2. ENGINEERING
» Urban planning
» Architecture
» Construction industry
» Transport systems
» Aerospace technologies
» Railway technologies
3. FORENSIC SCIENCES
» Forensic technologies
4. HORIZONTAL ACTIVITIES
» Scenario development and decision support
» Simulators, trainers and artificial environments
» Testing and validation
» Rescue and relief services
5. TECHNOLOGIES & MATERIALS
» Nanotechnology
» Material Science
» Protective textiles
» Detection technologies
» Sensor equipment and technologies
6. INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES
» Intelligence systems
» Software, Data Processing
» Smart Systems
7. SOCIO-ECONOMIC SCIENCES AND THE HUMANITIES
» Human Sciences
Core competencies
For more than 16 years, the GIDAI Group - Fire Safety - Research and Technology, University of Cantabria, has been undertaking research activity, technology transfer and training in the fields of safety science. Thus, the GIDAI Group is a leader both nationally and internationally in this area of science and technology particularly in the following fields:
•Modelling and Simulation.
•Decision Support Systems.
•Fire Dynamics, combustion, materials, etc.
•Emergency Management and Human Behaviour.
The GIDAI Group has generated 5 million € in research funds during the last 5 years. In the past 12 months, GIDAI researchers have published 20 papers in scientific journals and peer reviewed international conferences. We note the creation of two spin-offs whose activities involve the application of advanced modelling and computer simulation tools for fire safety engineering solutions, thermal analysis using infrared thermography, and diverse applications in the construction engineering industry. Investments of more than 1.5 million € made by the GIDAI Group have permitted the acquisition of excellent scientific infrastructure. A new centre, called the Santander Fire Research Center (SFRC), will be built to house this infrastructure. In particular, we highlight the following scientific equipment:
•Fire Computer Modelling Area. This area has a Linux cluster of 164 Xeon cores and 320 GB of processing RAM for numerical simulation.
•Laboratory for Testing of Fire Detection and Extinction.
•Laboratory for the Characterization of the Combustion of Material. (Room Corner Test, Cone Calorimeter, Fire Propagation Apparatus, FTIR, thermal analysis equipments (STA, LFA, HFM).
•Human Behaviour Laboratory with 51 video-cameras and RTLS system.