Mohammad AlHamaydeh

• Ph.D., P.E. F.SEI
• Professor at American University of Sharjah

This study investigates the mechanical properties of geopolymer concrete made with ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) and silica fume (SF) as binders. The influence of varying binder proportions and sodium silicate-to-sodium hydroxide (SS-to-SH) ratios of 1.5 and 2.0 in the alkali-activated solution was examined. Experimental tests evaluat...

This comprehensive review paper delves into the utilization of Glass Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) composites within the realm of concrete column reinforcement, spotlighting the surge in structural engineering applications that leverage GFRP instead of traditional steel to circumvent the latter’s corrosion issues. Despite a significant corpus of...

In the last two decades, the construction sector in UAE has been expanded to include a high range of tall and supertall buildings. Geographically, this region is surrounded by multiple earthquakes, such as the Zagros Fold and Thrust Belt. Additionally, the Makran Subduction Zone shows an activity source indicating a relatively high seismic risk. A...

This paper presents a novel approach for predicting the behavior of buckling restrained braces (BRBs) using long short-term memory (LSTM) and residual neural network (ResNet) models. Nonlinear finite element analysis (NLFEA) usually requires 3D modeling of complex parts and assigning various material and simulation properties before conducting the...

Over the last two decades, the UAE’s construction sector has grown significantly with the development of tall buildings, but the region faces seismic risks. Similar concerns in China led to earthquake simulation research on a city scale. The objectives include developing programming for parallel computing and creating simplified models for estimati...

Processing ground motion signals at early stages can be advantageous for issuing public warnings, deploying first-responder teams, and other time-sensitive measures. Multiple Deep Learning (DL) models are presented herein, which can predict triaxial ground motion accelerations upon processing the first-arriving 0.5 s of recorded acceleration measur...

A Fuzzy Inference System (FIS) is developed and evaluated for minimizing the vibrations of a three-story model building. A Magnetorheological (MR) damper is utilized in the building. Three sets of rules and two shapes of Membership Functions (MFs) are considered in this investigation. The story displacements, story accelerations, and inter-story dr...

Natural disasters such as earthquakes can potentially harm bridges and incur significant socioeconomic losses. This study examines the effect of near-fault ground motions on reinforced concrete bridges, specifically the variation in the seismic performance with the height, aspect ratio, and longitudinal reinforcement. A suite of 332 near-fault grou...

This study investigates the elastic buckling behavior of Functionally Graded Material (FGM) thin skew plates featuring a circular opening. FGMs, known for their unique property gradients, have gained prominence in structural engineering due to their mechanical performance and durability. Including a circular opening introduces a critical geometric...

This study presents a novel computationally efficient high-fidelity nonlinear FEA (NLFEA) methodology for prestressed RC bridges constructed in the UAE and seismically isolated with elastomeric bearings. Specifically, the presented NLFEA methodology, using 3D solid brick elements, is shown to overcome traditional prohibitive numerical burdens. This...

This study investigates the elastic buckling behaviour of skew Functionally Graded Material (FGM) thin plates featuring a circular opening. FGM materials, known for their unique property gradients, have gained prominence in structural engineering due to their mechanical performance and durability. Including a circular opening introduces a critical...

Bridge modal properties can be identified upon processing of instrumentation measurements (primarily accelerations). The required data processing is typically easily manageable compared to the deployment efforts. Consequently, moving sensors are becoming more desirable and feasible as more sophisticated algorithms mature. Sensors (accelerometers) m...

Shape memory alloy (SMA) is a material that can change shape in response to external stimuli such as temperature, stress, or magnetic fields. SMA types include nitinol (nickel-titanium), copper-aluminum-nickel, copper-zinc-aluminum, iron-manganese-silicon, and various nickel-titanium-X alloys, each exhibiting unique shape memory properties for diff...

Openings in the shear span can significantly affect the structural behavior of reinforced concrete (RC) beams, particularly in terms of shear capacity and crack propagation. This paper aims to investigate the feasibility of strengthening the web opening in the shear zone of RC beams by using iron-based shape memory alloy (Fe-SMA) bars, providing va...

