The activities in CASA are developed from the research platform generated over the eight years of the SFI SIMLab centre 2007-2014.

SFI CASA is broader in scope than the previous SFI SIMLab. CASA will represent a step change for advanced structural analysis for industry and public enterprises as it is based on multi- and interdisciplinary research on different physical scales. The research methodology adopted to meet the overall objective is presented in the figure below. As illustrated in the figure, a structure or product can be studied on different physical scales just like the modelling scales. (There is also a time scale which reflects the duration of the physical events to be studied, but this is not shown in the figure). By using a top-down/bottom-up approach the main goal of the research will always be the final structure or product. In some cases, microstructural modelling or even modelling on atomic scale may be required to understand the underlying physical mechanisms of the observed material response to loading, whereas for joints or components the behaviour may be sufficiently well understood on the continuum scale. In all cases, research at the Centre will be designed to obtain modelling frameworks on the material and structural levels that are suitable for industrial applications.

Research Methodology

As the illustration above shows, many research topics and activities are addressed on the various scales: testing and modelling of materials and structures, numerical solution techniques, experimental techniques, verification and validation approaches, and optimization methods and parametric studies. Verification is the process of determining that a computational model accurately represents the underlying mathematical model and solution, whereas validation deals with the relationship between the computational model and the physical reality.

Structure of research and implementation

The figure above illustrates the important interlink between Basic research, Technology transfer and Industry. The Methods & Tools programme is a synthesis of Basic research, where guidelines and recommended practice for credible numerical structural analysis will be established. The SIMLab Tool Box will be further developed in the Methods & Tools programme and will be linked to the computer codes employed by the user partners. The Industrial implementation programme will be the link between the Methods & Tools programme and the industrial use of the research and technology developed at the Centre for Innovation.

We have identified five Basic research areas. This research will encompass the behaviour and modelling of Metallic materials, Lower scale, Polymeric materials, Structures and Structural joints in the ultimate and accidental limit states (included are also structures subjected to extreme loading conditions from e.g. terrorist attacks). In addition, the Methods & Tools and Industrial implementation programmes are established as a link between the research and the innovation that is to take place at the company and public partners in the Centre.