Mission

The activities as a Professor at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) (since 1995) are motivated by the following vision :
“Methods for the examination of existing structures (“Examineering”) must be developed with the ultimate goal to limit construction intervention (and thus the client’s expenditure) to a strict minimum. If interventions are necessary then their objective is to improve the structure (not just to repair it). This goal is in agreement with the principles of sustainable development.”

Biography

birth date: 19.11.1958
nationality: Swiss (native from Dussnang, Canton of Thurgau)

Education :
- July 1988 : doctoral degree from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland with a thesis entitled “Fracture mechanics of dam concrete subjected to quasi-static and seismic loading conditions”
- December 1983 : civil engineering diploma (university degree) from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich, Switzerland

Professional Experience :
- Since 1st April 1995 : Professor of Structural Engineering at EPFL and Head of the Laboratory of Maintenance, Construction and Safety for Civil Structures (MCS) (often considered being the first chair worldwide devoted exclusively to existing civil structures).
- 1991-94 Project Manager and structural engineer with the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB), Division of Bridges and Structures, Zurich: Monitoring and maintenance of bridges and structures, Project manager and checking engineer for the construction of new bridges and rehabilitation of existing bridges.
- 1989/90 Research associate at the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder, USA : Fracture mechanics of concrete and fracture of concrete dams.
- 1986-88 Doctoral student at EPFL-LMC (Building Materials, Prof. Wittmann) : Fracture mechanics of concrete, fracture of concrete dams under seismic loading
- 1984/85 Research engineer at EPFL-ICOM (Steel Structures, Prof. Badoux and Prof. Hirt) : Fatigue behaviour and fracture mechanics of riveted bridges

External functions

Reviewer for and member of the Editorial Board of several scientific journals
Federal Expert for monuments (bridges and engineering structures) (since 2005)
Consulting engineer for the examination and enhancement of existing structures using UHPFRC

Other activities and interests:

monuments (reinforced concrete, steel, masonry, timber), bridges, art, architecture, reading and writing, nature, sports: running, swimming, hiking.