Biography
Atorod Azizinamini is the Vasant Surti Professor of Civil Engineering and Director of the Innovative Bridge Technologies/Accelerated Bridge Construction–University Transportation Center (IBT/ABC-UTC), a national leader in bridge engineering research, education, workforce development, and technology transfer. He also serves as Director of Infrastructure Research and Innovation, coordinating multidisciplinary research efforts across the university. He also leads the Preeminent Institute for Resilient and Sustainable Coastal Infrastructure (InteRaCt). From 2019 to 2022, he served as the Director of the Moss School of Construction, Infrastructure, and Sustainability. Prior to that, he chaired the FIU Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering from 2011 to 2019.
Azizinamini came to FIU from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he was a Distinguished College of Engineering Professor and the Director of National Bridge Research Organization. A specialist in bridge engineering and expert in the field of accelerated bridge construction, he has been instrumental in facilitating the use of advanced materials and technologies in bridges by educating professional engineers and conducting major research studies. Azizinamini has also been an entrepreneur and a leader in developing innovative bridge systems and implementing novel concepts in practice. His patented “Folded Plate Girder” system provides a cost-effective solution for replacing deficient short span bridges, which account for the majority of the 650,000 bridges in the U.S. bridge inventory.
Azizinamini has received a number of awards, including the prestigious White House Transportation Champion of Change Award (awarded in-person at a White House ceremony), the Civil Engineering Research Foundation (CERF) Charles Pankow Award for his innovative bridge system, the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) Special Achievement Award for his significant contributions to steel bridge engineering and its impact on the steel industry, the AISC’s 2005 Prize Bridge Competition Merit Award for his outstanding design in structural steel-Medium Span Bridge Category, the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) Innovation in Steel Bridge Award for his valuable contributions to High Performance Steel, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) “Partnership in Excellence Award” for his contributions to the Accelerated Bridge Construction, and the FHWA’s “Major Achievement Award” for promoting the use of High Performance Steel in the U.S. Azizinamini has served as an advisor to projects in many countries, including the Republic of Korea, for incorporating advanced materials in bridges.
Azizinamini’s research activities have been diverse. In the early 1990s he conducted a number of projects funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to develop technologies for utilizing High Performance Concrete in buildings and bridges, with an emphasis on highly seismic areas. In 1995, he was selected through NSF to be a member of the U.S. delegation to work cooperatively with Japanese researchers to develop technologies for the next generation of high-rise buildings in seismic regions.
Additionally, when Congress established the second strategic highway research program (SHRP 2) in 2006 with $232M funding to advance the nation’s transportation infrastructure, the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences identified three topics in the bridge engineering area. Azizinamini is the principal investigator leading one of the three initiatives (SHRP2 R19A), with an objective of developing technologies for bridges with 100+ years of service life. As part of his multi-million dollar project, Azizinamini has developed the most comprehensive guide worldwide entitled “Guide for Bridges for Life,” for enhancing the service life of bridges.
Azizinamini is also recognized for developing the SDCL (Simple for Dead Load and Continuous for Live Load) bridge system, an innovative design concept that simplifies construction while improving long-term structural performance. The SDCL system has been adopted by multiple state departments of transportation and has been used in the construction of more than 60 bridges across the U.S., demonstrating its broad practical impact. He also successfully implemented sprayable ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) for the first time in the U.S. on a bridge near Washington, D.C. His recent work at FIU includes significant advances in 3D-printed concrete components aimed at improving constructability, reducing material usage, and enhancing resilience.
Azizinamini holds a Ph.D. degree from the University of South Carolina in 1985. He is a registered professional engineer in several states. He has carried out numerous research studies in Structural Engineering field and has published more than 200 journal papers, books, and technical articles. Azizinamini is also an inventor with multiple U.S. patents, including innovations in steel bridge systems and the Folded Plate Girder technology. He routinely gives keynote talks at major national and international conferences and has co-chaired a number of important national and international bridge engineering conferences, including almost all FHWA Bridge Engineering Conferences devoted to accelerated bridge construction and the use of advanced materials.
Awards & Honors
- • White House Champion of Change, The White House — 2015
- • Merit Design Award, American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) — 2014
- • Special Achievement Award, American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) — 2011
- • University Endowed Professorship, University of Nebraska–Lincoln — 2008
- • Partnership in Excellence Award, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) — 2006
- • Prize Bridge Competition Merit Award, American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) — 2005
- • Best Paper Award, FHWA Steel Bridge Conference — 2004
- • Major Achievement Award, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) — 2004
- • Faculty Research Award, University of Nebraska–Lincoln — 1999
- • Innovation in Steel Bridge Award, American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) — 1998
- • Charles Pankow Award for Innovation, Civil Engineering Research Foundation (CERF) — 1997
- • Outstanding 100 Rural Development Initiative, University of Nebraska–Lincoln — 1997
- • Award of Appreciation, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) — 1996
- • Award for Contributions to the Chapter, ACI-Nebraska Chapter — 1992
- • Faculty Research Award, University of Nebraska–Lincoln — 1991
- • Outstanding Graduate Student of the Year Award, University of South Carolina — 1985
Education
- Ph.D. in Civil Engineering, University of South Carolina — 1985
- M.S. in Civil Engineering, University of South Carolina — 1982
- B.S. in Civil Engineering, University of Oklahoma — 1978