Daniel V. Oliveira (danvco@civil.uminho.pt)
Miguel Azenha (miguel.azenha@civil.uminho.pt)
Agnieszka Jędrzejewska (agnieszka.jedrzejewska@polsl.pl), Maria Laura Leonardi (mlauraleonardi@gmail.com), Carlos Ramonell Cazador (carlos.ramonell@upc.edu)
Core ontology formalising knowledge from Eurocode 0 for automated structural design and verification
applies to
Relates an action to the structural member or structure it acts upon.
causes effect
Relates a combination of actions to the effects it causes in the structure.
contains structural member
Relates a a structural element with the structural system.
for limit state
Relates a limit state value with its corresponding limit state.
has characteristic value
Relates a Quantity with its Characteristic Value.
has design value
Relates a Quantity with its Design Value.
has effect
Relates a structural member to the effect of action.
has geometrical property
Relates a structural member with its geometrical properties.
has limit state value
Relates a structural member to its capacity for the effect of action.
has lower bound value
Relates a Quantity with its Lower Bound Value.
has material property
has mean value
Relates a Quantity with its Mean Value.
has nominal value
Relates a Quantity with its Nominal Value.
has representative value
Relates a Quantity with its Representative Value.
has structural member
Relates a a structural element with the zone.
has structure
Relates a contrution work with the structure.
has system
Relates a structure with its structural system.
has upper bound value
Relates a Quantity with its Upper Bound Value.
imposes combination
Relates a design situation to the relevant combination.
is designed for
Relates a structural memeber with the design situation it is designed for.
is made of
Relates a structural member to the material which it is made of.
is verified for
Relates a limit state to the combination of actions used for its verification.
requires verification of
uses action value
Relates a combination of actions to the individual actions it contains.
Relates a limitstate value with the Action Effect that needs to be verified against.
has combination factor
Factor for combination value of a variable action used in ultimate limit state verifications.
has design working life
Period during which a structure or structural component is intended to remain functional and to fulfill its performance requirements without major repair or replacement, assuming appropriate maintenance.
has frequent factor
Factor for frequent value of a variable action, determined so that either the total time within the reference period during which it is exceeded is only a small given part of the reference period, or the frequency of it being exceeded is limited to a given value.
has nationally defined value
Defines whether parameter has specific value defined in NA.
has partial factor
Safety factor applied to actions or material properties to account for uncertainties.
has quasi-permanent factor
Factor for quasi-permanent value of a variable action, determined so that the total period of time for which it will be exceeded is a large fraction of the reference period.
has reduction factor
Reduction factor for unfavourable permanent action.
is satisfied
Result of verification of the limit state.
Acceleration effect
Effect involving acceleration of the structure or structural members.
Category I - accessible roofs
Roof accessible with occupancy according to categories A to G
Roof used as terraces, gardens, or other occupied spaces
Accidental action
Action, usually of short duration but of significant magnitude, that is unlikely to occur on a given structure during the design working life.
Accidental combination
Combination of actions for accidental design situations.
Used for accidental design situations in ULS verifications
Accidental design situation
Design situation involving exceptional conditions of the structure or its exposure, including fire, explosion, impact or local failure.
Accompanying variable action
Variable action that accompanies the leading action in a combination.
Action
Set of forces (loads) applied to the structure (direct action) or set of imposed deformations or accelerations caused for example, by temperature changes, moisture variation, uneven settlement or earthquakes (indirect action).
dead load, imopsed load, wind load, thermal action
Angular deformation
Deformation involving rotation or angular change in the structure.
Category C1 - areas with tables
areas in schools, cafés, restaurants, dining halls, reading rooms, receptions
Category C2 - areas with fixed seats
areas in churches, theatres or cinemas, conference rooms, lecture halls, assembly halls, waiting rooms, railway waiting rooms
Category C3 - areas without obstacles
Area without obstacles for moving people
areas in museums, exhibition rooms, etc. and access areas in public and administration buildings, hotels, hospitals, railway station forecourts
Axial force
Internal force acting along the axis of structural members.
Bending moment
Internal moment causing bending in structural members.
