Professor Riadh Al-Mahaidi

Biography

Professor Riadh Al-Mahaidi is the Director of the Smart Structures Laboratory and a Professor of Structural Engineering at Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, Australia. He previously held the position of Vice President (International Engagement)  at Swinburne from 2017 to 2022. Before joining Swinburne in 2010, he was the Head of the Structures Group at Monash University. He earned a BSc (Hon 1) in civil engineering from the University of Baghdad and MSc and PhD degrees in structural engineering from Cornell University in the United States.  Over the past 25 years, he has focused his research and practice on the lifetime integrity of structures, with a particular interest in structural strength assessment and retrofitting using advanced composite materials. His current research projects involve strengthening bridges using fibre reinforced polymers combined with cement-based bonding agents, improving the fatigue life of metallic structures using advanced composite systems and shape memory alloys, and assessing structure collapse through multi-axis hybrid testing.
Professor Al-Mahaidi has published over 250 journal and 270 conference papers published to date, as well as 18 authored/edited books and conference proceedings. To date, he has scored an H-Index of 60 with over 11,200 citations. He received several awards, the most recent one was the 2023 IIFC Medal for distinguished contributions to the field of FRP composites for construction through research or practical applications, or both. He was also the recipient of the 2021 IABMAS Special Service Award from the International Association for Bridge Maintenance and Safety. In 2019, he received the Magazine of Concrete Research Prize, from the Institution of Civil Engineers, UK. In 2016, his research group won the Engineers Australia Excellence Award for Innovation, Research, and Development (High Commendation) for the Multi-Axis Substructure Testing (MAST) System. In 2017 he was awarded the WH Warren Medal by Engineers Australia and in 2018 the ARRB Research Impact Award. Other awards included the Vice Chancellor's Internationalization Award in 2012, the RW Chapman Medals in 2005 and 2010 for best journal publication in Engineers Australia Structural Journal, and best paper awards at ACUN-4 (2002) and ACUN-6 (2012) Composites conferences.
Professor Al-Mahaidi is a Fellow of various institutions, including the Institution of Engineers Australia IEAust, the American Concrete Institute ACI, the American Society of Civil Engineers ASCE, the International Institute for FRP in Construction IIFC, the Institution of Civil Engineers ICE (UK), and the Bridge Engineering Institute BEI.