• Retired. Dec. 2023
• Gradually pruning content of this web page.
• Resume (with full list of publications).
• Not recruiting any student!
• This is a link to some of my Alkali-Aggregate Reactions related publications (more coming).

Publicly available lecture notes

Post Retirement Activities

1. Still working on my magnum opus: The Four Books of Structural Analysis (Expect to complete by June 2025)
2. Sept 4, 2024 gave a presentation to the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safety (ACRS) on behalf of C-10 regarding safety of Seabrook. Presentation, minutes.
3. Aug 2024: Verification and Validation of FEA Software for Dams and Nuclear Containment Buildings
4. March 2024: Spatial and Temporal Visualization of AAR Evolution; Cooling Tower Example.

Pre-Retirement main activities

Given at end of this web page.

Research Interests

I have resisted the pressure to remain focused on one or a few research interests during my academic career, and have always sought to pursue what I perceived to be particularly interesting at a given time (a delicate balance between opportunity and interest). This has at times hurt my career, but I had fun in “escaping the reality” of academia and have always tried to think outside the box.

Education

• Cornell University, Ph.D. in Civil Engineering, September 1980 (A. Ingraffea Advisor)
• Cornell University, M.E. in Civil Engineering, January 1977
• American University of Beirut, B.E. in Civil Engineering, June 1975.
• Lycée Chateaubriand, Rome, Baccalaureat Francais, Série Scientifique, 1971

Teaching

As many Professors, I found most text-books inadequate, boring, and often superficial. As such I wrote over the years my own set of lecture notes:

1.Structural Analysis.
2. Structural Concepts and Systems for Architects.
3. Mechanics of Reinforced Concrete.
4. Computer Literacy for Undergraduates.
5. Intermediary Structural Analysis.
6. Nonlinear analysis of framed structures.
7. Fracture mechanics.
8. Advanced Mechanics of Materials.
9. Finite Element Analysis

Appointments

1. Visiting Professor, (typically 1 summer month): Universite de Toulouse (2009), Politecnico of Catalunya, (2007, 2010); Ecole Normale Supérieure de Cachan, (1992, 1994, 2007);
2. Visiting Professor, Politecnico of Milan, Department of Structural Engineering, 2003-2004.
3. Visiting Professor, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (Lausanne), Civil Engineering (January-June 1990); Material Science Department, 1997-1998.
4. Professor (1995 to present), Associate Professor (1988-1995), Assistant Professor (1984-1988), Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder.
5. Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, Sept. 1981-Dec. 1983.
6. Research Associate, Department of Civil Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, N.J., Oct. 1980 – Aug. 1981.

Publications

A full list of my publications is easily found in my my resume

Theoretical

1. Saouma, V.E. and Martin, R. and Hariri-Ardebili, M. and Katayama, T. (2015). A Mathematical Model for the Kinetics of the Alkali Silica Chemical Reaction, Cement and Concrete Research.
   

   An insightful paper that begins with the thermodynamics of the ASR reaction and establishes a connection to the macro-model proposed by Larive.

2. Saouma, V., Miura, F., Lebon, G., Yagome, Y. (2011). A simplified 3D model for soil-structure interaction with radiation damping and free field input, Bulletin of Earthquake Engineering.
   

   A simple and elegant approach to modeling radiation damping and free-field soil interaction, possibly the only model providing a clear validation example.

3. Saouma, V., Perotti, L. (2006). Constitutive Model for Alkali Aggregate Reactions, American Concrete Institute, Materials Journal.
   

   A widely referenced paper that introduces a constitutive model for ASR, which has been implemented by numerous researchers and incorporated into commercial codes.

4. Saouma, V., Fava, G. (2006). On Fractals and Size Effects, International Journal of Fracture Mechanics.
   

   A generalization of earlier models to capture the size effect, not from a Lagrangian perspective (e.g., Bazant), but using a Newtonian approach with added advantages.

5. Saouma, V.E., and Sikiotis, E.S. (1987). Stress Intensity Factors in Anisotropic Bodies Using Singular Isoparametric Elements, Engineering Fracture Mechanics.
   

   Governing equations for determining stress intensity factors using nodal displacements obtained from finite element analysis.

Numerical

1. Saouma, V.E., Hariri-Ardebili, M.A., Graham, L. (2020). A Stochastic Computational Method for Global Behavior of Alkali-Silica Reaction, Cement and Concrete Research.
   

   An attempt to assess the impact of concrete heterogeneity in massive structures, with accompanying MATLAB code provided.

2. Saouma, V.E., Hariri-Ardebili, M.A. (2019). Seismic capacity and fragility analysis of an ASR-affected nuclear containment vessel structure, Nuclear Engineering and Design.
   

   First, we model the 30-year response of a containment enclosure building subjected to ASR, followed by analysis under strong seismic excitation. The study incorporates radiation damping, free-field interaction, and overturning effects.

3. Saouma, V., Kang, D., Haussmann, G. (2012). A Computational Finite-Element Program for Hybrid Simulation, Earthquake Engineering and Structural Dynamic Journal.
   