Bending moment resistance
Design value of the maximum bending moment that a structural cross-section can safely resist without failure.
Characteristic combination
Serviceability combination normally used for irreversible limit states.
Used for irreversible serviceability limit state verifications
Characteristic value
A statistically defined value of a physical quantity with a specified probability of non-exceedance.
Civil engineering work
Type of construction work for civil engineering purposes such as bridges, retaining walls, etc.
Combination of actions
Set of design values used for the verification of the structural reliability for a limit state under the simultaneous influence of different actions.
Compressive strength
Concrete
A composite material consisting of a mixture of cement, water, aggregates (coarse and fine), and, where appropriate, admixtures and additions, which develops its strength by hydration of the cement.
Category C - congregation areas
Area where people may congregate (except areas under category A, B, and D)
Construction works
Everything that is constructed or results from construction operations. The term covers both building and civil engineering works comprising structural, non-structural and geotechnical elements.
Creep effect
Long-term deformation effect due to sustained loading.
Dead load
Deflection
Vertical deflction of a structural member.
Deformation
Change in shape or size of a structure or structural member due to actions.
Deformation effect
Effect of actions in the form of deformations of the structure or structural members.
Density
Category D2 - department stores
Design action
Value ofan action used for limit state verification. A design valueo is btained by multiplying the representative value by the partial factor.
Design situation
Sets of physical conditions representing the real conditions occurring during a certain time interval for which the design will demonstrate that relevant limit states are not exceeded.
Design value
A value used in structural design verification, derived from a representative value (typically characteristic) through application of partial safety factors.
Direct action
Set of forces (loads) applied to the structure.
Displacement
Horizontal displacement of a structure or structural member.
Dynamic action
Action that causes significant acceleration of the structure or structural members.
Dynamic effect
Effect of actions involving dynamic response, acceleration, or vibration.
Effect of action
Effect of actions on structural members (e.g. internal force, moment, stress, strain) or on the whole structure (e.g. deflection, rotation).
Effects of actions can be calculated through structural analysis and must be compared against resistance for verification
internal force, moment, stress, strain, deflection, rotation
Eurocode zone
A space classified according to EN 1991-1-1 usage categories
Fatigue action
Repeated or fluctuating mechanical action applied over time, which may cause failure even if the individual stress cycles are below the material's static strength.
Fatigue effect
Progressive damage effect due to repeated loading cycles.
Favourable action
Action that reduces the effect of other actions on a structure, or otherwise contributes to structural safety.
Fixed action
Action that has a fixed distribution and position over the structure or structural member such that the magnitude and direction of the action are determined unambiguously for the whole structure.
Stored goods in a defined storage area with no alternative placement
Free action
Action that may have various spatial distributions over the structure.
Imposed floor load on individual rooms of a multi-storey building
Frequent combination
Serviceability combination normally used for reversible limit states.
Used for reversible serviceability limit state verifications
Fundamental combination
Combination of actions for persistent or transient design situations.
Used for persistent and transient design situations in ULS verifications
Category D1 - general retail shops
Geometrical data
Geometrical properties and dimensions of structural elements.
Geotechnical action
Action transmitted to the structure by the ground, fill or groundwater.
Category K - helicopter landing areas
Roof accessible for special services, such as helicopter landing areas
Imposed load
Loads that is not permanent and arise from the intended use or occupancy of the structure.
Indirect action
Set of imposed deformations or accelerations caused for example, by temperature changes, moisture variation, uneven settlement or earthquakes.
Category E2 - industrial use
industrial facilities: plant rooms, workshops
Category E - storage and industrial
Internal force
Effect of actions in the form of internal forces in structural members.
Category C5 - large crowds areas
buildings for public events like concert halls, sports halls including stands, terraces and access areas and railway platforms
Leading variable action
Variable action that, in a particular combination of actions, has the most significant effect on the design outcome and is considered as the primary representative of the variable actions in that combination.
Category F - light vehicle traffic
Traffic and parking area for light vehicles (≤ 30 kN gross vehicle weight and ≤ 8 seats not including driver)
Limit state
State beyond which the structure no longer fulfils the relevant design criteria.
