and repair of structures, earthquake engineering, historic constructions conservation and strengthening.
On Tuesday, October 28, 2025, from 16:00 to 17:00 (CET), in English, via the Zoom platform, the SAEE lecture "Seismic performance of RC buildings: Field lessons, standards and research needs" was held.
The lecture was delivered by professor Humberto Varum, PhD, from Civil and Georesources Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Portugal.
Below you will find the lecture abstract, the speaker biography, lecture slides, as well as the recording of the presentation.
Abstract:
Recent earthquakes demonstrate that many of the existing reinforced concrete buildings structures may not perform adequately in future seismic events, due to several factors, including the design strategy adopted in the project, the irregular characteristics of the structural system, inadequate detailing and the potential influence of non-structural elements in the structural response. In some design situations, designers report difficulties in applying certain rules and requirements included in the codes. On the other hand, the materials, technical solutions and construction systems used in structures and non-structural elements continue to evolve, introducing new levels of complexity and uncertainty in the project. This justifies the research and continued development of seismic design rules and requirements to be included in codes with the aim of achieving rigorous design guidelines. but with an acceptable level of complexity.
Biography:
Humberto Varum is full professor at the Civil Engineering and Georesources Department of the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, Portugal. He is integrated member of CONSTRUCT research unit: Institute of R&D in Structures and Construction.
He has been Seconded National Expert to the ELSA laboratory, Joint Research Centre, European Commission, Italy, in the period July 2009 to August 2010. Since 2023, he has served as President of the Directorate of the Institute for Sustainable Construction at the University of Porto. He was member of the Project Team 2 for the development of the 2nd generation of EN Eurocodes (SC8.T2 - material dependent sections of EN 1998-1).
He is member of the National Committee of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), since 2009, and Expert Member of the ICOMOS’s International Scientific Committee of Earthen Architectural Heritage (ISCEAH). He has participated to post-earthquake field reconnaissance missions, in particular in L’Aquila (Italy, 2009), Lorca (Spain, 2011), Emilia-Romagna (Italy, 2012), Gorkha (Nepal, 2015) and Puebla (Mexico, 2017).
His main research interests include: assessment, strengthening and repair of structures, earthquake engineering, historic constructions conservation and strengthening.
