Keynote Speakers

Dr. Federico Accornero
Politecnico di Torino, Italy
Keynote Speaker

Federico ACCORNERO is currently adj. professor of Structural Mechanics at the National School of the Italian Army (Turin-Italy) and Fellow of the Shantou University (Guangdong-China). He received his PhD in Structural Engineering with distinction at Politecnico di Torino (Turin-Italy) in 2014. Before that, he studied at Politecnico di Torino and Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées
(Paris-France).

His main research interests are: Fracture Mechanics; Next-generation Reinforced Concrete; Acoustic Emission Testing. Several of his researches have been published in international peer-reviewed journals, including ACI Structural Journal, ASCE Journal of Structural Engineering, ASCE Journal of Bridge Engineering, FIB Structural Concrete, Engineering Fracture Mechanics, Theoretical and Applied Fracture Mechanics, Cement and Concrete Composites, Magazine of Concrete Research, Construction and Building Materials, Engineering Structures.

Topic of Keynote: Fibre-Reinforced and Hybrid-Reinforced Concrete: An Updated Bridged Crack Model with Softening Pull-Out Forces
Keynote Abstract

Dr. Brahim Benmokrane
University Of Sherbrook, Canada
Keynote Speaker

Professor Brahim Benmokrane is one of the world’s top in the field of structural concrete internally reinforced with fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) reinforcement. He has made outstanding contributions to research, teaching, innovation, and leadership targeting the development of FRP reinforcement for concrete structures and their durability, structural performance, field applications, development of design codes and standards and the relentless pursuit of knowledge transfer to industry. His research has significantly influenced the development of concrete structures reinforced with FRP bars, building codes, design specifications, and its practical use in North America and beyond. Professor Benmokrane holds the Tier–1 Canada Research Chair in Advanced Composite Materials for Civil Structures and the NSERC-Alliance Industrial Research Chair in Innovative FRP Reinforcement for Sustainable Concrete Infrastructures at the Department of Civil and Building Engineering at the University of Sherbrooke (Sherbrooke, QC, Canada). His research has significantly influenced the development of concrete structures reinforced with FRP bars, building codes, design specifications, and its practical use in North America and beyond.

Topic of Keynote: Recent Canadian Developments Related to FRP Reinforcement for Concrete Structures, Design Codes, and Applications in Buildings and Bridges
Keynote Abstract

Dr. Ivo Caliò
Università degli Studi di Catania, Italy
Keynote Speaker

Ivo Caliò received his PhD in Structural Engineering in 1995 investigating the large displacement response of structures subjected to uplift foundations during earthquakes. In 1997 he started is academic career at the University of Catania in Italy where he continued his research on nonlinear dynamics and earthquake engineering. He supervised many PhD students and post-doctoral researches working on seismic vulnerability and retrofitting of existing buildings not designed to resist earthquakes and proposed a new computational strategy for the simulation of the nonlinear behaviour of masonry structures known as Discrete Macro-Element Method (DMEM). In 2009 he initiated a research group, involving many PhD students and academic researchers, for the development of advanced structural engineering software based on the DMEM, suitable both for academic investigations and practical engineering. Within this research topic two structural analysis programs have been developed: 3DMacro for masonry buildings and HiStrA (Historical Structure Analysis) focused on the Structural Assessment of Historical Monumental Structures and Masonry Bridges. A key feature of his work has been extensive international collaboration with fellow academics particularly in Portugal and UK. From 2012 he is collaborating with Prof Paulo Lourenco of the university of Minho and his research team on the use and validation of the DMEM for masonry monumental structures and masonry bridge. In 2015 he started a collaboration with Prof Bassam Izzuddin of the Imperial College of London on the seismic vulnerability assessment and innovative retrofitting strategies of buildings not designed to resist earthquakes. A key feature of this research has been the use of high fidelity models, implemented in the software ADAPTIC developed by Prof Izzuddin, capable of considering progressive collapse scenario, triggered by earthquakes, and accounting for the contribution of non-structural elements. Aiming at identifying suitable retrofitting strategies for existing buildings, innovative low impact solutions have been proposed which are being applied in structural engineering practice. His publication record exceeds 180 papers in leading international journal and conferences.

Topic of Keynote: Seismic Vulnerability and Retrofitting Of RC Buildings Not Designed To Resist Earthquakes
Keynote Abstract

Dr. Paulo B. Lourenço
University of Minho, Portugal
Keynote Speaker

Professor at the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Minho, Portugal, and Head of the Institute in Sustainability and Innovation in Structural Engineering, with 250 researchers. Experienced in the fields of non-destructive testing, advanced experimental and numerical techniques, innovative repair and strengthening techniques, and earthquake engineering. Specialist in structural conservation and forensic engineering, with work on 100+ monuments including 17 UNESCO World Heritage. Leader of the revision of the European masonry code (EN 1996-1-1). Coordinator of the European Master on Structural Analysis of Monuments and Historical Constructions, with alumni from 70+ countries and European Heritage / Europa Nostra Award (most prestigious in Europe). Editor of the International Journal of Architectural Heritage and advisor of the Conference Series on Structural Analysis of Historical Constructions. Supervised more than 60 PhD theses and coordinate multiple national and international research projects. Awarded an Advanced European Research Council Grant of 3.0 M€ to develop an integrated seismic assessment approach for heritage buildings. Coordinator of an innovative training network sustainable building lime applications via circular economy and biomimetic approaches with 15 PhD students across Europe.

Topic of Keynote: Monuments and Historic Buildings: Earthquakes and Structural Engineering
Keynote Abstract

Dr. Adil Al-Mayah
University of Waterloo, Canada
Keynote Speaker

Dr. Adil Al-Mayah has a blend of work experience in both the engineering and medical fields, resulting in the licensing of ground-breaking innovations in both areas. Dr. Al-Mayah’s expertise includes material characterizations, composite materials mechanics, imaging, biomechanical-based deformable image registration, biomechanical characterization of soft tissues, and cancer mechanics. He is the director of the Imaging-Mechanics Integration Laboratory (IMILab) at the University of Waterloo equipped with a state-of-the-art high resolution (20 μm) computed tomography (CT) imaging system, in addition to advanced computing facilities. The IMILab has attracted many researchers from different fields including environmental, earth science, building science, applied health and materials, in additional to civil and mechanical engineering fields. Al-Mayah’s current research programs have resulted in the development of economical gripping systems for prestressing fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) plates and rods. These economical systems are epoxy free, compact, and reusable. Also, he developed innovative components-based material characterization methods that integrate mechanics into 3D imaging to account for the contributions internal components of materials including voids, cracks, and corrosion.

Topic of Keynote: Toward Durable Structures: Novel Design and Advanced Material Characterization
Keynote Abstract