In the wake of the 1994 Northridge and 1995 Kobe earthquakes, structural designers adopted performance-based engineering concepts instead of traditional deterministic design approaches. The primary change was to evaluate the design according to stakeholders’ interests instead of the engineering parameters. This evaluation process required a probabi...

This paper aims to investigate the feasibility of strengthening the web opening in the shear zone of RC beams by using iron-based shape memory alloy (Fe-SMA) bars. To conduct this study, numerical analysis with ABAQUS software was employed. The research was divided into six groups of beams with web openings of different lengths (150, 300, and 450 m...

Modeling Steel Plate Shear Wall (SPSW) behavior can be computationally demanding. This is especially true when high-fidelity modeling is carried out via shell or 3D solid elements. It has been shown that SPSW behavior can be captured with adequate accuracy through the strip method via nonlinear truss elements idealization. The widely accepted and r...

This paper develops an FEA modeling protocol for simulating ultra-high-performance concrete-filled double-skin tubes (CFDST) for heat transfer analysis purposes. The research presented in this paper refines the existing FE methodologies for circular, rectangular, elliptical, hexagonal, and octagonal CFDST members under fire conditions. Various mode...

The collapse and deterioration of infrastructures due to fire events are documented annually. These fire incidents result in multiple deaths and property loss. In this paper, a reliable and practical numerical methodology was introduced to facilitate the whole process of fire simulations and increase the practicality of performing comprehensive par...

The state of a structure's health can be determined by investigating its vibration characteristics. Vibration-based structural health monitoring (SHM) enables early detection and diagnosis of damage as well as extension of service life. Herein, linear and nonlinear tracking metrics are proposed to track deterioration in the condition of multistory...

The iron-based shape memory alloy (Fe-SMA) has promising applications in strengthening and repairing aged steel-reinforced concrete structural elements. Fe-SMA bars can produce pre-stressing forces on reinforced concrete members by activating their shape memory phenomenon upon heating. This study aims to numerically evaluate the impact of pre-stres...

This article presents experimental data and nonlinear finite element analysis (NLFEA) modeling for an innovative buckling restrained bracing (BRB) system. The data were collected from qualification testing of introduced BRBs per the AISC 341 test provision and finite element modeling. The BRB is made of three parts: core bar, restraining unit, and...

The time averaged shear wave velocity to 30-m depth (VS30) is used for seismic hazard assessment for National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program (NEHRP) site classification. There are several models to predict VS30 from average shear wave velocity to a depth (z) less than 30 m (VSz). This study evaluates the prediction capability of the existing m...

In this paper, several analyses were conducted to investigate the buckling behavior of Functionally Graded Material (FGM) thin plates with various circular cutout arrangements. The computer model was simulated using the Finite Element (FE) software ABAQUS. The developed model was validated by the authors in previous research. A parametric analysis...

Ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) or ultra-high-strength concrete (UHSC) are alternatively used to reduce construction materials, thereby achieving more sustainable constructions. Moreover, engaging the advantages of concrete cores and outer steel tubes in concrete-filled steel tubes (CFST) or ductile concrete-filled double-skin tubes (CFDST)...

Engineers, building officials and authorities, developers, and other stakeholders have long recognized the significance of structural health monitoring (SHM) in civil infrastructure. With an increasing number of large structures and modern, complex design, the need for high-performance SHM systems is unprecedented. Structural performance assessment...

In this paper, an investigation of linear eigenvalue buckling of functionally graded material (FGM) plates under uniaxial loading is carried out. The computer model is analyzed using the finite element (FE) package ABAQUS. An analysis is carried out to study the effect of the size and geometry of openings in the FGM plate on the critical buckling l...

The presented work utilizes Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms, to model and interpret the behavior of the fiber reinforced polymer (FRP)-reinforced concrete deep beams without stirrups. This is done by first running an extensive nonlinear finite element analysis (NLFEA) investigation, spanning across the practical ranges of the different inpu...

Reinforced concrete buildings designed and built before enacting modern seismic codes are considered seismically vulnerable, particularly when subjected to strong ground motions. These buildings require retrofitting to increase building strength, stiffness, and energy dissipation. Among the practical retrofitting methods is Buckling Restrained Brac...

