Eugen Brühwiler

Expertise structural and material engineering; existing structures in particular bridges of high cultural value; fatigue, dynamics and structural behaviour of bridges; Ultra-high performance fiber reinforced cementitious composite for rehabilitation and strengthening existing reinforced concrete structures. Expertise

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 using new engineering methods and new technologies. This approach is in agreement with the principles of sustainable development because it preserves existing structures by getting more out of them.» Current Work Current activities as honorary professor are both academic (expert and consultant in research programs and research projects at foreign universities / providing lectures at foreign universities as well as keynote lectures at conferences / editing scientific papers and books) and professional as expert and consultant in practice of structural engineering applications related to examination of existing structures as well as design and construction of existing and new structures in particular using UHPFRC. birth date: 19.11.1958nationality: 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, SwitzerlandProfessional Experience :- since 2024: independant consultant in engineering of existing structures and UHPFRC construction- From 1 April 1995 to 30 November 2023 : 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 bridgesExternal functions Reviewer for and member of the Editorial Board of several scientific journalsFederal Expert for heritage structuresOther activities and interests: history of bridges and engineering structures, art, museums, architecture / nature (hiking) and sports Teaching & PhD Past EPFL PhD Students Claude Broquet, Max Schläfli, Olivier Bernard, Guido Roelfstra, Aleksandar Radojicic, Bryan Adey, Hannes Ludescher, Katrin Habel, David Conciatori, John Wuest, Aicha Kamen, Andrin Herwig, James Denman Birdsall, Alix Grandjean, Cornelius Oesterlee, Alexis Kalogeropoulos, Talayeh Noshiravani, Tohru Makita, Mark Anthony Treacy, Marina Rocha, Rémy Zgraggen, Maléna Bastien Masse, Vasileios Grigoriou, Christophe Loraux, Ivan Stojnic, Xiujiang Shen, Bartlomiej Wojciech Sawicki, Imane Bayane Past EPFL PhD Students as codirector Agnès Rey, Mohammadhadi Kazemi Kamyab, Mona Jafarnejad Chaghooshi, Jian Zhan, Antonina Hochuli Awards Honorary Membership International Association for Bridge Maintenance and Safety (IABMAS) 2024 Best teacher in the Civil Engineering Section, EPFL teaching award EPFL Civil Engineering Section 2023 Best teacher award in the Civil Engineering Section, teaching award EPFL Civil Engineering Section 2019 Best teacher award in the Civil Engineering Section, teaching award EPFL Civil Engineering Section 2018 Honorary Membership of SIA - Swiss Society of Engineers and Architects SIA - Swiss Society of Engineers and Architects 2025