Luc Taerwe is Emeritus Full Professor of Structural Engineering at Ghent University (Belgium) and the director of the East Asia Platform at Ghent University. He is an elected member of the Royal Belgian Academy of Technical Sciences and was a National RPGE Chair Professor at Tongji University in Shanghai (2018-2021).He serves as Editor-in-chief of the journal “Structural Concrete” and he is the recipient of several scientific awards, among which the Shanghai International Science and Technology Cooperation Award (2020).

Luc Taerwe is the former Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture and the former director of the Magnel Laboratory for Concrete Research at Ghent University. He has an extensive research and practical experience in all aspects of reinforced and prestressed concrete structures, including fire resistance, robustness, tunnel linings, composite reinforcement (FRP), structural reliability, statistical quality control, high performance and fibre reinforced concrete.

Concrete: a resilient material in a digitalized world

by Luc. R. Taerwe

Em. Prof. of Structural Concrete at Ghent University, Belgium

Former Director of the Magnel Laboratory for Concrete Research

Member of the Royal Belgian Academy of Technical Sciences

Editor-in-Chief of the fib journal Structural Concrete

报告主要内容：In the last decades, concrete evolved from a basic building material towards a tailor-made multi-component cementitious material. Design software became more powerful than ever and thanks to supercomputers we can analyse complex concrete structures under a broad range of loading situations. The shape can be adapted to an optimized flow of forces which offers additional freedom in conceptual design. A full life cycle analysis results in eco-friendly green buildings. Via BIM, the structural concrete part is integrated in the complete building system in an interactive way. 3D printers, robots and drones appear on the building sites and sensors combined with AI allow an optimized assessment and upgrading of existing structures. A challenging era for the construction industry or too many changes in a short time? Some reflections on our adaptability to change will be presented based on personal experience and perception.