Spectral Parameterization for Digitization and High-Fidelity Simulations of Stone Masonry Microstructures
Abstract
Recently, spectral parameterization approaches have been increasingly used to study the morphology of particulate microstructures in civil engineering materials, such as stone masonry and concrete. Recent developments extend these methods beyond morphological analysis to enable digitization, remeshing, and reconstruction of complex particulate microstructures and their digital twins.
In this talk, I present recent advances in spectral parameterization for digitizing microstructures and integrating them into high-fidelity numerical simulations. I then highlight ongoing work on high-fidelity spectral Galerkin formulations for arbitrary microstructures. Moreover, I showcase a community-driven, high-performance libharmonics library that serves as a container and educational tool for current and upcoming spectral methods. Finally, I briefly discuss emerging applications of spectral methods in civil and mechanical engineering.
Short Bio
Mahmoud Shaqfa completed his PhD at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, conducting research at the Earthquake Engineering and Structural Dynamics Laboratory under the supervision of Katrin Beyer (2018–2022).
In 2023, he was awarded PostDoc.Mobility Grant by the Swiss National Science Foundation and joined the van Rees Laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, led by Wim van Rees. From February to September 2025, he worked as a scientist with Josip Atalić at the Croatian Centre for Earthquake Engineering, University of Zagreb.
He is currently a postdoctoral researcher at ETH Zürich, Department of Mathematics (D-MATH), Seminar for Applied Mathematics (SAM), under the supervision of Ralf Hiptmair and Habib Ammari, supported by an SNSF Return Grant.
Recently, spectral parameterization approaches have been increasingly used to study the morphology of particulate microstructures in civil engineering materials, such as stone masonry and concrete. Recent developments extend these methods beyond morphological analysis to enable digitization, remeshing, and reconstruction of complex particulate microstructures and their digital twins.
In this talk, I present recent advances in spectral parameterization for digitizing microstructures and integrating them into high-fidelity numerical simulations. I then highlight ongoing work on high-fidelity spectral Galerkin formulations for arbitrary microstructures. Moreover, I showcase a community-driven, high-performance libharmonics library that serves as a container and educational tool for current and upcoming spectral methods. Finally, I briefly discuss emerging applications of spectral methods in civil and mechanical engineering.
Short Bio
Mahmoud Shaqfa completed his PhD at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, conducting research at the Earthquake Engineering and Structural Dynamics Laboratory under the supervision of Katrin Beyer (2018–2022).
In 2023, he was awarded PostDoc.Mobility Grant by the Swiss National Science Foundation and joined the van Rees Laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, led by Wim van Rees. From February to September 2025, he worked as a scientist with Josip Atalić at the Croatian Centre for Earthquake Engineering, University of Zagreb.
He is currently a postdoctoral researcher at ETH Zürich, Department of Mathematics (D-MATH), Seminar for Applied Mathematics (SAM), under the supervision of Ralf Hiptmair and Habib Ammari, supported by an SNSF Return Grant.
Practical information
- Informed public
- Free
Organizer
- EESD Lab
Contact
- Dr Igor Tomic & Prof. Katrin Beyer