Limit states define critical conditions that must not be exceeded to ensure structural safety and serviceability
Limit state value
Design resistance or serviceability criterion used for verificatinon of a limit state.
Limiting serviceability criterion
Limiting design value of the relevant serviceability criterion.
allowable deflection, allowable crack width
Linear deformation
Deformation involving linear displacement of points in the structure.
Lower bound value
A conservative or code-specified minimum value of a physical quantity, used to ensure safety under unfavorable conditions.
Material
Indication of the principal structural material.
Material property
Physical or mechanical property of construction materials.
Mean value
Arithmetic average of a set of observations; used to represent the expected or central value of a physical quantity in structural design.
Mechanical effect
Effect of actions in the form of forces, stresses, or strains in structural members.
Category G - medium vehicle traffic
Traffic and parking area for medium vehicles (>30 kN, ≤ 160 kN gross vehicle weight, on 2 axles)
access routes, delivery zones, zones accessible to fire engines (≤ 160 kN gross vehicle weight)
Nominal value
A conventional or assigned value of a physical quantity used for reference in design.
Normal stress
Stress acting in the direction normal to a surface.
Category B - office areas
Permanent action
Action that is likely to act throughout a given reference period and for which the variation in magnitude with time is negligible, or for which the variation is always in the same direction (monotonic) until the action attains a certain limit value.
Persistent design situation
Design situation that is relevant during a period of the same order as the design working life of the structure. Generally refers to conditions of normal use.
Category C4 - physical activities areas
Principal stress
Maximum or minimum normal stress at a point.
Quasi-permanent combination
Serviceability combination normally used for long-term effects and the appearance of the structure.
Used for long-term effects and appearance considerations
Quasi-static action
Dynamic action represented by an equivalent static action in a static model.
Reaction
Support reaction force or moment at structural supports.
Representative action
Value ofan action used for limit state verification. A representative value may be the characteristic value or an accompanying value.
Representative value
A value that approximates a physical parameter in a way that reflects its expected role in structural analysis or verification.
Category A - domestic and residential
Area for domestic and residential activities
rooms in residential buildings and houses, bedrooms and wards in hospitals, bedrooms in hotels and hostels, kitchens and toilets
Residential building
Building intended primarily for the accommodation and permanent or temporary residence of individuals or households.
detached house, apartment building, high-rise residential tower
Resistance
Capacity of a member or component, or a cross-section of a member or component of a structure, to withstand actions without mechanical failure.
bending resistance, buckling resistance, tension resistance
Category H - roofs
Roof not accessible except for normal maintenance and repair
Rotation
Angular rotation of a structure or structural member.
Serviceability Limit State combination
Combinations of actions for verifying serviceability limit states.
Seismic action
Action that arises due to earthquake ground motions.
Seismic combination
Combination of actions for seismic design situations.
Used for seismic design situations in ULS verifications
Seismic design situation
Design situation involving exceptional conditions of the structure when subjected to a seismic event.
Self-weight
Weight of the structure itself, including all permanent construction elements, finishes, fixed equipment, and any other permanently attached components.
Serviceability Limit State
State that correspond to conditions beyond which specified service requirements for a structure or structural member are no longer met.
Shear force
Internal force acting perpendicular to the axis of structural members.
Shear stress
Stress acting in the direction parallel (tangential) to a surface.
Category D - shopping areas
Shrinkage effect
Deformation effect due to material shrinkage over time.
Snow load
Variable climatic action caused by the accumulation of snow on the surface of structures.
Static action
Action that does not cause significant acceleration of the structure or structural members.
Category E1 - storage areas
Area susceptible to accumulation of goods, including access areas
areas for storage use including storage of books and other documents: archives, libraries, stockrooms
Strain
Deformation per unit length in structural members.
Stress
Internal stress in structural members due to actions.
Structural member
Physically distinguishable part of a structure, e.g. a column, a beam, a slab, a foundation pile.
Structural system
Load-bearing members of a building or civil engineering works and the way in which these members function together.
Flat-slab system with drop panels, steel potal frame, cable-stayed bridge system, trussed roof system
Structure
Organised combination of connected parts designed to carry loads and provide adequate rigidity.
