Architect | Civil & Structural Engineer | Heritage and Built Environment Researcher

Sisaynew Tesfaw Admassu

Digital Twins, Structural Engineering, HBIM, Sustainable Construction, Adaptive Reuse and Infrastructure Resilience

I am an architect, civil and structural engineer, and built-environment researcher with experience in structural engineering, university teaching, academic leadership, BIM, heritage conservation, and sustainable adaptive reuse. My work connects architectural thinking, engineering analysis, digital technologies, and heritage research to support resilient and sustainable buildings and infrastructure.

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Professional Summary

A structural engineering profile moving toward digital, sustainable, and heritage-focused research.

I am an architect, civil and structural engineer with a B.Sc. in Civil Engineering from Jimma University and an M.Sc. in Structural Engineering from the University of Pecs, Hungary. My technical foundation covers reinforced concrete, steel and timber structures, structural dynamics, seismic engineering, foundation engineering, and structural retrofitting.

I am currently pursuing Erasmus Mundus Architectural and Urban Contemporary Heritage (ARURCOHE) studies, building an interdisciplinary direction around architecture, contemporary heritage, adaptive reuse, sustainability, structural assessment, and digital documentation of existing buildings.

My professional background also includes university teaching, academic leadership, curriculum work, architectural and structural engineering practice, and project coordination in Ethiopia. This combination gives my portfolio a dual focus: practical engineering delivery and research-led built-environment transformation.

My developing research interests include digital twins, structural health monitoring, finite-element modelling, HBIM, point-cloud-to-BIM workflows, life-cycle assessment, circular construction, and infrastructure resilience.

Experience

Academic leadership, teaching, project management, and civil engineering practice.

10/2023 - 09/2025

Structural Engineer and Project Coordinator

Asefachaw Belete General Contractor

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

  • Coordinated and supervised building and infrastructure projects, including B+G+10 mixed-use and G+6 apartment buildings.
  • Worked on a 24 m span T-girder bridge project with attention to substructure works, earthworks, backfilling, quality control, and site safety.
  • Supervised reinforced concrete works, reinforcement installation, structural drawings, and steel specifications.

May 2022 - August 2023

Project Manager

Woldia University Main Campus Landscape Project

Woldia, Ethiopia

  • Managed a completed campus landscape and infrastructure project with an 8.55 million ETB budget.
  • Coordinated project delivery, documentation, stakeholder communication, and site priorities.
  • Supported quality control and practical implementation of campus infrastructure works.

April 2023 - September 2023

Executive Director, Institute of Technology

Woldia University

Woldia, Ethiopia

  • Supported institutional leadership and technical programme oversight across engineering departments.
  • Coordinated academic operations, quality assurance, and technical review activities.
  • Served in an acting leadership role delegated by the university president.

October 2020 - September 2023

Dean, School of Civil and Water Resources Engineering

Woldia University Institute of Technology

Woldia, Ethiopia

  • Led school-level academic management for civil and water resources engineering programmes.
  • Coordinated technical peer review, curriculum implementation, and multidisciplinary project evaluation.
  • Supported staff, students, and departmental planning within the engineering school.

July 2020 - September 2023

Lecturer, Department of Civil Engineering

Woldia University Institute of Technology

Woldia, Ethiopia

  • Taught civil engineering, structural engineering, mechanics, and computational modelling courses.
  • Assessed student work and supervised undergraduate research and technical projects.
  • Contributed to curriculum work connecting engineering education with heritage and local knowledge.

February 2016 - August 2018

Assistant Lecturer and Department Head

Woldia University Institute of Technology

Woldia, Ethiopia

  • Supported undergraduate teaching and departmental coordination in civil engineering.
  • Prepared engineering teaching materials, documentation, and technical review support.
  • Helped coordinate academic delivery for the civil engineering department.

Projects

Featured engineering, BIM, heritage, adaptive reuse, and research work.

Contact for Project Details
Two three-dimensional steel building models showing different bracing arrangements.Line chart comparing the unbraced building and multiple bracing-system models across ten storeys.Comb and K-bracing elevation drawings above a table of lateral displacement values, with the K-bracing results highlighted.

Structural Engineering

Comparative Evaluation of Bracing Systems for Lateral Loads

Evaluation of lateral load behaviour in a ten-storey steel building using alternative bracing systems.

