The Chair of Advanced Structures offers projects and thesis in English and German Language. Interested students can either choose from the list of predefined topics or come up with their own ideas. The professorship highly encourages new research ideas.
Offered Topics
The list of offered topics is frequently updated!
Master Thesis:
Investigation of the capabilities of masonry infill macromodels to account for strengthening measures (L. Abrahamczyk)
Assessment of the degree of clamping of slabs in multi-story masonry structures (L. Abrahamczyk)
Comparative Study of the Seismic Performance of Steel Frame Systems in Moderate and High Seismic Regions (L. Abrahamczyk)
Sensitivity analysis of internally voided concrete building elements to changes in void former configurations (K. Webber)
Evaluating nonlinear strength-ductility relationship in macro-modelling for the in-plane and out-of-plane response of unreinforced masonry panels (A. Uzair)
Sensitivity analysis on the mechanical parameters of continum models for simulating the in-plane response of unreinforced masonry panels (A. Uzair)
Bachelor Thesis:
Bewertung und Vergleich der Modelle zur Beschreibung des Trag- und Verformungsverhalten von Kellerwänden (L. Abrahamczyk)
2025
- Damage quantification through optimized monitoring methods including numerical simulations (Götz, Johann)
- Comparative earthquake performance assessment of cultural heritage buildings using continuum finite element methods implemented in ANSYS and LSDYNA (Rashid, Faheem)
- Comparative performance-based design of non-engineered residential buildings according to IBC and EC8 (second gen.) (Atal, Bilal)
2024
- Comparison of international rapid screening, scoring and vulnerability assessment procedures for substandard RC buildings in Istanbul, Turkiye (Korkmaz, Ata Tenay)
- Comparative study of reinforced and unreinforced masonry design for representative residential houses (Khujakulov, Rasul)
2023
- Assessment of the residual capacity of reinforced concrete frame structures considering nonlinear flexure and shear behaviour (Basnet, Nisha)
- Seismic assessment of a 5-storey RC residential building hit by the Feburary 2023 Kahramanmaras earthquake sequence (Aryal, Shristi)
- Impact of dynamic Soil-Structure Interaction (SSI) on the nonlinear behaviour of infill walls during earthquake events (Baral, Anusha)
- Investigations on critical parameters that control the role of soil-structure interaction effects on the seismic response of RC buildings (Subedi, Prashanta)
- Evacuation Routes / simulation for earthquakes supported by BIM-based assessment models (Bellot, Andreas - in cooperation with ITD)
- Urban Scale Earthquake Risk Assessments of Old City of Dubrovnik, Croatia (Arastooye, Mahdi)
- The earthquake performance of a cultural heritage building: Cathedral of St. James in Sibenk, Croatia (Shah, Muazzam)
- Earthquake Performance Assessment of Cultural Heritage Building: Case study of Castle Trakošćan, Croatia (Qayyum, Ikramullah)
2022
- Comparative study of RC buildings designed with and without viscous fluid dampers according to the Colombian code (Hidalgo, Victor A.)
- Assessment of Eurocode 8 design provisions for reinforced concrete walls (Baina, Diego D.)
- Benefits of performance-based design of multi-story RC frame buildings in Kabul, Afghanistan (Yousofi, Habibullah)
- Quantification of opening’s irregularity for unreinforced masonry façades using finite element and equivalent frame method (Gomez, Daniel A.)
- Assessment of the earthquake performance of a Cultural Heritage Building: Episcopal Seminary Building and Classical Gymnasium in Dubrovnik, Croatia (Bonilla, Dagoberto G.)
- Assessment of the earthquake performance of a cultural heritage building applying the equivalent frame method in Dubrovnik, Croatia (Elias, Kinda)
- Comparative assessment of the resilience of harbors and surrounding regions against water-related hazards. Case study: Durban & Bremerhaven (Torrell, Andres E. B.)
- Effects of soil-structure interaction on seismic response of wall-frame and moment resisting frame structures on soft soil deposits (Afroz, Ayesha M.)
2021
- Earth construction in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan – a study of current research on the topic, supplemented by suitability tests on building clays from Germany and abroad (Engelen, Brit)
- Comparative study on the application of pushover, nonlinear time history and incremental dynamic analysis: case study RC frame structures with masonry infill walls (Rimal, Prashant)
- Assessment and validation of existing methods for the determination of floor spectra using recorded response time histories (Siddique, Usman M.)
