Elyas Ghafoori

Elyas Ghafoori is a Professor of Steel, Composite and Lightweight Construction at Leibniz University Hannover, leading the Institute for Steel Construction and managing the Test Centre for Supporting Structures. He holds a doctoral degree (summa cum laude) from ETH Zurich and has held visiting professorships at institutions like Tongji University and Imperial College London.

Education:

• PhD in Civil Engineering (2015), ETH Zurich
• MSc in Engineering (2012), EPFL
• BSc in Engineering (2008), Sharif University of Technology

Research Interests:

His work focuses on steel construction optimization, fatigue behavior of metallic components, and application of shape memory alloys (SMAs) in structural engineering. Key areas include offshore wind energy support structures, corrosion-resistant materials, additive manufacturing for construction, and bonded joint mechanics. Innovations like self-prestressed SMA patches for fatigue crack arrest and 3D-printed metallic components highlight his contributions to sustainable infrastructure.

Publications:

Recent work explores SMA integration in UHPC columns, fatigue analysis of corroded joints, and machine learning for seismic performance evaluation. Over 100 peer-reviewed articles reflect his interdisciplinary approach.

Scientific Awards:

• 2023: Distinguished Young Researcher Award (IIFC)
• 2021: Best Paper, ASCE Journal of Structural Engineering
• 2016: ETH Medal of Honor for Best Dissertation
• 2014: ASME Young Engineer Award

Grants & Leadership:

Leads projects funded by DFG, EU Horizon 2020, and industry partners, including DFWind II and ProBucket for offshore wind foundations. He chairs committees in fatigue design, SMAR conferences, and the IIFC Executive Committee.

Labs & Teams:

Directs the Sustainable Metallic Structures (SUMS) group at Empa and collaborates with Fraunhofer IWES for wind energy systems. Research teams focus on welding innovations, material characterization, and digital twin technologies for offshore megastructures.