Department of Structural and Geotechnical Engineering - Scientific activities
Scientific activities
As the successor of the Department of Bridge-building and Geotechnical Engineering founded in 1968, our department carries out educational, research and expertise in three disciplines: basics of mechanics, basic training of civil engineering and geotechnical engineering. The department is one of the core units of civil engineering education offering numerous courses for BSc, MSc and PhD students. Professor Ray Richard supervising The department has been a respected research place primarily in the field of transport construction. This is one of the most important fields of expertise. Planning of new bridges, examining the condition of older bridges, working out the economic system of bridges are the most important activities that highlights the ‘bridge’ branch. In the case of geotechnical engineering the oldest topics are pile foundation, the behaviouristic examination of bridge abutments, structural damages, testing examination of soil and standardization. The above mentioned two professional fields were combined under the aegis of the Cooperation Research Centre in the project called Development of Planning Bridges Under Frames. This project was led by Róbert Szepesházi. It was primarily successful in the area of FEM-modelling of embankment foundations and interaction of soils and structures. From 2010, with the appearance of Professor Ray, a new main direction emerged dealing with examination of soil dynamics and seismic phenomena, modelling dynamic behaviour of structures and analyzing seismic risks. Research results and outcomes have been published in scientific student programmes, further education trainings, conferences and teaching material. From 2014 it will be presented in the geotechnical engineering specialization of the infrastructure civil engineering master’s course.
Our department is performing respected professional activities primarily in the field of transport construction geotechnical engineering. It is financially profitable and enriches the education and research at the same time. Technical research, expertise and education are combined with developing soft skill competences among engineering students. They also join hands with research aiming the utilization of modelling and case studies.
These tasks are carried out at the Structural Examination Laboratory and the Geotechnical Engineering Laboratory that are well equipped with up to date instruments to examine soil dynamics. Simulation research is provided by modern software and researchers are free to rely on a rich library as well.