Work Package 1 - Project management and coordination

This Work Package provides the framework for an effective and transparent implementation of the TIMELESS project. Its role is to coordinate all activities, monitor progress towards objectives, and ensure that the project delivers its results on time and within budget. A clear governance structure is established, defining decision-making processes, reporting duties, and communication flows across the consortium. Central to WP1 is the adoption of robust procedures for administrative and financial management, ensuring compliance with European regulations and full accountability of resources. Regular meetings, progress reviews, and periodic reports keep partners aligned and allow emerging issues to be addressed quickly. Risk management and quality assurance are also key elements: a dedicated register is maintained for potential risks and mitigation strategies, while internal review procedures guarantee that deliverables meet the highest standards. Finally, WP1 fosters cohesion within the consortium and provides the main interface with the European Commission. By supporting smooth communication, transparency, and collaboration, it creates the conditions under which the technical Work Packages can develop their innovations and maximize the project’s overall impact.

Main Deliverable of WP1

• D1.1 – A comprehensive overview of the project (Month 6)
  This report provides a complete overview of the project plan, objectives, and goals, while situating them within the state of the art.

Work Package 2 - Case Studies and Preliminary Studies

This Work Package establishes the practical foundation of the TIMELESS project by defining the case studies and preparing the ground for future experimental and numerical investigations. Its aim is to create a consistent framework in which the innovative structural solutions developed in the project can be tested under realistic and representative conditions. The first activity is the identification and design of case-study buildings that represent both real structures and archetypical models. These buildings are selected to capture a variety of contexts and challenges, including different uses, construction systems, and environmental conditions. By designing and analyzing these cases, WP2 ensures that the project innovations can be evaluated in relation to tangible needs of the construction sector. In parallel, technological and fabrication studies are carried out on key structural components, with a particular focus on innovative floor systems. These analyses investigate alternative solutions, material choices, and manufacturing techniques, highlighting their feasibility and potential for industrial application. This preparatory work enables the project to define reliable pathways from concept to large-scale testing. Another crucial task of WP2 is the pre-design of experimental campaigns on floor and joint components. These pre-studies establish the dimensions, loading conditions, and expected performance parameters for specimens to be tested in later Work Packages. By setting these conditions early, WP2 ensures a smooth and consistent transition to the experimental phase. Finally, WP2 integrates an economic and environmental perspective by carrying out a preliminary cost–benefit assessment and life cycle analysis (LCA). This activity evaluates the expected advantages and potential limitations of the proposed technologies in terms of both global sustainability and local applicability. It provides valuable insights on the broader impact of TIMELESS solutions, supporting informed decision-making in the following phases of the project.

Main Deliverables of WP2

• D2.1 – Report on the design of the case-studies (M6)
  A report presenting the designs for the case-study buildings, including key features and boundary conditions.

• D2.2 – Technological and fabrication study on floor components (M9)
  A report summarizing technological solutions and fabrication methods for the innovative floor systems.

• D2.3 – Pre-design of the test campaigns on floors/joints (M12)
  A report detailing the preliminary design and features of specimens for floor and joint testing.

• D2.4 – Preliminary cost-benefit assessment and LCA (M12)
  A report presenting the main SWOT analysis and life-cycle assessment results at both global and local scale.

Work Package 3 is dedicated to the development, testing, and validation of innovative demountable composite floor systems. The central ambition is to design structural solutions that can be dismantled, reused, and reassembled without compromising safety or performance. By focusing on adaptability and circularity, WP3 addresses one of the key objectives of the TIMELESS project: to create building systems that are resilient, sustainable, and aligned with the principles of the circular economy. The activities begin with the conceptual development of demountable floor systems, where different layouts, materials, and connection details are studied. These concepts are then evaluated through a comprehensive series of large-scale experimental campaigns. A first set of tests examines the bending performance of composite floors, providing essential insights into strength, stiffness, and overall mechanical behavior under vertical loads. To further investigate structural response, push-out tests and composite beam tests are conducted. These experiments are crucial to assess the interaction between steel and concrete components, quantify bond and slip behavior, and evaluate how connections influence global performance. Complementary in-plane tests are carried out to simulate horizontal loading conditions and to understand the response of floors when subjected to shear and diaphragm forces, which are critical in seismic or wind-exposed scenarios. Another fundamental dimension of WP3 is fire resistance. Dedicated fire tests expose floor systems to elevated temperatures in order to measure their structural integrity and identify potential vulnerabilities. These tests provide vital information for ensuring that demountable solutions also meet safety requirements under extreme conditions. Alongside the experimental activities, advanced finite element (FE) models are developed and validated against test results. These numerical simulations allow the project to explore different design variations, predict long-term performance, and optimize the systems before moving to larger-scale demonstrations. The combined use of experiments and simulations ensures robust, reliable, and scalable outcomes. By the end of the Work Package, a complete understanding of the mechanical, thermal, and functional performance of demountable composite floors will be achieved. This knowledge will directly inform the guidelines, standards, and demonstration activities in later stages of the project, ensuring that the developed solutions are ready for real-world application.

