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Curriculum Vitae

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Contact Information

Sezer Atamturktur, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering

Civil Engineering Department
Clemson University
110 Lowry Hall
Clemson, SC 29634
Phone: 864-656-3000
Fax: 864-656-2670

sez@clemson.edu
http://www.clemson.edu/ce/
http://www.atamturktur.com

Education

  • The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
    Ph.D. in Civil Engineering (Structural Option), August 2009
    Dissertation Title: Predictive Maturity of Finite Element Models of Masonry Vaults
    Thesis Advisor: Dr. Thomas E. Boothby
    Academic Advisor: Dr. Jeffrey Laman
    Committee Members: Dr. Andrew Scanlon, Dr. Martin W. Trethewey, Dr. François Hemez
  • The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
    M.S. in Architectural Engineering (Structural Option), May 2006
    Thesis Title: Structural Assessment of Guastavino Domes
    Advisor: Dr. Thomas E. Boothby
  • Orta Dogu Teknik Universitesi
    B.S. in Architecture with Honors, June 2002
    Minor in Civil Engineering (Structural Option), June 2002

Research Experience

Assessment of Historic Masonry and Concrete Structures by Broadband Vibration Testing

Research Assistant, Dr. Thomas E. Boothby
The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
January 2009 – Present

  • Objective: The project intends to complete the initial prototyping and a trial application of a novel instrumentation scheme to simultaneously accomplish multiple objectives in the assessment of historic masonry and concrete structures. The research program is funded by United States Department of Defense, Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program.
  • Responsibilities: Designing the prototype laboratory specimens for experimental modal analysis and impact echo testing. Executing and managing the experiments on both laboratory specimens and selected concrete frame buildings. Developing novel strategies for combining the tools of experimental modal analysis with impact echo measurements.

Defining Predictive Maturity in Multi-Scale Physics-Based Numerical Models

Research Assistant, Dr. François Hemez
Los Alamos National Laboratory, Applied Physics (X) Division, Los Alamos, NM
February 2008 – August 2008

  • Objective: To define the concept of predictive maturity on the basis of stabilization of the accuracy of the model when predicting at untested settings as the number of available calibration experiments increases. Project funding by the Global Nuclear Energy Program.
  • Responsibilities: Integrated the Preston-Tonks-Wallace (PTW) material model of plasticity for metals with the statistical calibration software. Calibrated the material properties of the PTW model for various metals under different strains, strain rates, and temperatures. Development of a concept for predictive maturity, which is the regime where numerical models’ predictive abilities reach an asymptotic regime. Investigated the extrapolation of numerical model output at untested settings.

Assessment of Historic Monuments

Visiting Research Assistant, Vibration Engineering Research Section
The University of Sheffield, Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, Sheffield, U.K.
January 2007 – July 2007

  • Objective: To understand the structural behavior of Beverley Minster, a 12th century church suffering severe separations and cracks due to the settlement of buttresses. The project involved in situ vibration measurements & development and calibration of computer models under the supervision of Dr. Alexander Pavic and Dr. Paul Reynolds. The project was funded through The Pennsylvania State University World Universities Network and the Raymond A. Bowers Programfor Excellence in Design and Construction of the Built Environment.
  • Responsibilities: Developed computer models of Beverley Minster. Designed the test setup for experimental modal analysis on the nave vaults of the Beverley Minster. Managed all aspects the test while supervising a crew of 7. Processed the time domain measurements. Calibrated the finite element model according to the measurements. Conducted impact echo measurements on the back of the vaults of the Minster to investigate the variability of the material properties.

Assessment of Load Bearing Unreinforced Masonry Structures

Research Assistant, Dr. Thomas E. Boothby
The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
December 2004 – December 2005

  • Objective: To develop a manual to introduce a structural engineer to some of the principles of unreinforced masonry and to provide some basic instructions in preparing a model of such a structure for analysis using modern available tools for structural analysis. The project was funded by National Center for Preservation Technology and Training of the US Department of the Interior.
  • Responsibilities: Designed, executed, and managed in situ tests on the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine in New York City, the National Cathedral in Washington D.C., the State Education Building in Albany, NY, the City County Building in Pittsburg, and the Santa Maria Novella in Florence, Italy. Developed computer models of the vaulted naves of these structures in ANSYS Structural software along with previously tested vaults of the Cathedral of St. Julien in Couleuvre, France and of the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, in Crema, Italy. Analyzed the raw data from the vibration measurements via system identification techniques. Visited Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering to conduct vibration measurements on a Guastavino style domical laboratory specimen. Correlated the numerical models with experimental measurements and reported the results of these integrated experimental and numerical studies.