   A finite element code developed for the real-time hybrid simulation of structures, with MATLAB and C++ versions optimized for workstation speed.

4. Ayari, M.L., and Saouma, V.E. (1991). Static and Dynamic Contact/Impact Problems Using Fictitious Forces, International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering.
   

   An innovative and simplified method for simulating dynamic contacts between elastic bodies.

5. Sikiotis, E.S., Saouma, V.E., Long, M., and Roggers, W. (1990). Finite Element Based Optimization of Complex Structures on a Cray/XMP Supercomputer, Computers and Structures.
   

   Early efforts in structural optimization performed on a Cray computer.

Experimental

1. Saouma, V., Haussmann, Kang, D.H, Ghannoum, W. (2014). Real Time Hybrid Simulation of a Nonductile Reinforced Concrete Frame, ASCE Journal of Structural Engineering.
   

   Traces the evolution of Mercury, a finite element code specifically designed for fast real-time hybrid simulation.

2. Ghannoum, W., Saouma, V., Haussmann, G., Polkinghorne, K. and Eck, M. (2012). Experimental Investigations of Loading Rate Effects in Reinforced Concrete Columns, ASCE Journal of Structural Engineering.
   

   Loading rate effects are investigated for lightly confined RC columns.

3. Puntel, E., Saouma, V. (2008). Experimental Behavior of Concrete Joints Under Cyclic Loading, ASCE Journal of Structural Engineering.
   

   An extension of previous research on the response of cracked concrete subjected to reverse cyclic loading.

4. Uchita, Y., Shimpo, T., Saouma, V. (2005). Dynamic Centrifuge Tests of Concrete Dams, Earthquake Engineering and Structural Dynamics.
   

   A unique experiment where a concrete dam was mounted on a shake table, which was in turn mounted on a centrifuge.

5. Denarié, E., Saouma, V., Iocco, A, and Varelas, D. (2001). Concrete Fracture Process Zone Characterization with Fiber Optics, ASCE Journal of Engineering Mechanics.
   

   A project using fiber optics to estimate the fracture process zone in concrete.

Computer Programs

1. MERLIN: Finite Element Analysis MERLIN, User’s manual, and Theory manual.
2. MERCURY Optimized Computational Environment for Real Time Hybrid Simulation Mercury Finite Element Mesh Generator KumoNoSu.
3. SPIDER Finite Element post-processor, Spider.

Pre-Retirement main activities

1. Dec. 31, 2023: Last day at the University of Colorado. Retiring after 40 years!
2. Dec. 21, 2023: Last PhD student, Ms. Golsa Mahdavi graduates (thesis)
3. Dec. 8, 2023: Gave my last seminar at the University of Colorado. This file succinctly summarizes my experience with various agencies.
4. Completed a three-year project funded by the Bureau of Reclamation (Long-Term Assessment of Dams Suffering from Alkali Aggregate Reaction).
5. Installed a search engine for a literature survey of AAR in dams.
6. Gave a two-hour presentation to USSD titled “How to Tackle Dams with AAR” (Feb. 2022).
7. Assisted New Brunswick Hydro (through GEMTEC) to analyze laboratory expansion data on specimens collected from Mactaquac Dam (2021).
8. Made a presentation to the NRC Public Meeting (Jan. 2021).
9. Graduated Mr. Yuichiro Gakuhari (M.S.). His thesis addressed:
   • RANSAC method to eliminate outliers when analyzing field data.
   • Comparison of “State of the Practice” and “State of the Art” analysis methods for dams suffering from AAR.
   • Sensitivity analysis (Morris method) for AAR properties.
   • Uncertainty quantification.
10. Published Ageing, Shaking and Cracking of Infrastructures by Springer-Nature.
11. Reviewed Hanbit Nuclear Power Plant, Unit 4 Documents; Consulting work.
12. Received a proclamation from the City of Newburyport.
13. Served as an expert witness for C-10‘s legal challenge to Seabrook’s concrete testing and monitoring.
14. Completed a three-year assignment in the Department Executive Committee.
15. Chair of the RILEM committee on Prognosis of deterioration and loss of serviceability in structures affected by alkali-silica reactions.
16. Published a State of the Art Report (STAR) for the RILEM committee on Prognosis of deterioration and loss of serviceability in structures affected by alkali-silica reactions.
17. Experimental and Numerical Investigation of the impact of Alkali-Silica Reaction on nuclear containment vessel structures. Grant No. NRC-HQ-60-14-G-0010 from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This included laboratory tests to assess shear degradation in concrete due to ASR, prognosis for future expansion, and 3D seismic simulation of a nuclear containment vessel subjected to prior ASR strength reduction. Public Report
18. 2016: Independent Modeling of the Alkali-Silica Reaction Mock-Up Test Block Grant from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
19. Past President of the International Association of Fracture Mechanics for Concrete and Concrete Structures IA-FraMCoS (2013-2016).

Personal Info

You can find my personal information here