Researcher profile: Ehsan Hosseini

Engineering stronger fluid storage tanks

As the saying goes, there’s no use crying over spilt milk. But in an earthquake, huge amounts of milk and other liquids are spilt when fluid storage tanks are damaged. Thin-walled stainless steel storage tanks are used in a range of industries, holding everything from wine, dairy products, water, and petrochemicals. When they break, it can lead to huge economic losses and even environmental damage.

Ehsan doing testing on a fluid storage tank

Instead of crying about it, structural engineer Ehsan Hosseini, is looking for a solution. As part of his NHC-funded PhD at the Auckland University of Technology, Ehsan is using ‘smart vibration control’ technology to design tanks that can detect and activate special dampers that absorb shaking.

His research has the potential to save many industries money, resources, and maybe even tears.

In a short interview with us, he shares his passion for mixing emerging technologies – like AI – with structural engineering for more resilient designs.

Q and A

What do you like most about your work?  

I feel thrilled to design structures as it’s a field which combines fundamental sciences including mathematics and physics embodied in the art of engineering designs. My research topic is a multi-disciplinary one that involves structural engineering, control engineering, and signal processing and this makes it even more exciting to me. Specialising in seismic structural engineering, it’s exhilarating to design structures to resist earthquakes and save lives, structures, and the environment at the same time.

What are your future research or career ambitions? 

With my background in different fields of structural engineering, control engineering, and AI skills, I would like to design structures optimally to resist earthquakes in the most efficient way possible. Using innovative designs and smart systems towards this aim is my passion. 

What is your vision for a resilient New Zealand?

A resilient New Zealand will be materialised through application of novel methodologies and systems in engineering structures and infrastructures based on multidisciplinary approaches and techniques.

Why is it important to invest in natural hazards research?

Without exploring novel techniques based on newly developed science and technology to fill the gap in our understanding of how structures behave under different environmental conditions and loadings, we cannot expect developing seismic-resilient structures and infrastructures or retrofitting current ones.

What is your personal experience with natural hazards, and how has it influenced your research? 

I remember it was during my first year at the University. I was sitting in the University library studying. Suddenly a strong ground shaking happened. It was terrifying! Bookshelves toppled over and everyone rushed out of the building. Thank goodness the building had been strongly built based on the code regulations and no damages or injuries occurred. However, some time before this event a very strong earthquake had caused severe damages in another city, took a huge toll, killing many people and demolishing many buildings and historical structures and monuments. It was during that time that I became very interested in studying and research in seismic-resistant design of structures and I’m glad I did so. 

For more information on Ehsan’s research, connect with him on LinkedIn(external link) or Google Scholar(external link)

Ehsan and his PhD supervisor, Sherif Beskhyroun