- Reliability of equivalent frame method for URM facades with irregular opening layouts (Lamadrid, Lissethe F. G.)
- Reviewing the influence of innovative connection systems on the seismic capacity of masonry infill walls in frame type structures (Berhe, Hiwot E.)
- Adaptation of retrofitting measures workflow to the building information modelling concept (Ghattas, Mina A.F.M.)
- Damage grade description for frame type structures: a comparative study under extreme natural hazard impact (Shivamallapa, Kavya)
2020
- Assessment of functionality of a hospital after an earthquake (Gohil, Roshan)
- Comparative study of macro models for the seismic performance assessment of reinforced concrete (RC) structures (Haweyou, Melad)
- Performance-based design of prefabricated reinforced concrete hall structures (Mittal, Ankush)
- Assessment of in-plane behavior of URM infill walls with openings and confining elements (Sharma, Shashikant)
- Assessment of the influence of “accidental” torsional behavior w.r.t. axial load ratio and capacity design principles (Ramadan, Fachri)
- Assessment of climate change consequences for wind loads and design of multi-story structures (Othman, Reyad)
- Comparative study on real-time algorithms for automated damage detection (Sharafi, Pedram)
- Damage pattern in RC frame structures under extreme horizontal loading - analogy consideration for natural and human induced impacts (Haq, Rehanul)
- Influence of soil-structure interaction effects to dynamic response of an existing reinforced-concrete frame building (Prša, Ivan Z.)
Here you will find an overview of the courses offered. Further information such as enrollment deadlines, examination dates and room plans can be found on the BISON portal and on the notice board of the professorship.
Primary Hazards and Risks
Lecturer: Dr.-Ing. J. Schwarz (EDAC) & contributions by Jun.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. L. Abrahamczyk
Primary hazards and risks deals with the definition of seismic and wind action while relating them to the design concepts and practical applications. The course emphasizes on the use of ground and wind recordings, building response data, practical realization and handling of data, different types of sensors and data acquisition instruments. Extensive training is provided in the interpretation of dynamic building response characteristics and the definition of input parameters for calculations.
ECTS / Credit Points: 6 ECTS
Langauge: English
Earthquake Engineering and Structural Design
Lecturer: Dr.-Ing. J. Schwarz (EDAC) & Jun.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. L. Abrahamczyk
Earthquake Engineering and Structural Design focuses on the tasks of earthquake engineering, natural hazards and risk determining parameters. Emphasis is placed on processing input data; realization of design decision for structures of different building types and risk potential; application of modern building codes and design concepts; development of earthquake resistant structures and evaluation of structural design. Within the integrated course project, structural capacity and performance objectives for different levels of seismic action are evaluated using state of the art techniques and modern software. Different model assumptions (e.g. material parameters, geometry) and structural layouts (e.g. bare frame, infilled frame, soft-story) are considered. The influence of analysis assumptions on overall structural behavior is evaluated by considering linear, nonlinear, static and dynamic analysis procedures.
ECTS / Credit Points: 6 ECTS / 4 SWS
Language: English
Risk Projects and Evaluation of Structures
Lecturer: Dr.-Ing. H. Maiwald (EDAC), Dr.-Ing. J. Schwarz (EDAC), Jun.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. L. Abrahamczyk
Risk Projects and Evaluation of Structures deals with the assessment of hazard phenomena; lessons from recent events and field missions; interpretation of observed response for different building types; recent developments in design and construction; regional seismic risk assessment projects; damage scenarios and loss prediction and results from global earthquake models. The project deals with advance modelling techniques for nonlinear analysis of unreinforced masonry (URM) structures. Emphasis is placed on the modelling techniques and applicability/reliability of numerical assessment procedures. The basics of Equivalent Frame Modelling are discussed with respect to structural capacity and damage observations. The building capacity and corresponding performance objectives are determined for different seismic acceleration levels. The results are summarized using building type specific fragility functions.
ECTS / Credit Points: 6 ECTS
Langauge: English
Structural Performance Assessment
Lecturer: Jun.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. L. Abrahamczyk
Structural performance assessment deals with the existing building typologies, methods of structural performance assessment and design rules for traditional and engineered building types. Examples of different small to large scale testing and the instrumentation requirements are elaborated to provide structure related parameters and characteristic force-displacement relationships in support of analytical studies and the re-interpretation of damage patterns. Students are trained to evaluate the quality of structural systems, to interpret the performance of masonry and steel structures under horizontal action, to derive appropriate models and to decide upon the applicability of equivalent or simplified procedures.
