Therefore, outstanding fundamental and applied research is the driving force for ISISE. The main objective of the Unit is to increase the structural performance of Civil Engineering Works, from a perspective of advanced technology, innovation and a knowledge based economy, and a focus on: from Materials to Life Cycle Performance. The approach includes aspects such as advances in experimental and numerical techniques, product development and technology transfer to the industry, durability and reliability, recycle, reuse, conservation and strengthening, and condition assessment. These aims of the Unit are aligned with international trends, namely with Vision 2030 from the European Construction Technology Platform, focusing in 7 out of the 9 priorities identified, and from the Construction part of the European Steel Technology Platform.

In short, ISISE aims at promoting innovation and sustainability, with a link to the construction sector industry. The Unit is organized in 3 Research Groups, related to Historical and masonry, Steel and mixed, and Concrete construction technologies. The most relevant aims in the fields of Innovation and Sustainability include, in general:

1. characterization of building materials, using carefully, deformation controlled, experiments in concrete, FRP, timber, steel and masonry;
2. constitutive and structural modelling, associated with the development and use of nonlinear constitutive models, and its validation via experimental tests;
3. characterization of structural behaviour, via testing of structures and structural elements and improvement of experimental and assessment techniques;
4. inspection, assessment and monitoring of structures, motivated by new construction processes and materials, and the need to keep existing structures in use;
5. safety evaluation of structures, concerning design of strengthened structures, safety during the building phase, evaluation of behaviour in service and extreme events;
6. development of an integrated life-time structural approach to meet all six Essential Requirements of the CPD (Construction Products Directive).

Specific individual Research Group aims include:

1. integrated conservation of Cultural Heritage Buildings;
2. increasing re-use of structural timber and masonry;
3. novel developments in concrete (fibre reinforced, high performance, self compacting, lightweight);
4. increasing use of steel and mixed construction technologies;
5. development of innovative structural systems and strengthening techniques.