Bridge-weigh-in-motion (BWIM) is a robust system that can accurately obtain traffic information to facilitate bridge design, maintenance, and management. However, the main issue with the existing BWIM approaches is their limited suitability for simultaneous multiple-vehicle cases on multiple-lane bridges. To address this limitation, in this study,...

Building in seismically active regions subjected to lateral forces requires adequate strength and stiffness to resist such forces. Numerous studies have shown that braces perform better against axial loads than conventional braces if inhibited from buckling with a restraining mechanism. This system is called Buckling Restrained Braces (BRBs), enhan...

The superior mechanical characteristics of ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) have attracted the interest of many researchers worldwide. Researchers have attempted to perform comparative analyses on the behavior of UHPC versus conventional and high-strength concrete, with their aim being to gain more insights into the difference between differe...

Iron-based shape memory alloy (Fe-SMA) holds great potential for strengthening and repairing aged reinforced concrete (RC) elements. In this research study, the application of utilizing Fe-SMA reinforcement rebars in prestressed RC beams is emphasized. The main purpose of this study is to simulate the influence of utilizing Fe-SMA rebars on the str...

This works attempts to implement artificial neural networks (ANN) for modeling Seismic-Isolation (SI) systems consisting of Natural Rubber Bearings and Viscous Fluid Dampers subject to Near-Field (NF) earthquake ground motion. Fourteen NF earthquake records representing two seismic hazard levels are used. The commercial analysis program SAP2000 was...

Non-Destructive testing (NDT) of concrete can be used in conjunction with destructive techniques (e.g., coring) for an efficient assessment of concrete strength in existing structures. A major drawback that hinders the efficient use of test measurements is the limited description specified by the relevant standards regarding how the overall investi...

Structural systems are critical components of modern societies, and as such, need constant condition assessments. Incurred damage and its accumulation due to various loading conditions may lead to complete structural failures with safety consequences. Thus, damage assessment and early fault detection are essential to decision-makers for strategic p...

The data provided in this article quantifies the potential seismic losses in multi-story buildings located in Dubai, UAE. Besides, it developed GIS-based seismic risk maps, which form essential inputs towards the seismic resilience of buildings. The GIS data described herein come from different sources. The base map including the major roads, key l...

This article provides a wide range of circular columns strength values under different loading conditions. The provided strength values are dependent on various parameters including the longitudinal and transverse reinforcement ratios. Results for GFRP, steel and hybrid reinforcement configurations are provided. The results were collected from anal...

Conventional damage detection techniques are gradually being replaced by state-of-the-art smart monitoring and decision-making solutions. Near real-time and online damage assessment in structural health monitoring (SHM) systems is a promising transition toward bridging the gaps between the past’s applicative inefficiencies and the emerging technolo...

Glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP)-reinforced flat slabs offer a convenient construction option that is both simple to build and highly resistant to corrosion. The relatively low thickness of the floor plates and absence of beams results in increased susceptibility to punching shear failure, which may become the governing design factor. This pap...

This article provides experimental data on the punching shear behavior of synthetic fiber-reinforced slabs reinforced with glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars and cast from self-consolidating concrete (SCC). The data was collected from tests performed on six full-scale specimens centrically loaded until failure as indicated by penetration of...

This article provides data of axial load-bending moment capacities of plain and fiber-reinforced geopolymer concrete (GPC, FRGPC) columns. The columns were reinforced by double layers of longitudinal and transverse reinforcement using steel and/or glass-fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars. The concrete fiber-reinforcing materials included steel an...

This dataset provides the normalized axial strength values for circular concrete columns under different loading conditions. Each file represents a group of columns with the same reinforcement type and strength. Within each file the axial strength values are provided for different reinforcement ratios and loading eccentricities. The provided data c...

This dataset provides the normalized axial load/bending moment capacities of circular concrete columns with and without fiber reinforcement. Different longitudinal and transverse reinforcement types are incorporated. Each data file represents a group of columns with specific reinforcement configurations. And within each file, the axial load/bending...

