Advancing Seismic Resilience & Low-Carbon Design (ERIES-BIOFACE)

The ERIES-BIOFACE project aimed to characterize the seismic performance of commonly used façade and partition typologies, while promoting the use of timber and bio-based materials and modular connections. The overarching objective was to enhance the seismic resilience of non-structural components and contribute to sustainable development and circular economy principles.The project investigated both conventional and low-carbon vertical architectural elements through an extensive full-scale shake-table testing campaign. Testing was conducted on the IUSS - EUCENTRE 9D System, enabling realistic two-story simulations under combined acceleration and inter-story drift demands. The project compared alternative components, including timber-glass and aluminium-glass unitized curtain walls, ventilated façades with bio-based and aluminium claddings, and a T-shaped gypsum partition wall.The research was structured around three main components: (i) experimental testing to assess the seismic performance of conventional vs low-carbon glazed and ventilated façade systems under progressively increasing levels of earthquake excitation; (ii) the development of new fragility models to support the integration of these components into seismic loss assessment frameworks; and (iii) the definition of design guidelines to assist engineers and architects in establishing performance-based criteria for low-carbon resilient solutions.Focusing on the large-scale experimental campaign, the project pursued the following objectives.

Objective 1: Refine and validate the seismic response of aluminium-glass unitized façade systems, previously investigated in an earlier experimental campaign , through shake-table dynamic testing.
Objective 2: Characterize the seismic behaviour of conventional rainscreen ventilated façades with aluminium cladding, as well as lightweight drywall partition walls with corner joints representative of typical interior building configurations.
Objective 3: Develop and experimentally evaluate alternative low-carbon solutions, including timber-framed unitized curtain walls and bio-based composite cladding systems for ventilated façades.
Objective 4: Calibrate finite element numerical models capable of capturing component behaviour, thereby validating and advancing existing numerical modelling procedures.
The ERIES project (Engineering Research Infrastructures for European Synergies) is funded by the European Commission’s Horizon Europe program. Coordinated by the Scuola Universitaria Superiore IUSS Pavia in Italy, it has a budget of €11.6 million and has a four-year duration, from 2022 to 2026. ERIES aims to provide transnational access to advanced research infrastructures in structural, seismic, wind, and geotechnical engineering. The project seeks to enhance resilience against natural hazards such as earthquakes and extreme winds by fostering innovative and sustainable solutions to mitigate economic losses and social disruptions. Additionally, it develops new technical standards and methodologies to improve built environment safety and supports frontier research through international collaboration. The ERIES network includes 13 partners from 8 countries across Europe and North America: IUSS Pavia and Eucentre Foundation (Italy), University of Patras (Greece), Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece), Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia Civil (Portugal), Centre de recherche CEA Paris-Saclay (France), Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Engineering Seismology (North Macedonia), Joint Research Centre (Italy), University of Bristol (United Kingdom), University of Genova (Italy), Western University (Canada), Eindhoven University of Technology (Netherlands) and CSTB Nantes (France).