Role
M.Sc. thesis researcher
Methods
ETABS 2016, Eurocodes, EBCS, drift comparison
View Project

Project overview

The study compared concentric V, chevron, K, and eccentric diagonal bracing systems for a medium-rise steel building.

Context or problem

The engineering problem focused on controlling displacement and storey drift under lateral loading while maintaining practical structural design options.

Objectives

  • Compare bracing arrangements for lateral load resistance.
  • Study displacement and storey drift performance.
  • Connect code-based design decisions with structural behaviour.

Methods and workflow

  • Developed structural models for the selected medium-rise steel building.
  • Applied lateral load cases and compared response indicators.
  • Reviewed performance against code-based design expectations.

Software and tools

  • ETABS 2016
  • Eurocodes
  • EBCS

Key outputs

  • Comparative structural analysis
  • M.Sc. thesis documentation
  • Bracing performance discussion

Results or lessons

Through this project, I strengthened my understanding of lateral systems, steel building response, and evidence-based structural selection.

Gallery

Project images can be added after confirming which visuals are public and non-confidential.

Related documents or publications

DOI link

Contact for further information

Use the contact form

Pile load-settlement curves, skin-friction profiles and diagrams comparing a pile with a pile beneath a slab.Diagrams of pile-soil, pile-pile, raft-soil and pile-raft interactions in a combined piled raft foundation.Foundation-depth settings screenshot showing flat and stepped slab section diagrams.Foundation analysis software screenshot with a coloured settlement contour plot and legend.

Structural Engineering

Combined Piled Raft Foundation for High-Rise Buildings

Course project on piled raft foundation behaviour, soil-structure interaction, and high-rise support systems.

Role
Structural and geotechnical design student
Methods
foundation modelling, geotechnical assessment, ELPLA
View Project

Project overview

The project examined combined piled raft foundation concepts for high-rise building case studies.

Context or problem

High-rise foundations require careful consideration of settlement, stiffness, load transfer, and the interaction between structural and geotechnical systems.

Objectives

  • Assess foundation options for tall building support.
  • Study the behaviour of piled raft systems.
  • Translate geotechnical assumptions into practical design reasoning.

Methods and workflow

  • Reviewed soil and foundation design inputs.
  • Studied load sharing between raft and piles.
  • Prepared engineering documentation for course evaluation.

Software and tools

  • ELPLA
  • foundation design calculations
  • geotechnical interpretation

Key outputs

  • Foundation design study
  • Technical report
  • Soil-structure interaction discussion

Results or lessons

The work reinforced the importance of integrating geotechnical judgement with structural design decisions.

Gallery

Project images can be added after confirming which visuals are public and non-confidential.

Related documents or publications

Available upon request where public sharing is appropriate.

Contact for further information

Use the contact form

Three-dimensional structural model with green columns, yellow beams and red wall elements.Structural model elevation with green columns, yellow beams and a red vertical wall element.Second perspective of a structural model showing green columns, yellow beams and red wall elements.

Sustainability

Structural Retrofitting Techniques

Assessment of strengthening strategies for existing buildings, including jacketing and added shear walls.

Role
Structural assessment and retrofit researcher
Methods
damage assessment, capacity improvement, retrofit comparison
View Project

Project overview

The project evaluated retrofit approaches that improve structural resistance while respecting existing building geometry.

Context or problem

Existing buildings often require strengthening to improve safety, extend service life, or adapt to revised performance expectations.

Objectives

  • Review structural retrofitting alternatives.
  • Compare jacketing and shear wall strategies.
  • Connect retrofit decisions with safety and constructability.

Methods and workflow

  • Identified structural weaknesses and intervention needs.
  • Compared strengthening options for reinforced concrete systems.
  • Prepared design reasoning for practical retrofit decisions.

Software and tools

  • reinforced concrete design
  • seismic safety principles
  • technical review

Key outputs

  • Retrofit strategy comparison
  • Assessment notes
  • Design recommendations

Results or lessons

Through this project, I developed my interest in conservation-compatible strengthening and sustainable reuse of existing structures.

Gallery

Project images can be added after confirming which visuals are public and non-confidential.

Related documents or publications

Available upon request where public sharing is appropriate.