Residential building, reatining wall, suspension bridge, underground tunnel
Thermal action
Actions that arises from the changes of temperature fields within a specified time interval.
Thickness
Dimension of a structural element measured perpendicular to its plane or surface.
Time-dependent effect
Effect of actions that varies with time due to material behavior or other time-related factors.
Torsional moment
Internal moment causing twisting in structural members.
Transient design situation
Design situation that is relevant during a period much shorter than the design working life of the structure and which has a high probability of occurrence, e.g. during construction or repair.
Twist
Angular deformation about the longitudinal axis.
Ultimate Limit State combination
Combination of actions for verifying ultimate limit states.
Ultimate Limit State
State associated with collapse or with other similar forms of structural failure. They generally correspond to the maximum load-carrying resistance of a structure or structural member.
UnfavourableAction action
An action that increases the effect of other actions on a structure, or otherwise reduces structural safety.
Upper bound value
A conservative or code-specified maximum value of a physical quantity, used to limit overestimation of capacity or underestimation of actions.
Variable action
Action for which the variation in magnitude with time is neither negligible nor monotonic.
imposed loads, wind, snow, thermal actions
Vibration response
Dynamic response of structures to oscillatory actions, important for serviceability considerations.
Volumetric Deformation
Deformation involving change in volume of structural elements.
Wind action
Variable climatic action resulting from the movement of air relative to the surface of the Earth. These action acts as external pressure or suction on surfaces and can also induce internal pressure.
Agricultural structure
A building or construction primarily designed and used for farming-related activities.
Bridge structure
Engineered construction designed to span physical obstacles such as rivers, valleys, roads, or railways, providing a safe passage for vehicles, pedestrians, or utilities.
beam bridge, arch bridge, suspension bridge
Building structure
Load-bearing framework or system designed to support and transfer all applied loads safely to the foundation and ultimately to the ground.
masonry building, steel frame building, timber-framed house
Civil engineering structure
Constructed system composed of interconnected physical elements designed, analyzed, and built to withstand environmental and operational loads, enabling the provision of essential services such as transport, shelter, water management, or energy distribution.
dam, tunnel, airport, retaining wall, power station, road
Static equilibrium
Loss of static equilibrium of the structure or any part of it considered as a rigid body.
Execution
Transient design situation during execution of a construction work.
Explosion design situation
Accidental design situation involving explosion conditions.
Fatigue failure
Fatigue failure of the structure or structural members.
Fire design situation
Accidental design situation involving fire conditions requiring specific design considerations.
Geotechnical failure
Failure or excessive deformation of the ground where the strengths of soil or rock are significant in providing resistance.
Hydraulic failure
Hydraulic heave, internal erosion and piping in the ground caused by hydraulic gradients.
Irreversible Serviceability Limit State
Serviceability limit state where some consequences of actions exceeding the specified service requirements will remain when the actions are removed.
Impact design situation
Accidental design situation involving impact conditions.
Localized failure design situation
Accidental design situation involving local failure conditions.
Monumental building structure
Large-scale, architecturally significant structure designed to serve as a landmark, memorial, or symbol of cultural, historical, or civic importance.
national parliment building, museum of significant importance, major cathedral
Reversible Serviceability Limit State
Serviceability limit state where no consequences of actions exceeding the specified service requirements will remain when the actions are removed.
Repair
Transient design situation during repair of a construction work.
Structure with replaceable elements
Structure designed such that certain primary or secondary structural components can be removed, replaced, or upgraded during its service life without compromising the overall stability, integrity, or usability of the structure.
modular steel bridge with replaceable girders, industrial building with precast concrete roof panels
Structural resistance
Internal failure or excessive deformation of the structure or structural members where the strength of construction materials governs.
Temporary structure
Structre that is intended to be used for a limited period of time, typically to support, protect, or provide access during the execution of permanent works, or to serve a short-term purpose.
formwork system, steel scaffolding, temoprary bridge
Uplift failure
Loss of equilibrium of the structure or the ground due to uplift by water pressure (buoyancy) or other vertical actions.
Building
Type of construction work for building purposes such as dwelling houses, office buildings, etc.
dwelling house, office building, industrial building