We present a Bayesian model for the estimation of ground-motion models that allows one to account for truncated data. Truncated data occurs in ground-motion model development because instruments do not record continuously, but only when triggered. The model is formulated as a multi-level model and incorporates event and station terms. The model con...

Traditional steel reinforcing rebars are susceptible to corrosion as they are exposed to weather conditions. This vulnerability creates a limit to its effectiveness as a reinforcement within concrete structures. Corrosion of steel reinforcement can lead to damage and deterioration of reinforcement in concrete structures, as well as put the overall...

This article presents updated and unified Poissonian earthquake and focal mechanism catalogs for the United Arab Emirates and its surroundings. Data were compiled from different local, regional, and international sources. Several magnitude-conversion relationships have been applied to obtain the unified moment magnitude estimates for the final data...

A new defined and characterized seismic source model for the UAE and its surroundings.

A specialized OpenSEES GUI is developed and presented herein. The GUI customized for elastomeric isolation systems with supplemental Viscous Fluid Dampers (VFDs). It enables the novice OpenSEES user to seamlessly model complex seismic isolation systems with no prior Tool Command Language (tcl)-code writing experience. The interface provides pre-pro...

Designs that are performance and functionality driven typically mandate the nonlinear analysis. Up To date, nonlinear analysis remains a sophisticated tool that may not appeal to majority of structural/earthquake practicing engineers due to the required effort, time and its iterative nature. There are several available commercial and research-orien...

The Soil-Structure Interaction (SSI) has a significant effect on the overall structural behavior of reinforced concrete buildings, especially under cyclic loading conditions. Considering the SSI effects within experimental setups comprise cumbersome procedures that are usually very difficult to control and monitor. Furthermore, when the foundation...

Fault detection is the characterization of a normal behavior of a system using a response function or profile of interest and the identification of any deviation from such normal behavior. As system complexity grows, predicting the underlying structure or form of response function becomes challenging if not impossible. This article presents a data‐...

Although concrete performance has increased significantly over the last 20 years, the durability of concrete structures still remains a major concern. In fact, while concrete permeability has been remarkably reduced, aggressive agents can still penetrate concrete structures through cracks, which are generally present due to shrinkage or tensile str...

This study experimentally investigates the suitability of Synthetic Fiber-Reinforced Concrete (SNFRC) as a feasible method for improving the punching shear capacity of two-way slabs. The investigation involves a total of six two-way slab specimens including three specimens with 0.75% volumetric fiber content compared with three counterpart control...

This paper aims to quantify the impact of lateral force resisting system detailing on the performance and cost of RC shear wall buildings in regions with high uncertainty in seismicity. Six archetype buildings are designed and detailed as per the IBC’12. The results showed lower collapse margin ratios for the ordinary detailing, which indicates poo...

The primary objective of this paper is to quantify the effect of Dubai's diverse seismicity estimates on the seismic response of reinforced concrete shear wall buildings. In this regard, three 12-story office buildings are designed and detailed in accordance with common practices and building codes utilized in Dubai. The buildings are designed for...

Unfortunately, available probabilistic seismic hazard studies are reporting significantly varying estimates for seismicity of Dubai. Given Dubai's rapid economic growth, it is crucial to assess the impact of the diverse estimates on the performance and cost of buildings. This research investigates and quantifies the impact of the high and moderate...

Tension stiffening is still a matter of discussion within the scientific community. The ability of resisting tensile stresses by un-damaged concrete portions that spans in between cracks is significant and could be improved with adoption of tougher material as Fiber Reinforced Concrete (FRC). In addition, FRC may provide noticeable residual stresse...

The powerful genetic algorithm optimization technique is augmented with an innovative “domain-trimming” modification. The resulting adaptive, high-performance technique is called Genetic Algorithm with Domain-Trimming (GADT). As a proof of concept, the GADT is applied to a widely used benchmark problem. The 10-dimensional truss optimization benchma...

