Fall arrest systems are regulated according to EN-363 to retain people safely after a free fall. It is causing any significant damage during the retention process. This study is a development in performance testing of fall arrest systems. It analyses the variables that affect the behaviour of the system: fall height and the absorbed energy by devices. In this research, several experimental tests on personal safety devices are carried out. These devices are tested statically and also by dynamic tests with different fall factor (fall height/rope length) following the standards EN-354, 355, 362, 363 and 364.

Safety nets used in buildings under construction in Europe are examples of structures under impact. It would be of great interest to evaluate the energy absorbed by the elements making up these devices (nets and supports) in order to improve them and quantify injuries to victims of falls. Experimental tests on type "V" safety nets (EN 1263-1, 1997) were numerically modelled in this work (consisting of dropping a 100 kg weight from 7 m above the nets). The model is dynamic and highly non-linear (variable contact, geometric and material nonlinearities). Two adjustment parameters were used to calibrate the numerical model: the equivalent elastic modulus of the net and the equivalent structural damping of the net. A value for each one was found, thus obtaining the same weight drop and maximum strain on the gauges in the experimental tests. The main conclusion, when numerical simulations were carried out using the calibrated model, is the great difference between the energy absorbed by the net and by the supports (ratio: 8-1). This means that, with research into net materials focusing on this impact problem, absorbed energy is an important factor.

An electrochemical model is presented to calculate the rebar shape time-evolution in reinforced mortar specimens during forced corrosion tests. This provides a more realistic description than the usually used geometric models. The current distribution along the rebar perimeter is calculated by using Finite Element Method (FEM) to solve Laplace equation. Then, Faraday's law is used to relate current distribution to rebar volume increase due to corrosion products creation. The shape of the rebar section is obtained as a function of corrosion time.

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ESPAÑA RESUMEN SUMMARY 1.-INTRODUCCIÓNDentro de las actividades humanas productivas, la industria de la construcción de edificios ha sido y sigue siendo, por desgracia, una de las que más accidentes graves ha generado en las personas.El riesgo de caídas desde considerable altura por parte de los operarios que intervienen en los distintos procesos constructivos y en las distintas etapas de la construcción de una edificación o de una obra pública es desgraciadamente bastante habitual en nuestro país, ocasionando, en muchos casos, la muerte o graves minusvalías a las personas que las han sufrido.Fue a finales del siglo XIX y a principios del XX, cuando la sociedad tomó conciencia de la importancia de los riesgos laborales y de su prevención. En España el Reglamen-