ECTS / Credit Points: 6 ECTS
Langauge: English/German
Einführung in die Bauweisen des KI - Holz- und Mauerwerksbau
Lehrer: Jun.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. L. Abrahamczyk, Dr.-Ing. Martin Kästner
ECTS / Credit Points: 4 ECTS
Sprache: Deutsch
Bauweisen des Konstruktiven Ingenieurbaus I
Lehrer: Jun.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. L. Abrahamczyk, Dr.-Ing. Martin Kästner
ECTS / Credit Points: 4 ECTS
Sprache: Deutsch
Design for Robotic Assembly
Lehrer: Prof. Dr. Jan Willmann, Jun.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. L. Abrahamczyk
Die Lehrveranstaltung beinhaltet verschiedene Einführungs-, Übungs- und Projektanteile bzw. Selbstlernbestandteile. Im Vordergrund steht die Vermittlung theoretischer Grundlagen robotischer Interaktion und Manipulation (mit besonderer Gewichtung auf maschinellen Assemblierungs-strategien) sowie die experimentelle und physische Anwendung durch gemeinsame Bauversuche und -auswertungen. Hierzu sind folgende Lehrsequenzen angedacht: Erstens, zweiwöchentliche Einführungs- und Diskussionssitzungen (Präsenz/Lab) zu ausgewählten theoretischen, metho¬dischen, technischen und praktischen Ansätzen im Bereich robotischer Assemblierung; zweitens, zweiwöchentliche Übungs- und Umsetzungssitzungen (Präsenz/Lab), z.B. robotisches Design, robotische Prozesskette, robotische Manipulation etc.; drittens, zusammenführende Projekt-präsentationen bzw. Kritiken (2 Veranstaltungen); viertens, weiterführende/vertiefende Auswertung, Verortung und Dokumentation (Selbststudium); und fünftens, zusammenfassende Gruppen-präsentation und/oder Demonstration an der Winterwerkschau o.ä. (weitere Details werden während des Semesters besprochen).
ECTS / Credit Points: 6 ECTS
Sprache: Deutsch
"NextGen Engineers" will immerse you in cutting-edge topics within civil engineering, where you will explore the latest advancements in the use of polymer-modified concrete, as well as simulation, advanced modeling and optimization design for reliability and efficiency in civil engineering structures, assessing their robustness in relation to increased abstraction and reduced dimensionality. Additionally, you will explore insights into the challenges and solutions related to wind forces on buildings and structures, an essential consideration for sustainable and resilient design. You will tackle the complexities of historical and existing masonry structures, applying advanced modeling techniques to assess and enhance their durability and safety under various load conditions, including seismic events. You will be trained in the use of state-of-the-art design, analysis, and simulation methods emphasizing the integration of sustainable practices in preserving and retrofitting existing structures, aligning with the goals of sustainable development by minimizing resource use and extending the utility of built assets. This year, our course takes a significant stride forward by integrating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into our curriculum. Understanding the crucial role engineers play in building sustainable futures, we weave the principles of sustainability across our course modules. Through this integration, you will learn not only to approach engineering challenges with advanced technical skills but also with a keen eye for their environmental impact, social equity, and economic viability.
In 2024, the course was attended by international students from Brazil, Portugal, United Kingdom, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Ghana, Iraq, Pakistan, and Turkey.