Condition Review and Investigation of Moisture Intrusion of the Exterior Bastion Walls at Historic Ft. Pitt Museum

Research Assistant, Dr. Thomas E. Boothby
The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
September 2004 – December 2004

  • Objective: The project involved collecting a series of site measurements on Ft. Pitt Museum, Pittsburg, PA to investigate moisture intrusion in the exterior brick walls of the structure. Funding was provided by The Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission.
  • Responsibilities: Participated in site measurements of moisture intrusion. Returned on regular trips to the building to monitor the time and temperature dependent behavior of moisture in the brick bastion walls. Correlated the data and prepared reports of the results.

Teaching Experience

The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA

Instructor
  • AE 308 – Introduction to Structural Analysis
    Developed the course material, lectured, and assessed the students’ understanding of the material. This consisted of 9 hours/week classroom teaching with an additional 4 hours of student contact during office hours. Provided weekly homework assignments and quizzes. The Student Rating and Teaching Effectiveness (SRTE) scores for the overall quality of the course was 5.45/7.0 and for the overall quality of the instructor was 5.29/7.0.
Teaching Assistant
  • AE 210 – Introduction to Architectural Structural Systems
  • AE 308 – Introduction to Structural Analysis
  • AE 422 – Architectural Structural Systems II
Teaching Certificate
  • Schreyer Institute, Excellence in Teaching Workshop, Summer 2006

Talks & Presentations

  • Structural Engineering Seminar Series, Damage Detection in Masonry Vaults by Time Domain Vibration Measurements, The Pennsylvania State University, January 2009
  • Graduate Student Seminar Series, A Discussion on the Concept of Predictive Maturity of Computer Models, The Pennsylvania State University, January 2009
  • Los Alamos National Laboratory Student Symposium, Predictive Maturity of Computer Models using Functional and Multivariate Output, Los Alamos National Laboratory, August 2008
  • Graduate Student Seminar Series, Nonlinear Finite Element Validation with Nonlinear Dynamics: When can a Historic Masonry Monument be Left without Repair?, The Pennsylvania State University, January 2007
  • Structural Engineering Seminar Series, The Structural Assessment of Guastavino Domes, The Pennsylvania State University, January 2006

Awards & Grants

Awards

Travel Grants

  • Pennsylvania Concrete Masonry Association Sponsorship & Northeast Cement Shippers Association
    Sponsorship, Travel to participate at the University Professor's Masonry Workshop, March 2008
  • Women in Engineering Program, Travel grant to participate at the 24th, 25th, & 26th International Modal Analysis Conferences, February 2006, 2007, & 2008
  • Women in Engineering Program, Travel grant to participate in a laboratory experiment at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, November 2005

Professional Membership & Services

Publications

Peer-Reviewed Journal Publications

  • Atamturktur, S., Bornn, L., and Boothby T., (in review), "Can Vibration Measurements be used to Detect Damage due to Support Settlements in Historic Masonry Monuments?,” to appear in the Journal of Engineering Structures.
  • Hemez, F., Atamturktur, S., and Unal, C., (in review), "Defining Predictive Maturity for Validated Numerical Simulations," to appear in the Journal of Reliability Engineering and System Safety.
  • Atamturktur, S., Pavic, A., Reynolds, P. and Boothby, T., (accepted, July 2008), “Full-Scale Modal Testing of Vaulted Gothic Churches: Lessons Learned,” submitted to the Journal of Experimental Techniques.
  • Atamturktur, S. and Boothby, T., (2007), “Finite Element Modeling of Guastavino Domes,” Bulletin of Association for Preservation Technology, Vol. 28, No. 4, pp. 21- 29.

Peer-Reviewed Conference Proceedings

Conference Proceeding & Reports

Document Actions
About Sez

Sezer AtamturkturI attended the O.D.T.U earning my B.S. in Architecture and minoring in Civil Engineering with Structural option in 2002.

After working as an Architectural Engineer for two years, in 2004 I was awarded a full-time graduate assistantship to The Pennsylvania State University where my MS research consisted of modeling and nondestructive testing of Guastavino tile domed structures. I have studied the Guastavino domes of the City-County Building in Pittsburgh, PA and New York State Education Building in Albany, NY. Along with my studies on Guastavino style vaulting, I have conducted experimental and analytical research on the structural behavior of Gothic architecture, such as Washington National Cathedral in Washington D.C., Cathedral of Saint John the Divine in New York City, and the Basilica di Santa Maria Novella in Florence, Italy.

After completing my MS in Architectural Engineering - Structures option in 2006, I decided to continue my education at Penn State where I am currently pursuing a PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering - Structures option. My current research consists of probabilistic verification & validation of numerical models against experimental measurements.

My work has earned me a World University Network Fellowship to the University of Sheffield in the U.K. during Spring of 2007 to study The Beverly Minster. I am a recipient of the 2007 Dominick J. Demichele Scholarship Award, the 2007 James L. Noland Student Fellowship and the CERS Best Paper award. During the Spring and Summer semesters of 2008 I was privileged to work as a Graduate Research Assistant on an internship at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico.