Facts and Figures :
  42 researchers and 85 PhD students work in civil and urban engineering.
  Organisations involved :
INSA-Lyon,
Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University
  Main skills : materials and process engineering ;
urban works and networks ;
industrial structures ;
hydrology ;
ecocomptability ;
urban development ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 
You are here : Homepage > Guided tour > Major fields of study > Civil and urban engineering :

 
The current market in civil and urban engineering must meet many of the needs expressed by today's world :
guaranteeing safety with a no-default principle even when exceptional events occur (accidents, earthquakes, weather phenomena, ...),
protecting the environment,
ensuring habitat comfort and quality of life.
 
Within this framework, the researchers from the la Doua Science Park have established close collaborations with the indutry to meet these requirements and anticipate future needs. La Doua researchers have thereby gained international recognition. Research is based on a multidisciplinary approach and links with other local competences, when possible, for instance in materials formulation and characterisation.
 
Research contracts with businesses, which are enormous in this field of study, are concerned with construction and public works companies as well as aeronautics, engineering or the nuclear industry.
Research - Training - La Doua : innovations and achievements - Major projects
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Research :

La Doua researchers particularly focus on the design of construction materials, design and dimensioning, and urban environment analysis.


Design of construction materials :
  In this field of study, the purpose is to optimise existing materials such as concretes and asphalts but also to design new materials to meet the needs of the market in terms of ease of use, mechanical resistance, and durability. These new materials also imply new building technologies.
 
Self-leveling concretes : La Doua researchers are internationally recognised for their work on self-leveling concretes. These concretes are extremely fluid and will self-level under the sole effect of gravity. As opposed to traditional concretes, they therefore eliminate noise nuisance when cast but are also much faster and easier to use… Furthermore, thanks to their near-perfect flatness, self-leveling concretes are considered to be of a better quality.
Mixed structures : the underlying principle of mixed structures is to associate materials with complementary performances. A "woods" (mixed wood/concrete structures) pole of study is currently being developed as part of a national project.

New smart materials : The la Doua Science Park is the European leader for the design of smart materials. Smart materials are extremely sophisticated. They are active matrix polymers using textile reinforcements used to repair and maintain concrete works, reinforced concrete, and prestressed concrete. These materials are used for their high performances. The sensors they integrate enable a better follow-up of the works they are used on.
Mix of waste in construction materials : The mix of industrial waste in construction materials is a solution to recycle some by-products. Several applications have already been found (use of bauxite, non-combustible waste from car crushing, use of polymer waste for ballast and embakements…).


Design and dimensioning :
Safety is a key point in construction. The analysis and understanding of structure behaviours at different stages of their life and under extreme stress (accidents, earthquakes, ...) is one of the poles la Doua researchers excel in. Their expertise and access to various test, control, and simulation equipment have made it possible to apply their research to many economic sectors. A structure test slab unique in France is available at la Doua. It enables the definition of safety margins for nuclear tanks, cars, etc.
 
Seismic behaviour and shock resistance :
La Doua researchers have gained European recognition for their work in this field of study. Based on experimentation (static and dynamic test benches) and simulation (digital modelling and simplified analytical models), their research has numerous applications for building, transports (lightening the body of a car also means new structures to protect passengers), ...
Shell structures :
Shell structures are widely used in fields as varied as civil engineering (silos, tanks...), aeronautics (booster tanks...), engineering (submarines, packaging...), or the nuclear industry (nuclear reactor tanks). However, the trend is currently to optimise and lighten these structures which could cause the shell structures to be less stable (with buckling problems). In this particular field of study, la Doua expertise has resulted in strong partnerships with the nuclear industry (for the past 30 years) and with the aeronautics industry (12-year collaboration on Ariane) ...
Underground works (tunnels, microtunnels, large excavations) water supply and waste water treatment systems :
La Doua researchers take part in remarkable life-size experiments (Lyon underground, microtunnels near Paris, archeological excavations in urban areas, ...)


Urban environment and sustainable development :
In civil engineering, decisions are increasingly made with sustainable development in mind and therefore take the works' environmental impact into account.
 
  Within this framework, la Doua researchers aim at improving their understanding of environmental impact phenomena and preventing the harmful impact some works might have, as in the case of waste storage sites.
  Researchers have gained advanced expertise in urban hydrology (rain, impact of infiltrations and run-off rain water on water table quality, impact of urban waste on surface water quality ,...) in geotechnics (instability in urban areas ...). A monitoring centre in urban hydrology (OTHU), made up of measurement equipment set up in Greater Lyon's sewage network should be created.
  To prevent the dispersion of pollutants within soils, la Doua researchers are currently working on geomaterials acting as barrier seals.
   
Habitat quality :
For instance, CETHIL has designed computer based sensors to follow pollutants (CO2, water vapors...) in confined areas to improve ventilation systems.
For information on CETHIL's competences in heat transfer, click here
 
Urban development :
A multidisciplinary team is currently conducting research on urban cleanliness, public areas, roads and urban mobility.


Training :

Initial training :
INSA-Lyon, Claude Bernard Lyon1 University.
300 students are trained every year in fields related to civil and urban engineering.
Experiments are currently conducted associating engineers and architects.

   
Continuing training :
CAST, UCBL's service for continuing training, INSA-Lyon's service for continuing training.
  Focus :
  IUT génie civil (UCBL - IUT A) ; (polytechnic school in civil engineering)
  IUP génie civil (UCBL - IUT A) : 30 graduates per year ; (professional school in civil engineering)
  Civil engineering and Urban development department (Majors in : urban development ; civil construction) INSA-Lyon : 103 engineers/year.
  MEGA post-graduate school (Mechanics, energetics, civil engineering and acoustics ) : DEA génie civil (post-graduate research certificate in civil engineering)
  E2MC post-graduate school (Economics, space, modelling and behaviours) : DEA villes et sociétés (post-graduate research certificate in towns and societies)

An overview of innovations and achievements at la Doua
A new roof for Lyon Gerland Stadium L2M To cover the Gerland stadium, high-performance composites and technical textiles have been used. They guarantee enormous resistance to the physical forces in the structure… This technology was developed by the UCBL materials mechanics lab.
Recyle it ! URGC URGC recycles bauxite waste. The aim is to develop high- performance concretes including 7 to 15% of dehydrated red mud. These materials could be used for works of arts having to withstand difficult conditions.

Major projects :
Technological centre OTHU (monitoring centre in urban hydrology) OTHU has been set up on Greater Lyon's sewage network and on corresponding receiving areas. It builds up on a research federation gathering 11 teams or labs from 6 Lyon-based organisations (Cemagref, ECL, ENTPE, INSA-Lyon, Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University and Lyon 3 University). This monitoring centre, which is supported by the greater Lyon Council and Rhône-Méditerranée-Corse water agency, should make it possible to collect good quality data on urban waste and their impact on natural environments.
Technological centre Large workshops in l'Isle d'Abeau.  

Click here to locate the research labs and the businesses in this field of study >>