Projects
- Project 1 | Experience Optimization Vividly with Self-built Robots | Prof. Tom Lahmer (Chair of Optimization and Stochastics) & Jun.-Prof. Lars Abrahamczyk, Melad Haweyou (Chair of Advanced Structures)
- Project 2 | Use of Polymer-Modified Concretes (PCC) for Innovative Refurbishment Solutions | Dr.-Ing. Alexander Flohr (Chair of Construction Chemistry and Polymer Materials) & Jun.-Prof. Luise Göbel (Chair of Mechanics of Engineering)
- Project 3 | Structural Wind Engineering | Jun.-Prof. Anastasia Athanasiou (Chair of Natural Hazards and Structural Resilience) & Prof. Guido Morgenthal (Chair of Modelling and Simulation of Structures)
- Project 4 | Nonlinear Modelling and Analysis of Unreinforced Masonry Structures | Lars Abrahamczyk, Aanis Uzair (Chair of Advanced Structures)
Keynote Lectures
- Prof. P. Pavlov (UACG) | Lessons from the 2023 Turkish Earthquakes for the Balkan countries and their readiness for a strong earthquake
- Prof. P. Pavlov (UACG) | From the real construction to the experimental set
- Dr. A. Mejorin (UWO) | Wind-borne Debris Impact Performance: Performance-Based Design Strategies for Facades
- Dr. E. Harichian (BUW) | Practical Applications of Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) in Sustainable Construction
- Dr. B. Haidar (TIU) | Progressive Collapse of RC Structures
- Dr. S. Usmanov (TTPU) | Digital Documentation of Building Structures
- Prof. E. Kraft (BUW) | Source Separation and Decentralization for Wastewater and Waste Management
Student Presentations
- Amgad EL-Behery | The Effect of Banana Fibers on the Flexural Strength of Concrete Beams
- Verônica Ribeiro Brandão | Life Cycle Assessment and Environmental Product Declaration towards Product Design
- Brwa Saeed Hamah-Ali | Rehabilitation of Pre-Damage RC Beams using CFRP Laminates
- Antonija Ereš | Assessment of the Seismic Vulnerability of Buildings in an Urban Area: A Case Study of Selected City Blocks in Osijek
Project Posters
- Project 1 | Rhyndolf Owusu Hammond, Bernice Amponsah, Elif Ateş, Sevara Yusupova, Mediha Sevdeva, Osama Ismael
- Project 2 | Lawend Alqassab, Gabriel Sugiyama, Verônica Ribeiro Brandão, Daniel Škrla, Ani Trendafilova, Nyaz Saber, Aso Abdalla, Eduart Recica
- Project 3 | Romeo Otoo, Halmat Muslih, Amgad EL-Behery, Ala Mohsin, Brwa Hamah Saeed Hamah-ALI, Greta Kapetanović, Anela Erstić, Felix Thomas-Taylor
- Project 4 | Antonija Ereš, Josip Radić, Teodor Todorov, Khalat Qadir, Mislav Drmić, Sana Ullah, Ondřej Holiš, Hassan Bilal
In 2023, the course was attended by international students from Iraq, Brazil, Croatia, Hungary, Italy, Macedonia, Portugal, Serbia, and Slovenia.
Projects
- Project 1 | Use of Polymer-Modified Concretes (PCC) for Innovative Refurbishment Solutions | Alexander Flohr (Chair of Construction Chemistry and Polymer Materials)
- Project 2 | Modelling of large deformations in geotechnical engineering | Patrick Straubach (Chair of Geotechnics)
- Project 3 | Nonlinear modelling and analysis of unreinforced masonry structures | Lars Abrahamczyk, Aanis Uzair (Chair of Advanced Structures)
Keynote Lectures
- Prof. Dr. A. Athanasiou (BUW) | Performance based design of steel buildings in combined wind and earthquake enviroments
- L. Moschen (EBNER-ZT), F. Falkner (MCI) & Ch. Meinhardt (GERB) | Tuned Mass Dampers in Highly Sensitive Environment – Theory and Practical Application
- Prof. Dr. N. Saeed (TIU) | Stress and Deformation Control of Structures
- Prof. Dr. D. Penava (UNIOS) | On the mechanical behavior of masonry infilled RC frames
- Dr. L. Nguyen Tuan (BUW) | Structural Health Monitoring Using Inverse Analysis in Application to the Masonary Dams
- A. Wakoya Gena (BUW) | Optical schlieren techniques for visualization of indoor airflows
- Dr. Jan Machacek (TU Darmstadt) | Seismic hazard assessment of large opencast mine slopes in the Rhenish lignite mining area
- Prof. Dr. C. Koch (BUW) | Building information modeling (BIM)
Student Presentations
- Junaid Ahmed | Engineering geopolymer composite (EGC)
- Nemanja Krtinić | Experimental and Numerical Investigation of the Seismic Response of Confined Masonry Walls
- Petra Prašnikar | Evaluating the applicability of contemporary seismic retrofitting techniques on post war structures in Slovenia
- Daniel Tomikj | Seismic assessment of existing RC building
- Rafael Anjos | Nature inspired micro reinforcement of coarse granular aggregates
- Shna Abdulkarim | Non‐linear structural analysis technique based on flexibility method by Pade approximants
- Szabolcs Szinvai | Structural behaviour of concrete members with embedded fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) bars
- András Horváth | Welding simulation and measurement of normal and high strength steel box sections
- Chiara Patanè | Seismic improvement of a INA Casa building: application of exoskeletons and study of new functional solutions
- Michele Milesi | The critical role of floor diaphragms in the seismic retrofit of existing buildings
Project Posters
- Project 1 | Twana S. Zahawy, Luisa D. Araujo, Aram Sami, Parwar Ahmad, Hana Khalid Ahmed, Ahmad Salah Jamal, Shkar Mohammed Hayas, Junaid Ahmed, Twana Ahmed Hussein
- Project 2 | Lucas Paiva, Luka Virovkic, Rafael Anjos, Szabolcs Szinvai
- Project 3 | Nemanja Krtinić, Petra Prašnikar, Daniel Tomikj, Jovan Trajchevski, Chiara Patanè, Michele Milesi, Luca Danesi
In 2022, the course was attended by international students from Palestine, Egypt, Iraq, Turkey, Cyprus, Croatia, Macedonia, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary and Italy.