Contact for further information

Use the contact form

Structural Engineering

Structural Design of a G+6 Mixed-Use Building

B.Sc. senior project covering analysis and design of a reinforced concrete mixed-use building.

Role
Civil engineering senior project designer
Methods
SAP2000, EBCS 1995, reinforced concrete design
View Project

Project overview

The project covered the structural design of slabs, staircases, roof truss, frame members, and square footing foundations.

Context or problem

The senior design project connected civil engineering coursework with a complete building design workflow.

Objectives

  • Apply civil engineering design principles to a full building case.
  • Address gravity, wind, and seismic load considerations.
  • Prepare code-based design outputs for the main structural elements.

Methods and workflow

  • Developed the building analysis model and design assumptions.
  • Designed slabs, stairs, frame elements, roof truss, and footings.
  • Checked structural components against EBCS 1995 requirements.

Software and tools

  • SAP2000
  • EBCS 1995
  • reinforced concrete design

Key outputs

  • Building design report
  • Structural calculations
  • Design drawings and checks

Results or lessons

This project established a strong civil engineering design foundation for later structural engineering study.

Gallery

Project images can be added after confirming which visuals are public and non-confidential.

Related documents or publications

Available upon request where public sharing is appropriate.

Contact for further information

Use the contact form

Site visit to the former Marxer pharmaceutical industrial building in Ivrea, with visitors wearing safety helmets and high-visibility vests.Industrial heritage

Adaptive Reuse

Ivrea Marxer Pharmaceutical Industry Adaptive Reuse Design Course

Completed Architectural and Urban Contemporary Heritage (ARURCOHE) design course project on the Marxer pharmaceutical industrial heritage site in Ivrea.

Role
Erasmus Mundus ARURCOHE architecture and heritage design student
Methods
adaptive reuse, heritage documentation, structural condition reading
View Project

Project overview

This completed course project studied how the Marxer pharmaceutical industrial site can be read, conserved, and transformed through adaptive reuse.

Context or problem

The work sits inside the Architectural and Urban Contemporary Heritage (ARURCOHE) study course and connects industrial heritage, structural assessment, conservation strategy, and sustainable transformation.

Objectives

  • Understand the heritage value and material condition of the existing site.
  • Connect structural reading with reuse scenarios.
  • Develop conservation-compatible adaptive reuse thinking.

Methods and workflow

  • Reviewed site context, industrial heritage value, and built fabric.
  • Studied structural condition, accessibility, and reuse potential.
  • Developed design-course proposals through architectural, urban heritage, and ARURCOHE methods.

Tools and skills

  • ARURCOHE design studio methods
  • architectural heritage analysis
  • BIM/HBIM concepts
  • heritage assessment
  • circular reuse principles
  • Adobe Illustrator
  • Adobe InDesign
  • Revit
  • Point Cloud

Key outputs

  • Completed design-course material
  • adaptive reuse concepts
  • heritage and structural reading

Results or lessons

Through this completed design course, I strengthened my research direction in adaptive reuse, HBIM, sustainability, and contemporary built heritage.

Gallery

Site visit to the former Marxer pharmaceutical industrial building in Ivrea, with visitors wearing safety helmets and high-visibility vests.
Industrial heritage site visit
Aerial view of the former Marxer industrial site and its surrounding landscape, with a location marker.
Aerial site context
Adaptive reuse proposal showing a landscape masterplan alongside outdoor recreation spaces and an indoor climbing space.
Adaptive reuse masterplan & design visualizations

Related documents or publications

Available upon request where public sharing is appropriate.

Contact for further information

Use the contact form

Interior of the Irati S.A. coal bunker, showing rows of concrete columns and beams within stone masonry walls.Irati coal bunker inspection collage showing laser alignment, a tripod-mounted instrument, material testing and an infrared thermal image.Irati S.A. coal bunker assessment board with site photographs, non-destructive testing equipment, structural drawings and analytical models.

Heritage

Irati S.A. Factory Coal Bunker Assessment

Adaptive reuse and structural assessment study for a former industrial coal bunker in Navarra, Spain.

Role
Heritage conservation and structural assessment student
Methods
pathology diagnosis, envelope repair, reuse strategy
View Project

Project overview

The project assessed the Irati S.A. coal bunker as part of an industrial heritage reuse study.

