The Integrated Research Center for Structures - IREC has its origins in the European INTERREG Austria - Czech Republic project of the same name
Within the framework of the project, the IREC was established for the advanced numerical and analytical analyses of the reliability, performance, and service life of existing and new structures such as bridges, tunnels, and natural hazard protection structures.
The project comprises two cross-border partners, the Institute of Structural Engineering at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria (BOKU-IKI), and the Institute of Structural Mechanics at the Brno University of Technology, Brno, Czech Republic (BUT-STM).
Its aim is to integrate the knowledge and tools of both partners and to offer uniform and efficient access and services for performance, safety, and service life assessment of engineering structures for target groups on both sides of the border. This research center will enable easy cross-border transfer of parts of the already partially developed advanced solution approaches for more complex problems of performance and service life assessment of engineering structures. As part of these activities, the center will offer both knowledge transfer in the form of seminars and publications as well as direct application and consulting activities for partners from engineering firms and infrastructure operators and owners. The services, methods, and tools will be further developed and adapted to the needs of the engineering community and target groups, and the research center will be prepared for optimized service after the project’s completion.
The research center will finance itself through the resources generated by providing services to the relevant departments and the professional public. The joint commitment of the two cross-border partners will focus on providing services that enable a necessary change in the professional community’s approach to the application of modern and advanced numerical methods to improve and streamline the design and assessment of structures and ensure sustainable and reliable transport infrastructure.
Within the framework of its activities, the Center will offer both knowledge transfer in the form of seminars and publications and direct application and consultancy activities towards partners from engineering offices and infrastructure operators and owners. The common services, methods and tools will be intensified and adapted to the current needs of the target groups.