EEFIT: research grant showcase 2026

Author: Yilong Yang and Sahin Dede

Date published

18 March 2026

Price
Free
The Institution of Structural Engineers The Institution of Structural Engineers
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EEFIT: research grant showcase 2026

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Author
Date published
Price
Training
Author

Yilong Yang and Sahin Dede

Date published

18 March 2026

Author

Yilong Yang and Sahin Dede

Price

Free

This lecture showcased how the annual grants supported two short-term projects that benefit earthquake disaster mitigation and post disaster reconnaissance efforts.

Leveraging post-earthquake point cloud data for forensic analysis of masonry failures - Yilong Yang 
This presentation explores how point cloud data from laser scanning and photogrammetry can transform post-earthquake forensic evaluations of masonry structures. Rapid, non-contact methods enable objective analysis of geometry, construction quality, and damage, overcoming limitations of manual surveying. Case studies from the 2023 Turkey earthquakes illustrate practical workflows and new insights for repair and restoration, with open-access datasets supporting further research and application.

Field observations on the earthquake response of tunnel-form buildings in the aftermath of the February 2023 earthquakes in Türkiye - Sahin Dede
Tunnel-form buildings represent a distinct class of reinforced concrete structures and are the predominant typology in mass housing projects in Türkiye. The tunnel-formwork technique used to construct these buildings results in a highly stiff structural system comprised primarily of shear walls. While this inherent stiffness makes low- and mid-rise tunnel-form buildings highly favourable for resisting seismic demands, high-rise ones are prone to demonstrating specific structural vulnerabilities. This work presents a thorough examination of structural and non-structural damages observed during comprehensive field missions conducted at different times. The appraisal of these observations sheds light on the structural weaknesses and damage mechanisms, offers several insights into the seismic performance assessment of such structures, and provides guidance on how to improve their design.

EEFIT: research grant showcase 2026

Speakers

Sahin Dede

University College London

Şahin is a structural engineer with a specialisation in extreme loadings. Presently, he is a PhD candidate at University College London, investigating the multi-hazard vulnerability of tunnel-form buildings to earthquake and fire hazards by integrating sophisticated numerical modelling, post-earthquake field assessments, and computational programming. His research experience also spans real-time earthquake loss mapping, catastrophe risk modelling, and multiple post-earthquake reconnaissance missions.

Yilong Yang

University of Oxford

Yilong’s MEng project at the University of Oxford applied deep learning to analyse 3D point cloud models of human hearts reconstructed from MRI data. For his DPhil, supervised by Prof. Sinan Acikgoz and Prof. Bora Pulatsu, he focuses on 3D computer vision, deep learning, and discrete element simulation for masonry structure analysis, developing advanced point cloud algorithms for quality assessment, defect detection, and displacement monitoring, and integrating synthetic data generation and mechanical simulation to enhance automated inspection of historic and existing masonry buildings.

<h4>EEFIT</h4>

EEFIT

The Earthquake Engineering Field Investigation Team (EEFIT) is a joint venture between industry and universities, conducting field investigations following major earthquakes.

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