Context or problem

The coal bunker required careful reading of structural pathologies, conservation constraints, and possible public reuse scenarios.

Objectives

  • Diagnose structural and envelope pathologies.
  • Evaluate conservation-compatible repair strategies.
  • Connect industrial heritage interpretation with public reuse.

Methods and workflow

  • Reviewed reinforced concrete condition and visible deterioration.
  • Studied facade and roof intervention options.
  • Linked assessment outcomes with reuse and visitor experience ideas.

Software and tools

  • structural assessment
  • NDT principles
  • heritage conservation
  • reuse planning

Key outputs

  • Assessment summary
  • repair strategy
  • adaptive reuse concept

Results or lessons

The project connects structural engineering with heritage conservation and practical transformation of existing industrial fabric.

Gallery

Project images can be added after confirming which visuals are public and non-confidential.

Related documents or publications

Available upon request where public sharing is appropriate.

Contact for further information

Use the contact form

Digital Twin Research case-study building seen from the street, with trees in the foreground.Long facade of the Digital Twin Research case-study building, with rows of windows and a relief on the end wall.Another exterior view of the Digital Twin Research case-study building, showing its entrance and surrounding lawn.

Research

Digital Twin-Based Whole-Life Carbon Assessment for Industrial Heritage Adaptive Reuse

Ongoing master dissertation research developing a Digital Twin-based framework for sustainable adaptive reuse and Whole-Life Carbon assessment of industrial heritage buildings.

Role
Master dissertation researcher
Methods
Digital Twin, HBIM, Life Cycle Assessment, Whole-Life Carbon
View Project

Project overview

This ongoing thesis research investigates how Digital Twin methods, HBIM, and Whole-Life Carbon assessment can support sustainable intervention decisions for industrial heritage buildings.

Context or problem

The pilot case study is the Faculty of Civil Engineering West Wing building at Kaunas University of Technology, a listed industrial heritage asset in Kaunas.

Objectives

  • Develop a Digital Twin-based framework for adaptive reuse decision support.
  • Integrate geometric, material, heritage, and performance-related information through HBIM.
  • Compare adaptive reuse scenarios using Whole-Life Carbon and heritage-retention criteria.

Methods and workflow

  • Reviewing Digital Twin applications in LCA, sustainable renovation, and heritage buildings.
  • Preparing baseline Life Cycle Assessment and Whole-Life Carbon calculations for the pilot building.
  • Developing and comparing conservation-led and sustainable retrofit scenarios.

Software and tools

  • Digital Twin methods
  • HBIM
  • Life Cycle Assessment
  • Whole-Life Carbon
  • scenario comparison

Key outputs

  • Ongoing master dissertation
  • decision-support framework
  • adaptive reuse and carbon-reduction scenarios

Results or lessons

The research connects digital documentation, carbon assessment, circular material use, and conservation-compatible retrofit strategies for industrial heritage buildings.

Gallery

Project images can be added after confirming which visuals are public and non-confidential.

Related documents or publications

Available upon request where public sharing is appropriate.

Contact for further information

Use the contact form

Research Focus

Digital engineering for safer, more sustainable, and more meaningful existing built environments.

Current research direction

I am developing a focused research identity around the integration of architecture, digital twins, structural modelling, HBIM, monitoring data, Whole-Life Carbon assessment, and adaptive reuse. This direction connects architectural heritage thinking, structural engineering judgement, digital documentation, carbon-conscious intervention, and conservation-compatible transformation.

Established experience

Structural engineering, reinforced concrete and steel systems, university teaching, academic leadership, project coordination, and structural assessment of existing buildings.

Current research

Architectural and Urban Contemporary Heritage (ARURCOHE) studies in adaptive reuse, contemporary heritage, Digital Twin methods, HBIM, Whole-Life Carbon assessment, point-cloud documentation, sustainability, and conservation-compatible transformation.

Future PhD direction

Digital twins, structural health monitoring, AI-supported engineering, sustainable construction, adaptive reuse, heritage structures, and infrastructure resilience.

