David Roueche

David Roueche serves as the Gottlieb Associate Professor of Structural Engineering within the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Auburn University's Samuel Ginn College of Engineering. His research focuses on structural performance under extreme wind events, forensic engineering methodologies, and improving building resilience against hurricanes and tornadoes through interdisciplinary approaches.

Dr. Roueche's academic foundation includes advanced degrees from the University of Florida, with complementary physics training:

• Ph.D. in Structural Engineering, University of Florida
• M.S. in Civil Engineering, University of Florida
• B.S. in Civil Engineering, University of Florida
• B.S. in Engineering Physics, Jacksonville University

His primary research explores extreme wind loads on low-rise buildings, post-disaster field investigations, and performance-based wind engineering, with specialized expertise in light wood-frame structures and surge/flood modeling. He integrates engineering analysis with social science through survivor interviews to reconstruct tornado events and identify vulnerabilities in residential construction, particularly for mobile and manufactured housing in the Southeastern United States.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a dominant focus on post-disaster assessment frameworks, field data collection protocols, and performance-based evaluation methods for wind-affected structures. His work increasingly emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration—combining engineering, social science, and geospatial technologies—to develop comprehensive disaster response systems and improve building codes. Key trends include standardization of forensic engineering practices through organizations like StEER and application of computational modeling to predict structural failures.

Dr. Roueche's significant recognitions include:

• Ginn Faculty Achievement Fellow designation
• NSF CAREER Award (2020) for advancing post-windstorm assessment methodologies

He directs substantial research funding including a $500,000 USDA grant for timber-steel composite research and leads the Auburn Mass Timber Collaborative—an interdisciplinary initiative uniting forestry, architecture, and engineering faculty. Through the Structural Engineering Emergency Response (StEER) network, he coordinates Field Assessment Structural Teams for disasters like Hurricane Ian and the 2022 Arabi tornado, developing standardized protocols adopted nationally for post-disaster evaluations. His mentoring extends to doctoral students in civil engineering, with recent success in securing competitive fellowships for advisees.

As a core member of StEER, Dr. Roueche develops and implements field assessment protocols used in rapid disaster response. He leads FAST teams deploying UAVs, LiDAR, and ground surveys to document structural performance after hurricanes and tornadoes, with datasets informing FEMA guidelines and building code revisions. His work with the Auburn Mass Timber Collaborative advances sustainable construction methods through experimental testing of innovative structural systems.