We all know that every engineering structure has its predefined lifespan. Then, how can the current conditions of climate affect these lifetimes of engineering structures? Have researchers said anything about this subject?
Thanks. This question is a general one including construction and other engineering structures of what so ever.
From a climate change perspective, the most important area is the more common and larger range extremities. It is a standard methodology to plan strength, resilience based on the 100 years most extreme events. So, this one should update the design standards; only the 100 years models have to be regularly maintained (extreme wind, rain, snow, cold, hot, etc.).
What is not about the extremities but the changing insulation and energy needs managed by the economy most of the times.
Maybe I am wrong.
Dear Redics,
I agree with you on maintaining the 100 years life. However, the effects have to be Clearly defined in order to know what to increase or otherwise in terms of the design parameters.
Economic life of our infrastructures might be 50, 100, and 200 years. The climate change will affect our structures directly with time. Freezing and melting phenomenon are also cause a lot of damages. Local climate change (temp.) will affect the environment near us. Building new dams will cause to increase the humidity as well make changes to agriculture plants and affect our lives. Quality of our infrastructures should be changed if the weather became colder or warmer as well as our building type.
Woody, stony or concrete buildings should be chosen to match each type of environment; desert, dry, humid and moderate climate areas.
regards
I am not an engineer and I cannot provide further insights on this other to confirm that it makes common sense to build for the future, which might e a future of events with much greater intensities than we have right now.
What I wish to provide is just some insights from a research effort I just return four days ago from Vanuatu. The country experienced in early 2015 a devastating tropical cyclone. Many houses were completely destroyed as they were just not built to withstand the forces of a category 5 cyclone. However, in almost all villages a particular type of housing structures survived the cyclone, usually untouched: traditional cyclone shelters. These structures have roofs that extend to the ground, the roofs are shaped round and the houses have no windows and the door can be tightly closed during a cyclone. (see: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/315037188_Traditional_Cyclone_Shelters_in_Vanuatu?_iepl%5BviewId%5D=X5sH9d2MELUsKzqKuEhhstIS&_iepl%5BprofilePublicationItemVariant%5D=default&_iepl%5Bcontexts%5D%5B0%5D=prfpi&_iepl%5BtargetEntityId%5D=PB%3A315037188&_iepl%5BinteractionType%5D=publicationTitle
Another very clear advantage is that these buildings are constructed exclusively of locally available material. While 2.5 years after the cyclone many modern houses are still waiting for corrugated iron sheets which have to be imported into the country the traditional houses and also the traditional cyclone shelters had been repaired two weeks after the event, if repair was even needed for the cyclone shelters.
Research Traditional Cyclone Shelters in Vanuatu
Weber, you work is very interesting. Although I don't know if present knowledge on climate change has defined effects on cyclone, this is how everything should be practically defined. Thank you.
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