Structural Engineering and Mechanics

Our research addresses tough questions by drawing upon multiple areas of expertise to address system failure, probing the limits of materials, techniques, and structures.

Sensing and Monitoring

How can we detect and quantify damage in structures through physical measurements and mathematical modeling?

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Solid Mechanics and Materials

How can we engineer more resilient materials by understanding their behavior at multiple length scales?

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Probabilistic Approaches in Structural Engineering

How can we increase the safety and reliability of the structures using probabilistic tools and design?

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Structural Behavior and Design

How do we develop new methods for the analysis and design of resilient structures by studying mechanisms of failures at multiple scales?

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Computational Mechanics

How can we model the physics of material behavior using analytical, experimental, and computational tools?

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Earthquake Engineering and Structural Dynamics

How can we design resilient infrastructure?

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The state of North Carolina is not known for its seismic activity; however, on August 9, 2020, at 8:07 AM, near the town of Sparta, the largest earthquake to strike North Carolina in at least 100 years was recorded. The 5.1 magnitude earthquake (MMI 6) was preceded by several small foreshocks felt by residents and followed by ~100 aftershocks.  Earthquake Engineering PhD Student Ariadne Palma and Professor Mervyn Kowalsky visited Sparta on the day of the earthquake and documented damage to residential structures such as shown in the photo. Using estimates of the weight of the masonry chimney, and an assumption of rocking response they were able to estimate accelerations in the range of 0.2g which were shown to be consistent with that estimated later by USGS.

Faculty

• Murthy Guddati
• Abhinav Gupta
• Ghadir Haikal
• Tasnim Hassan
• Marc Hoit
• Mervyn Kowalsky
• Jason Patrick
• Moe Pourghaz
• Giorgio Proestos
• Rudi Seracino
• Andrew Ziccarelli

Centers, Labs, and Facilities

• Engineering Online
• Constructed Facilities Laboratory (CFL)
• Department of Homeland Security  Center of Excellence  – Natural Disasters, Critical Infrastructure, and Emergency Management
• National Science Foundation Industry-University Cooperative Research Center: Center for Integration of Composites into Infrastructure (CICI)
• Center for Nuclear Energy Facilities and Structures (CNEFS)
• Materials and Component Fatigue Testing Facility
• Repair of Buildings and Bridges with Composites (past NSF IUCRC center, part of CICI)

Courses

The Master of Science (MS) degree requires a minimum of 31 semester hours of graduate study including up to 6 credit hours for a thesis and a final oral examination. The Master of Civil Engineering (MCE) degree requires a minimum of 30 semester hours of graduate study without a thesis. This degree is also available by distance education through Engineering Online.  Both degrees require 18 credit hours in structural engineering and mechanics, of which 12 hours must be taken from a set of core courses in structural analysis and design and solid mechanics.

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree normally includes one academic year of full-time coursework beyond the master’s degree. The major component of the Ph.D. program is the preparation of a dissertation reporting the results of an original investigation that represents a significant contribution to knowledge.

Graduate Student Advising Information for Students in Structural Engineering and Mechanics