Dimitrios Lignos

Expertise -Seismic Design & Assessment of Steel and Composite-steel Concrete Structures-Assessment and Retrofitting of Existing Structures-Performance-Based Design-Multi-scale Experimental Testing-Nonlinear Analysis with Emphasis on Deterioration Phenomena Current work Structural stability of steel and composite-steel concrete structuresSeismic design for deconstructionLow-damage structural systemsSeismic risk assessmentComputational mechanics-based simulationInverse plasticity problems Dimitrios Lignos is a Full Professor and Department Chair of the Civil Engineering Institute (IIC Director) at the école Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL). He joined EPFL in 2016 from McGill University, Canada, where he was a tenured Associate Professor. Prior to that he was a postdoctoral researcher at Kyoto University (2010) and Stanford University (2009). He holds degrees in Structural Engineering (Stanford University, M.S. 2004, Ph.D. 2008) and Civil Engineering (NTU, Athens, 5-year Diploma 2003). Prof. Lignos's research focuses on the fundamental understanding of extreme limit states such as structural collapse with emphasis on steel structures. The research combines physical experimentation across scales, data-driven techniques along with the development of physics-based and engineering-oriented models for nonlinear finite element analysis to exploit and implement new design paradigms in seismic design. His awards include the 2025 Special Achievement Award by the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), the 2022 Raymond Reese Research Prize and the 2019 Walter L. Huber Prize from the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) among others. As a member of the Project Team 2, he co-authored the new chapters on the steel and composite steel concrete structures in the second generation of Eurocode 8 Parts 1-1 and 1-2 and the new Clause 9 of Eurocode 8 Part 3 for the seismic assessment of existing steel structures. Prof. Lignos is a member of the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) S16 technical committee for Steel Structures and SIA-263 in Switzerland. Since 2025 he serves as an Editor in Earthquake Engineering and Structural Dynamics, the journal of the International Association for Earthquake Engineering. Education Post-Doctorate | Seismic Assessment of Existing Tall Structures under Long-Duration Ground Motions, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Scholar 2009 – 2010 Kyoto University Directed by Professor Masayoshi Nakashima Post-Doctorate | Seismic Retrofit of Existing Steel Structures with Innovative Materials 2008 – 2009 Stanford University Directed by Professor Sarah Billington Ph.D. | Sidesway Collapse of Deteriorating Structural Systems under Seismic Excitations 2004 – 2008 Stanford University Directed by Professor Helmut Krawinkler Master or Science | Performance-Based Earthquake Engineering, Program: Structural Engineering and Geomechanics 2003 – 2004 Stanford University Directed by Professor Helmut Krawinkler Diploma | Civil Engineering/Structural Engineering, Diploma Thesis: Evaluation of Nonlinear Analysis Methods for Seismic Assessment of Steel Structures 1998 – 2003 National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) Directed by Professor Charis J. Gantes ResearchResearch My work integrates simulation-based engineering science and the use of experimental methods for the risk and life-cycle cost quantification of steel and composite-steel concrete structures under multi-hazards. Recent work focuses on construction materials and protective systems for multi-hazard risk mitigation, and the development of reduced-order model techniques along with open access tools for elucidating the influence of deteriorating mechanisms on the structural performance of structures with emphasis on seismic loading. Check periodically our resslab-hub.epfl.ch website for recent developments on structural performance databases and integrated numerical models. Teaching & PhD PhD Students Ce Wen, Horacio Andrés Domínguez Fuenzalida, Lise Bachmann, Rupsagar Chatterjee, Lucas Kuhn, Tianyu Gu, Arthur Paul Antonin Carmès Past EPFL PhD Students Hiroyuki Inamasu, Alexander Riley Hartloper, Martina Paronesso, Hammad El Jisr, Andronikos Skiadopoulos, Diego Isidoro Heredia Rosa Courses Dynamics of structures CIVIL-468 Dynamics loads on structures, equations of motion of linear single- and multiple-degree-of freedom systems; free an forced vibrations; damping in structures: modal superposition and response history analysis, earthquake effects Nonlinear analysis of structures CIVIL-449 This course deals with nonlinear modelling of structures under mechanical loading. Performance-based earthquake engineering CIVIL-714 Quantitative decision making based on life-cycle considerations that incorporate direct losses, seismic risk assessment, and collapse. Seismic hazard analysis, response simulation, damage and loss estimation, collapse prediction. Case studies. Seismic engineering CIVIL-522 This course deals with the main aspects of seismic design and assessment of buildings including conceptual design. It covers different structural design and evaluation philosophies for new and existing reinforced concrete, steel and unreinforced masonry buildings. Stability of structures CIVIL-409 Advanced topics in structural stability; elastic & inelastic column buckling; lateral-torsional buckling of bridge/plate girders; nonlinear geometric effects; frame stability; computational formulation of stability theory; Geometric stiffness method; Plate buckling; Plastic collapse analysis Awards Special Achievement Award American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) 2025 Raymond C. Reese Research Prize American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) 2022 Outstanding Teaching Award Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) 2021 Walter L. Huber Civil Engineering Research Prize American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) 2019 Christophe Pierre Award for Research Excellence - Early Career McGill University, Montreal, CanadaThe Christophe Pierre Award for Research Excellence recognizes excellence in research by academic staff in the Faculty of Engineering. 2014 State-of-the-Art in Civil Engineering Award ASCE 2013 Outstanding Teaching Award McGill University, Faculty of Engineering 2011