Main Deliverables of WP3

• D3.1 – Report of bending tests (M15)
  Summary of the experimental performance of floors subjected to bending loads.

• D3.2 – Report of push-out and composite beam tests (M18)
  Documentation of push-out and beam test results assessing steel–concrete interaction.

• D3.3 – Report of in-plane tests (M18)
  Analysis of the response of floors loaded in-plane, with focus on diaphragm and shear effects.

• D3.4 – Report of fire tests (M18)
  Results of fire resistance tests evaluating structural behavior under elevated temperatures.

• D3.5 – Report on FE studies on floors (M21)
  Numerical studies on composite floors using finite element models validated by experiments.

Work Package 3 - Development of Demountable Composite Floors

Work Package 4 focuses on the conception, development, and validation of innovative structural joints that can be dismantled, repaired, or reassembled after use or following extreme events. The aim is to create reversible and self-realigning connection systems that significantly enhance the resilience and adaptability of steel–concrete composite structures. By enabling reversibility, these solutions reduce repair costs, extend service life, and promote more sustainable building practices aligned with the circular economy. The activities start with the investigation of bolted connections and self-realignment bars, including the integration of smart monitoring systems. These assemblies are tested under different loading conditions to evaluate their strength, durability, and capacity for controlled re-centering after deformation. Special attention is given to the monitoring technologies, which allow real-time assessment of performance and early detection of potential failures. Parallel studies address the optimization of friction materials used in joints. Through targeted testing, different material combinations are analyzed to improve energy dissipation, durability, and reliability. Optimized frictional behavior is essential for ensuring that joints can absorb and release energy efficiently during seismic or accidental events without suffering irreparable damage. A major part of WP4 is devoted to reversible beam-to-column joints. These connections are subjected to cyclic, seismic, and robustness-oriented load scenarios, providing critical insights into their ability to withstand large displacements and repeated stress cycles. The research evaluates both their structural efficiency and their capacity for simple dismantling and reassembly, which are key requirements for modern, adaptable construction systems. Another stream of work investigates reversible and self-realigning column bases. These components are particularly important in seismic design, where the ability of a column to re-center after large lateral displacements can dramatically reduce residual deformations in a building. Tests assess stability, reusability, and the feasibility of integrating such solutions into common practice. All the experimental findings are complemented by advanced finite element (FE) studies. Numerical models are developed and calibrated to replicate the observed behavior of joints, enabling extensive parametric analyses and design optimization. These models also provide predictive tools to explore scenarios beyond those tested experimentally, thereby strengthening the design basis for future applications.

Main Deliverables of WP4

• D4.1 – Report on the behaviour of bolting assemblies and self-realignment bars with smart monitoring systems (M21)
  Summary of experimental performance of bolted assemblies and PR bars, including integration with monitoring systems.

• D4.2 – Report on the behaviour of optimized friction materials (M21)
  Results of testing on friction materials for improved energy dissipation and durability.

• D4.3 – Report on the behaviour of reversible beam-to-column joints under seismic/robustness loading scenario (M24)
  Experimental findings on the performance of reversible beam-to-column joints under demanding load conditions.

• D4.4 – Report on the behaviour of reversible self-realigning column bases (M27)
  Documentation of tests on column base connections with re-centering capacity.

• D4.5 – Report on FE studies on joints (M30)
  Numerical finite element simulations on joints, calibrated against experimental results.

