Dr. Ece Erdogmus received her Ph.D. in Architectural Engineering at the Pennsylvania State University. She received her M.S. degree from the same institution, and her bachelor's degree from the Department of Architecture at the Middle East Technical University in Turkey. Her main research interests are in the historic preservation and retrofitting, analysis of historical masonry construction (primarily arches, vaults and bridges), non-destructive modal testing of existing structures and experimentally validated finite element modeling of complex masonry structures. She received the Weiss Fellowship, the Dean's Fellowship and the College of Engineering Outstanding Graduate Assistant Teaching Award for her achievements during her graduate study. She is a member of various professional organizations, including Architectural Engineering Institute, the Masonry Society, the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Society for Experimental Mechanics.

• Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University, Architectural Engineering, 2004
• M.S., Pennsylvania State University, Architectural Engineering, 2001
• B.S., Middle East Technical University (Ankara, Turkey), Department of Architecture, 1999

Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, College of Engineering & Technology, Architectural Engineering (Omaha Campus), Appointed: 2004

Visiting structural engineer at Leo A Daly Architectural Engineering Company, Omaha office, May-June 2005.

Research Assistant, Pennsylvania State University, College of Engineering, Architectural Engineering, 1999-2004

Vibration based structural assessment is a developing area with promise. Besides computer model validation and updating, with further improvements, such methods can be used for structural system identification, material property detection and damage detection.

Experimental and analytical studies on complex masonry structures for rehabilitation, repair and strengthening: Use of on-site nondestructive vibration testing methods makes it possible to gather accurate representations of the historical material and the overall behavior of these complex geometry unreinforced masonry structures. Experiments on physical models of the masonry vaulted systems are also used to develop efficient analysis techniques for these structures. The structures studied on site and through computer models include National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., U.S., Cathedral of St. Etienne in Auxerre, France, Santa Maria Novella in Florence, Italy and the Guastavino tile domes/vaults in the Nebraska State Capitol in Lincoln, NE.

Other Expertise:

Bridge instrumentation, testing, analysis and rating for rehabilitation and strengthening including the analysis and rating of hard-to-rate masonry and concrete arch bridges. Various methods of analysis for filled arch bridges are studied and/or developed ranging from complex three-dimensional nonlinear finite element models to a practical lateral-strength analysis method incorporating the soil-structure interactions between arch bridge spandrel walls and soil backfill.

Reinforced concrete pipe design procedures, improvements in the state and national codes for buried structure design.

The analysis of existing/historical structures with complex geometries is viewed to be cumbersome and full of unknowns, yet it is important to keep the world heritage alive. The professionals in the industry are frequently challenged with a request for rehabilitation and strengthening of an existing structure, yet they struggle to analyze these structures in detail to be able to offer rehabilitation techniques. Therefore, understanding the behavior of such structures and developments in analytical techniques are necessary. Furthermore, the need for specific nondestructive testing methods challenges certain industries to develop better testing equipments.

Buried structure constitute a very large portion of the infrastructure industry and seeks improvements from research institutions.

Refereed Articles:

• Erdogmus, E., Boothby, T. E. and Smith, E. B., (2005). “Structural Appraisal of the Florentine Gothic Construction System,” accepted for publication in the Architectural Engineering Journal, September 2005.
• Boothby, T. E., Yurianto Y., Erdogmus, E. (2005), “Experimental Replication of Masonry Arch Bridge Spandrel Wall Collapse,” The Masonry Society Journal, Vol. 23, Number 1, December 2005.
• Erdogmus, E. and Boothby, T. E. (2004). “Strength of Spandrel Walls in Masonry Arch Bridges,” Transportation Research Board Journal, Record No. 1892, December 2004.
• Erdogmus, E., Boothby, T. E. and Smith, E. B., (2003). “Documentation of a Medieval Structure: Santa Maria Novella,” Proceedings of 9th North American Masonry Conference.
• Erdogmus, E. and Boothby, T. E. (2003). “Analysis of Masonry Arch Spandrel Walls: Loading and Strength,” Proceedings of 9th North American Masonry Conference.

Non-Refereed Articles & Reports:

• Erdogmus, E. and Fitton, D. “Modal Analyses on the Lateral Resistance System of the Auxerre Cathedral”, submitted to 2006 Architectural Engineering Conference.
• Erdogmus, E. and Skourup, B. “Experiments and Analyses on a Timbrel Dome”, submitted to 2006 Architectural Engineering Conference.
• Erdogmus, E. and Boothby, T.E. (2005). “Validated Structural Analysis of Gothic Vaulted Systems”. Structural Analysis of Historical Constructions (eds. Modena, Lourenco and Roca): Proceedings of the Structural Analysis of Historical Construction Conference IV. , Vol.1, pp. 421-428. ISBN 04 1536 379 9.
• Erdogmus, E., Hanagan, L. M and Boothby, T. E. “Modal Experiments for the Validation of Masonry Vault Models,” Proceedings of IMAC-XXII Conference, January 2004.
• Boothby, T. E. and Erdogmus, E. and Fanning, P. (2001). “Transverse Strength of Masonry Arch Bridges,” Proceedings of NSF 5th National Workshop on Bridge Research in Progress.
• Boothby, T. E. and Erdogmus, E. (2001). “Load Rating of Masonry and Concrete Arch bridges,” Proceedings of the AREMA 2001 Annual Conference & Exposition.
• Laman, J.A., Leighty, C., Gittings, G.L., Erdogmus, E., Boothby, T. E. (2001). “Heavy Axle Study: Impact of Higher Rail Car Weight Limits on Short Line Railroads,” PennDOT Report No:FHWA-PA-2001-011-97-04

Manuscripts in Preparation:

• Erdogmus, E., Boothby, T. E. and Hanagan, L. M (2005-2006). “Modal Experiments and Model Validation for Gothic Vaulted Systems,” journal for submission to be determined.
• Erdogmus, E. “Masonry domes from Guastavino: Comparative Nondestructive Assessments in situ and on a Half-Scale Model,” to be submitted to Int. Journal on Architectural Heritage (new Journal).
• Erdogmus, E., Unay, A.I. “Structural Assessments on the Divrigi Complex: Part 1- Nondestructive Testing and Computer Model Validation, Part 2- Structural analyses Using Validated Computer Models,” to be submitted to the Hasluck Conference to be held in the U.K in May 2006.

• University of Nebraska Layman Award (Shared with Dr. Michael Hoff)
• Penn State College of Engineering Outstanding Graduate Assistant Teaching Award, 2004.
• Weiss Dissertation Year (08/03-5/04) and Weiss First Year Fellowships (8/01-5/02)
• College of Engineering 3-year Fellowship (8/01- 5/04)

• Member of the Architectural Engineering Institute (AEI)
• Member of American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
• Member of The Masonry Society (TMS)
• Member of the Society for Experimental Mechanics (SEM)
• Member of the Structural Engineers Association of Nebraska (SEAON)
• Member of American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT)
  
• Member of the National Trust for Historic Preservation

• English: fluent,
• Turkish: fluent