Considering Soil-Structure-Interaction (SSI) in Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is accounted for through explicit representation of the soil domain allowing for departures from fixed base con-ditions and constraints. The performance evaluation of a six-story reinforced concrete (RC) shear wall with and without SSI is presented in this paper. The soil...

Due to their various promising potential applications in the field of structural control, semi-active control of Magneto-Rheological (MR) dampers has been enjoying significant research focus for more than two decades. In this paper, a new direct voltage control algorithm for the MR damper is proposed to enhance the seismic response of civil structu...

The complex behavior of Steel Plate Shear Walls (SPSW) is investigated herein through nonlinear FE simulations. A 3D detailed FE model is developed and validated utilizing experimental results available in the literature. The influence of key parameters on the structural behavior is investigated. The considered parameters are: the infill plate thic...

This article presents the numerical investigation of nine Glass Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) concrete deep beams through the use of numerically-efficient 20-noded hexahedral elements. Cracking is taken into account by means of the smeared crack approach and the bars are simulated as embedded rod elements. The developed numerical models are valid...

Modern day Performance-Based Earthquake Engineering (PBEE) pivots about nonlinear analysis and its feasibility. IDARC-2D is a widely used and accepted software for nonlinear analysis; it possesses many attractive features and capabilities. However, it is operated from the command prompt in the DOS/Unix systems and requires elaborate text-based inpu...

Since introduction of the Special Plate Shear Walls (SPSW) system to the AISC’05 code a decade ago, they have seen increased interest from structural engineers and researchers. This system has been widely implemented in Japan and North America amongst other countries where seismic activity is predominant. The SPSW system is comprised of steel plate...

Nonlinear analysis is the backbone of modern Performance-Based Earthquake Engineering (PBEE). Until nonlinear analysis is demystified for the average structural design engineer, it will remain an impractical tool to use in the design process. One of the established tools in nonlinear analysis is IDARC-2D program (Reinhorn et al., 2009). Despite its...

Lightweight coarse aggregate from five sources found in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) were previously evaluated. The evaluation focused on influence of the physical properties of the aggregates on strength development. Target unit weight less than 2000 kg/m3, compressive strength of 40 MPa or higher and achieving the flowability requirements were...

This work presents the development and implementation of the Multiple Regression Analysis (MRA) model to Seismic-Isolation (SI) systems consisting of Natural Rubber Bearings and Viscous Fluid Dampers subject to Near-Field (NF) earthquake ground motion. A model representing a realistic five-story base-isolated building is used. Several damper proper...

The local design and construction practices in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), together with Dubai's unique rate of development, warrant special attention to the selection of Lateral Force-Resisting Systems (LFRS). This research proposes four different feasible solutions for the selection of the LFRS for tall buildings and quantifies the impact of...

This paper presents finite-element (FE) analysis to study the axial load capacity of pretwisted steel bars of rectangular cross sections. The FE simulations are conducted using the commercial software ABAQUS. The FE simulations include bars of 20- and 30-mm width, 3- and 6-mm thicknesses, and three different lengths of 300, 400, and 500 mm. The bar...

Utilizing High-Strength Steel Rebars (HSR) as reinforcement in concrete structures has widely increased recently. However, the American Concrete Institute (ACT) in the ACT-3 18-11 building code requirements for structural concrete specifies the yield strength to be the stress corresponding to a strain of 0.35%, if rebars with yield stresses higher...

In this paper, development of self-consolidated high strength lightweight steel fiber concrete (SCHSLWSFC) with local materials in the United Arab Emirates is discussed. The experimental investigation consisted of two phases. Phase I dealt with the development to achieve workability, density, and strength targets with different steel fiber percenta...

Magnetorheological (MR) dampers are semi-active control dampers that use MR fluids to provide controllable damping characteristics. MR dampers have proven to be more effective than passive dampers in protecting civil structures during seismic events. While passive dampers have been thoroughly analyzed and understood by researchers, active and semi...

This paper presents the modeling and control of an MR damper installed between the ground and first floor of a 5-story base isolated building. The building structural model is derived from a benchmark structure model using ETABS. The MR damper model considered is derived from Bouc-Wen Hysteresis model proposed by Spenser et al [1], and several othe...