Work Package 4 - Development of Reversible Joints and Self-Realignment Systems

Work Package 5 represents a cornerstone of the TIMELESS project, as it translates the concepts, components, and technologies developed in earlier stages into full-scale demonstration. The main objective is to prove that demountable and reversible structural solutions can be applied in real building scenarios, while maintaining high levels of safety, performance, and adaptability. The activities start with the preparation of design guidelines for disassembly. These guidelines define procedures for designing structures that can be taken apart in a systematic and safe way, while also documenting the specific disassembly strategies to be applied to the project’s case-study buildings. This work ensures that the dismantling process is considered from the very beginning of the design phase, rather than as an afterthought. A key milestone of WP5 is the execution of a large-scale seismic test on a demonstration building. The structure integrates the reversible joints, demountable floors, and other innovations developed in WP3 and WP4. Under controlled laboratory conditions, the building is subjected to earthquake-like loading, allowing researchers to assess both the overall seismic performance and the resilience of the new technologies. Following this test, the building is carefully disassembled, validating in practice the procedures defined in the guidelines. The demonstration continues with the reassembly of the same structure. Once reconstructed, the building is tested again—this time under loading scenarios focused on structural robustness. This second stage provides evidence of the reusability of the components and the structural integrity of the reassembled system, addressing one of the most critical questions of circular construction: can dismantled elements be safely reused without loss of performance? Alongside the physical experiments, advanced finite element (FE) simulations are conducted on the large-scale structures. These models are calibrated using the experimental data and provide design-oriented insights that can be used to generalize the findings beyond the specific demonstration cases. The combination of testing and simulation ensures that the lessons learned are applicable to a wider range of structural systems and contexts.

Main Deliverables of WP5

• D5.1 – Design guidelines for disassembly (M30)
  Guidelines and procedures for the disassembly of the case-study buildings, including lessons from preliminary design activities.

• D5.2 – Report on the seismic large-scale test and disassembly (M33)
  Documentation of the large-scale seismic test and subsequent disassembly of the demonstration structure.

• D5.3 – Report on the reassembly and large-scale test for robustness (M36)
  Results of the reassembly phase and robustness-oriented large-scale testing of the structure.

• D5.4 – Report on FE studies on large-scale structure (M36)
  Numerical modelling of the large-scale demonstration building, providing FE-based design insights and guidelines.

Work Package 5 - Demonstration of Reversibility and Demountability

Work Package 6 ensures that the innovations developed in TIMELESS can be transferred beyond the research environment and into practice. It focuses on bridging the gap between technical development and societal, economic, and industrial application, ensuring that the solutions have a real and lasting impact. The activities span risk and loss assessment, guideline preparation, impact evaluation, and dissemination of results to different target audiences. The Work Package begins with an assessment of risks and potential losses associated with conventional construction practices compared to the new reversible and demountable solutions. This analysis examines how TIMELESS technologies can reduce structural vulnerability and mitigate economic and social consequences of extreme events. The results provide valuable evidence of the added resilience benefits that these innovations bring to the built environment. A central task of WP6 is the preparation of design guidelines. These guidelines synthesize the knowledge gained throughout the project into practical recommendations for engineers, architects, and decision-makers. They serve as a tool for transferring the project’s concepts into real design practice, covering topics such as reversible joints, demountable floor systems, and disassembly strategies. By consolidating scientific findings into clear and applicable instructions, the guidelines play a crucial role in fostering uptake by the construction industry. Complementing the technical guidance, WP6 also evaluates the broader economic and environmental impacts of the TIMELESS solutions. This involves cost–benefit analysis, life-cycle assessment, and comparative studies to quantify advantages in terms of resource efficiency, environmental footprint, and long-term savings. These results provide decision-makers with a clear view of how reversible and demountable systems can contribute to sustainable and circular construction models, supporting both policy development and market acceptance. Finally, this Work Package coordinates the dissemination and communication activities of the project. A wide range of tools and channels—scientific publications, workshops, conferences, social media, and dedicated outreach materials—are employed to ensure that results reach stakeholders at all levels. Dissemination activities also help to create awareness, build trust, and pave the way for standardization and commercial exploitation of the developed technologies.

Main Deliverables of WP6

• D6.1 – Report on risk/loss assessment (M36)
  Summary of risk and loss evaluations, comparing traditional approaches and TIMELESS solutions.

• D6.2 – Design guidelines (M39)
  Practical guidelines translating project results into applicable design recommendations.

• D6.3 – Report on economic and environmental impact (M39)
  Study assessing the broader economic and environmental implications of TIMELESS solutions.

• D6.4 – Dissemination Report (M42)
  Overview of dissemination activities, highlighting results and communication strategies adopted.

Work Package 6 - From Research to Market