Special Issue on Dynamics and Analysis of Large-Scale Structures

With this special issue, the ASCE Engineering Mechanics Institute wishes to recognize the contributions and accomplishments of the late Professor Ahmed M. Abdel-Ghaffar to the field of structural and earthquake engineering. It is a tribute to his memory by his students, colleagues, and friends who were fortunate to cross paths with him during his outstanding career. We all share with him the passion and love for long-span bridges and dams and we feel that the best way to commemorate him is through our work.

With an undergraduate degree from Cairo University and a Ph.D. from Caltech, Ahmed did seminal work on dynamics and identification of long-span bridges and dams during his academic career at the University of Illinois, Princeton University, and finally at the University of Southern California. He was a pioneer for his time: he was among the first engineers to recognize the importance of monitoring structural vibrations and to use them to learn more about the structural conditions, planting the seeds for what would become, in modern times, structural health monitoring. He was among the first to understand the importance of nonlinear dynamics and mechanics when dealing with long, slender structures or with complex materials such as soil. For his students, he was always an example to emulate: his enthusiasm in his work, in both research and teaching, instilled in many of us a passion for academia that has changed our lives. For his colleagues, Ahmed was an unlimited source of ideas, never afraid to try new directions and always ready for new challenges. Ahmed was a scholar in the true sense of the word.