The Master of Science program in Structural Robustness for Extreme Loading Conditions will be the first postgraduate program specifically focusing on the special issue of “Extreme Loading Conditions on Structures” in Cyprus, in the whole Eastern Mediterranean Region, and most probably in whole Europe. This topic is usually not specifically addressed in usual courses of civil/structural engineering, which, in general, focus on “common” loading conditions. Unfortunately, the recent past shows that such “extreme” loading conditions, due to environmental and/or anthropic causes, may not be disregarded during the design process of a building and, in particular, in the design of strategic structures and infrastructures that should remain operative during emergencies.
The curriculum of the MSc in Structural Robustness for Extreme Loading Conditions is designed to provide the necessary knowledge to students regarding the structural robustness for such extreme loading, taking into account various scenarios, as well as different types of buildings (housing, office, commercial and infrastructures), teaching how these extreme loading conditions should be handled, and how they might interact during a catastrophic event (a fire after an explosion, a fire after an earthquake, an explosion after an earthquake, etc.). The curriculum provides up-to-date knowledge in a number of different areas and covers multiple and essential subjects such as Structural Robustness and Risk Engineering and Risk Management. This will be achieved by specific lectures given by professional engineers as well as technicians from Civil Protection and/or Fire Department, who will present the specific issues and case studies. The lecturers are the world-renowned experts in their specific fields.
The MSc in Structural Robustness for Extreme Loading Conditions brings together theory and practice and includes exposure to the latest methods, procedures and techniques used in the field, as well as various technological solutions necessary for the purpose of designing robust structures, which might safely resist to extreme loading conditions, avoiding disproportioned collapse in case of an accidental event.
The MSc in Structural Robustness for Extreme Loading Conditions at the NUP is designed to provide students with the necessary knowledge for becoming experts in design of robust structures that will allow them to play a significant role in this sector in Cyprus and abroad.