Structural and digital engineering

  • Structural assessment
  • Finite-element modelling
  • Structural health monitoring
  • Digital twins
  • BIM and HBIM

Sustainability and resilience

  • Life-cycle assessment
  • Whole-Life Carbon assessment
  • Circular construction
  • Infrastructure resilience
  • Sustainable adaptive reuse

Heritage and built environment

  • Heritage documentation
  • Point-cloud processing
  • Conservation-compatible interventions
  • Industrial heritage reuse
  • Conflict-damaged heritage

Prospective PhD direction

I am interested in PhD opportunities that connect digital twins, structural health monitoring, AI-supported engineering, sustainable construction, adaptive reuse, heritage structures, and infrastructure resilience.

Publications

Verified research outputs, with public links only where available.

Comparative Evaluation of Concentric Bracing Systems for Lateral Loads on Medium-Rise Steel Building Structures

Authors
Sisaynew Tesfaw Admassu
Journal or source
International Journal of Scientific Research in Science and Technology
Year
2020
Open DOI

High Strength of Concrete by Using Foundry Sand as Fine Aggregate

Authors
Sisaynew Tesfaw Admassu
Journal or source
ResearchGate publication profile
Year
Year to be verified
Open ResearchGate

Teaching & Leadership

Engineering education, curriculum contribution, and academic management.

Academic practice

  • University teaching in civil engineering, structural engineering, mechanics, and computational modelling.
  • Civil engineering curriculum development and technical programme coordination.
  • Departmental leadership as Head of Civil Engineering Department.
  • School-level academic management as Dean of the School of Civil and Water Resources Engineering.
  • Student supervision for undergraduate research, engineering design, and technical project work.

Heritage Curriculum Initiative

At Woldia University, I initiated and led a heritage-related curriculum initiative across Civil Engineering, Architecture, Construction Technology and Management, and Water Resources and Hydraulics Engineering undergraduate departments.

Through this work, I study, research, and transfer knowledge from the UNESCO World Heritage Rock-Hewn Churches of St. Lalibela, including St. Lalibela construction knowledge and design philosophy. I connect this knowledge with technical education, cultural preservation, architectural understanding, and future engineering practice.

Woldia University course outline for Engineering Perspective of St. Lalibela Rock-Hewn Churches, alongside annotated photographs of rock-hewn architecture.
Curriculum documentation
A rock-hewn church in Lalibela with carved stone facades and architectural details.
Lalibela rock-hewn heritage
Sisaynew visiting Lalibela, seated in front of a rock-hewn church with carved windows and stone walls.
Heritage visit in Lalibela

Extra Curricula

Summer Volunteering & Community Service

Debre Tabor, Ethiopia | 2013–2014

Actively participated in summer volunteer campaigns and community service initiatives, contributing to environmental sanitation, local development, and community welfare activities. Also participated in a summer campaign at Theodoros II Secondary Preparatory School.

Received three certificates of recognition for dedication, active participation, and commitment to voluntary community service.

Role: Community Volunteer

Skills: Community Engagement, Teamwork, Environmental Sanitation, Social Responsibility, and Community Development.

Technical Skills

Scannable technical toolkit for engineering, research, BIM, and digital workflows.

Structural Engineering

  • ETABS
  • Autodesk Robot Structural Analysis
  • Abaqus
  • ANSYS
  • Structural modelling
  • Finite-element analysis
  • SAP2000

BIM and Design

  • Revit
  • AutoCAD
  • ArchiCAD
  • BIM coordination
  • HBIM
  • Rhino 3D and Grasshopper

Reality Capture and Point Clouds

  • Autodesk ReCap
  • CloudCompare
  • Agisoft Metashape
  • E57 and RCP workflows
  • Point-cloud-to-BIM
  • LiDAR documentation

Sustainability and Building Performance

  • Life-cycle assessment
  • Operational and embodied carbon
  • Indoor environmental quality
  • Thermal performance
  • Adaptive reuse analysis

Data and Digital Tools

  • Python
  • MATLAB
  • SQL
  • QGIS
  • Digital-twin workflows
  • AI fundamentals
  • Machine learning foundations

Core Competencies

  • Structural dynamics
  • Reinforced concrete structures
  • Steel and timber structures
  • Foundation engineering
  • Seismic engineering
  • Structural retrofitting
  • Traditional architecture
  • Architectural and urban contemporary heritage
  • 20th-century contemporary built heritage architecture

Contact

Contact me for research, engineering collaboration, recruitment, PhD supervision, or CV requests.