Prof. Jan Rots
Delft University of Technology, Netherlands
“Masonry modelling for Groningen induced seismicity”
Jan Rots developed smeared and discrete crack models for concrete and masonry. He enjoys both in-FEM research on constitutive models and with-FEM research inspired by applications. Examples of the latter are studies on tunnelling-induced damage to historical masonry and research into damage and safety of Groningen building stock subjected to gas-extraction induced seismicity. He teaches structural mechanics. Over the years he has picked up various roles including head of department at TNO, at the faculty of Architecture and at the faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences at TU Delft.
Prof. Graça Vasconcelos
University of Minho, Portugal
“Out-of-Plane Behaviour of Stone Masonry Walls: Influence of Masonry Bond Irregularity”
Graça Vasconcelos (Orcid ID: 0000-0001-6201-0552; Scopus ID: 23399035000) holds a PhD in Civil Engineering (research field: masonry structures) from the University of Minho, where she is currently an Associate Professor. Her research primarily focuses on masonry structures and historical built heritage, with an emphasis on the experimental analysis of masonry materials and structures. She has authored over 300 publications, including more than 70 articles in international journals indexed in ISI Web of Science and Scopus, with an h-index of 29 (Scopus).
She has participated in several national and international funded research projects, namely in the development of new solutions for structural masonry, analysis of the seismic behavior of masonry infills, and the seismic vulnerability assessment of vernacular heritage (20 projects in total). Among these, she has held coordination roles in seven projects. Additionally, she maintains an active role in supervising doctoral and master’s theses, having supervised 10 completed PhD theses and 45 completed master’s theses.
Prof. Rafael Aguilar
Pontifical University of Peru, Peru
“Data driven structural diagnosis of historical constructions“
Rafael Aguilar is Full Professor at the Engineering Department in the Civil Engineering Division at PUCP in Peru. He has over 15 years of academic experience in the broad field of civil engineering, specializing in structural engineering. His academic career includes international appointments such as visiting professor at the University of Rochester and Drexel University in the US in 2014. His research areas include non-destructive testing, structural health monitoring, seismic vulnerability assessment, preservation of historical architecture, and sustainable construction materials. He has authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications. He is also the founder and director of the interdisciplinary research center Engineering & Heritage at PUCP, specializing in Advanced Engineering Analysis and Monitoring of Historical Buildings. In this research laboratory and group, he has led many research projects with local and international collaborators.
Prof. Vasilis Sarhosis
University of Leeds
âNovel approaches for the structural inspection of historic structuresâ
Professor Vasilis Sarhosis holds the Chair in Resilient Structures and Infrastructure at the School of Civil Engineering, University of Leeds. He is also a visiting Professor at Southeast University, Nanjing, China and a CDRI (Coalition for Disaster Resilience Infrastructure) Fellow.
He is currently undertaking multi-disciplinary research with the aim to quantify degradation and understand long term behaviour of ageing masonry infrastructure and provide detailed and accurate data that will better inform maintenance programmes and asset management decisions. He is also chairing the UK Scientific Committee on the Analysis and Restoration of Structures of Architectural Heritage (ISCARSAH-UK), which is part of the ICOMOS.Â
Prof. Dina D’Ayala
University College London, United Kingdom
âApplication of the ISCARSAH Guidelines to Assess Heritage Structures Exposed to Natural Hazardsâ
Prof Dina DâAyala is the UNESCO Chair in Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience Engineering at UCL. She is Professor of Structural Engineering within the Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering. She is Co-Director of the UCL EPICentre and Co-Director of the StrEnTHE, the Structural and Environmental Laboratory at UCL Here East. She is Fellow of the ICE and has been a Director of the International Association of Earthquake Engineers. She is a founder member and Scientific committee member of the ICOMOS ISCARSAH. She has been the Chair of the Cost Action FP1101, Assessment, Reinforcement and Monitoring of Timber Structures.
Her specialization is in Structural Resilience Engineering, with a particular focus on the assessment, strengthening, preservation, and resilience of existing buildings, structures, transport infrastructure, and cultural heritage.
She has worked extensively in the seismic and flood related protection of architectural heritage worldwide, developing the FaMIVE and PARNASSUS procedures. Having started her professional and research career working on the restoration of the Colosseum in Rome, Italy, she has been involved in the study, analysis and retrofitting of several UNESCO World Heritage Sites, such as Topkapi Palace and several other heritage sites in Istanbul, Turkey, adobe and quincha buildings in Peruâ, the Gondar, Ethiopia Fasil Ghebbi UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Colonial Churches in the Philippinesâ Islands of Bohol and Cebu, in the UK she has collaborated with the Historic Royal Palaces. She has also worked on heritage sites in Jordan, Iraq, Nepal and Italy.
Prof DâAyala has worked closely with industry to develop dissipative devices for inclusions in building anchoring systems for masonry structures, which are covered by US Patent 8806836.
Prof. Arun Menon
Indian Institute of Technology Madras, India
âMonumental Masonry Constructions under Extreme Earthquake Shakingâ
Arun Menon, Full Professor of Structural Engineering at IIT Madras, holds a first degree in architecture, and PhD in earthquake engineering from University of Pavia, Italy (ROSE School). His research interests are in structural aspects of historical constructions, earthquake behaviour of historical masonry structures, earthquake-resistant structural masonry, and earthquake risk assessment.Â
Arun Menon currently coordinates the activities of National Centre for Safety of Heritage Structures (NCSHS), a Ministry of Education (Govt. of India) -supported research centre at IIT Madras. He was an Expert Member on the International Coordinating Committee (BICC) for the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Bagan, Myanmar, and currently is a Member, Expert Advisory Group to International Conservation Committee (ICC) for Vat Phou UNESCO World Heritage Site in Laos PDR. He is an expert member and Vice President of International Scientific Committee on the Analysis and Restoration of Structures of Architectural Heritage (Iscarsah), and Coordinator of National Scientific Committee (NSCARSAH) of ICOMOS India. He has been involved in conservation projects in India (Rashtrapati Bhawan, IIM, Ahmedabad, Madurai Meenakshi Temple, Konark Sun Temple), Bhutan (Tango Monastery, Wangdue Phodrong Dzong), Myanmar (UNESCO World Heritage Site: Bagan) and The Philippines (San Sebastian Basilica, Manila).
Arun Menon is Member, Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Panel for Masonry, CED 46:P7; Convener, Panel for Masonry, Building Construction Practices Sectional Committee, CED 13; Convener, Working Groups on revision of seismic standards for masonry (IS: 1893, IS: 13920 and IS: 13935) for Earthquake Engineering Sectional Committee CED 39; and Member, Stones Sectional Committee CED6. He is Convener, Cluster-E (Masonry, Timber, Cultural Heritage) – Technical Activities Committee (TAC) of International Union of Laboratories and Experts in Construction Materials, Systems and Structures (RILEM), Paris.