Projects
- Numerical simulation of 3D-scanned structures
- Simplified non-linear analysis of unreinforced masonry walls with irregular opening layouts
- Use of Polymer-Modified Concretes (PCC) for Innovative Refurbishment Solutions
- Reliability based design optimization in Civil Engineering
Keynote Lectures
- Dr. N. Kovács (BME) | Ultimate behaviour of innovative composite structures
- Prof. V. Rodehorst (BUW) | Imagebased 3D modelling and anomaly detection using Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)
- Dr. D. Duma (UPT) | Building Information Modeling (BIM) in civil engineering
- Dr. C. Kalender (RUB) | Virtualization and validation of wind effects arround building structures
- Dr. L. Moschen / Prof. A. Sextos | Evaluating the dynamic performance of buildings exposed to ground-borne vibrations: predictions, measure-ments and validation
- A. Wakoya Gena & L. Becher (BUW) | Optical schlieren techniques for visualization of indoor airflows
- Dr. V. Zabel (BUW) | Structural Dynamics and System Identification
Student Presentations
- Saman Khataei | BIM based Innovative Construction Workflow Simulations for Productivity Improvement
- Filip Glibo & Marin Valinčić | The evaluation of the earthquake performance of cultural heritage Castle Trakošćan (Croatia): A preliminary analysis
- Mohammad Radwan | An enhanced design approach for global and local buckling resistance of welded box section columns
- Nathalie Eid | Simplified numerical model development for advanced design of lightweight concrete encased cold formed steel compressed elements
- Eser Çabuk | Performance Comparison of Different Isolator Nonlinear Models
- Savvinos Aristeidou | Ground motion directionality effects on inelastic spectral displacements
- Wajdi Mefleh | Investigation of composite slim floor system analysis and design
In 2021, the course was attended by international students from Italy, Portugal, Macedonia, Romania, Bulgaria, Egypt, Palestine, and Nigeria.
Projects
- Building information modeling (BIM) in Engineering Design
- Assessment of unreinforced masonry structures under extra ordinary horizontal action
Keynote Lectures
- Prof. T. Lahmer (BUW) | Introduction to a reliability based design optimization
- Dr.-Ing. A. Flohr (BUW) | Use of polymer-modified concrete for innovative refurbishment solutions
- Ch. Buschow (BUW) | How digitalization drives new organizational forms
- Prof. R. Apostolska / Prof. V. Shendova (IZIIS) | Large scale shake table experiments of RC and masonry buildings
- L. Becher (BUW) | Optical schlieren techniques for visualization of indoor airflows
- Prof. V. Rodehorst (BUW) | Image-based 3D modelling and anomaly detection using unmanned aircraft systems (UAS)
- Dr. L. Göbel (BUW) | Experimental and analytical multiscale modeling approaches of functionalized concrete
- B.Somodi (BME) | FEM-based design of steel structures
- Prof. M. Kraus (BUW) | Stability verifications of steel members based on numerical simulations
Student Presentations
- Femi Oyetayo | Effective use of BIM in construction project management
- Volkan Ozsarac | Probabilistic seismic assessment of RC bridges using simulated records
- Inês Bourgeois | Assessment of vernacular construction structures under extraordinary horizontal action
- Maja Gosheva | Experimental and numerical analysis of the behaviour of un-strengthened and strengthened masonry with re-grouting
- Mohammed Safwat | Quality check of building information models