About

Computational mechanician and earthquake engineer specialising in nonlinear finite element methods and the C++ development of constitutive models and elements for OpenSees. Doctoral work delivered new, experimentally validated numerical models for high-fidelity simulation of seismic soil–structure interaction and earthquake-induced pounding in historical masonry structures, using mixed implicit–explicit integration in OpenSees. Current work develops code-compliant ground-motion selection for base-isolated reinforced-concrete structures and a validated pinching RC hinge model in OpenSees, building toward a longer-term aim of experimentally grounded vibration control of architectured systems. Recognised with an MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship Seal of Excellence.

Research Interests

• Bi-stable metamaterials in structural vibration control
• Applied mathematics; finite element method theory & applications
• Parallel & high-performance computing in C++
• Cyclic constitutive modelling of materials — sands, clays, masonry, reinforced concrete
• Numerical modelling of experiments — shake-table, quasi-static cyclic, centrifuge liquefaction

Education

• Ph.D., Earthquake Engineering, IUSS Pavia and University of Pavia, Italy (2025) PhD THESIS
• M.S., Earthquake Engineering and Engineering Seismology, IUSS Pavia (Italy) and Université Grenoble Alpes (France) — Erasmus Mundus MEEES (2019) MSc THESIS
• B.S., Civil Engineering (with Honours), TED University, Ankara, Türkiye (2017)

OpenSees Implementations

• Akan, O.D. PIMYimplex & PDMY02implex: implicit–explicit versions of the multi-yield surface soil models (extensions of UCSD models by Z. Yang). Implemented in OpenSees in 2023 as part of PhD thesis work. The material models will be made publicly available following the publication of the corresponding journal paper.
• Akan, O.D., Petracca, M. ZeroLengthContactASDimplex contact mechanics element. Implemented in OpenSees 2021. Publicly available after OpenSees version 3.3. Documentation

Peer-reviewed Journal Articles

• Akan, O.D., O'Reilly, G.J., & Monteiro, R. (2022). Simplified modelling and pushover analysis of infilled frame structures accounting for strut flexibility. Earthquake Engineering & Structural Dynamics, 51(6), 1383–1409. doi:10.1002/eqe.3620 Full text

Under Review

• Akan, O.D., Petracca, M., Camata, G., Spacone, E., Lai, C.G., Tamagnini, C. IMPL-EX formulation for the seismic pounding simulation in masonry structures. Engineering Structures.
• Akan, O.D., Petracca, M., Camata, G., Lai, C.G., Spacone, E., Tamagnini, C. An efficient finite element framework for nonlinear seismic soil–foundation–structure interaction in masonry structures. Soil Dynamics & Earthquake Engineering.

In Preparation

• Akan, O.D., Petracca, M., Camata, G., Spacone, E., Lai, C.G., Tamagnini, C. High-fidelity nonlinear dynamic analysis of masonry structures: seismic assessment, energy dissipation, and modelling implications. Bulletin of Earthquake Engineering.
• Akan, O.D., Camata, G., Lai, C.G., Spacone, E., Tamagnini, C. Seismic pounding and soil–structure interaction of heritage masonry towers: effects of structural tying on settlements and masonry damage. International Journal of Architectural Heritage.

Conference Contributions

• Akan, O.D., Camata, G., Spacone, E., Lai, C.G., & Tamagnini, C. (2026). Impact of 3D seismic soil–foundation–structure interaction on damage and settlement patterns of a masonry tower in southern Italy. 21st ICSMGE 2026, Vienna, Austria. Paper Poster
• Kallioras, S., Akan, O.D., Graziotti, F., & Penna, A. (2026). Sustainable mass-timber retrofit for heritage masonry structures. 18th European Conference on Earthquake Engineering (ECEE 2026), Berlin, Germany.
• Akan, O.D., Petracca, M., Camata, G., Lai, C.G., Spacone, E., & Tamagnini, C. (2024). 3D modeling of masonry tower soil–structure interaction in OpenSees using mixed implicit–explicit material integration. CompDSSI 2024, Assisi, Italy. Paper
• Akan, O.D., Camata, G., Lai, C.G., & Spacone, E. (2023). Micro-mechanically enhanced multi-yield surface modeling of drained sand behavior in dynamic boundary value problems. Poster at 34th ALERT Geomaterials Workshop, Aussois, France. Abstract Poster
• Akan, O.D., Bilgin, G., Ertuğrul, Z. (2018). Advantages of industry–academia partnerships for the development of professional competences in civil engineering. PAEE/ALE 2018, Brasília, Brazil. Paper

Teaching & Outreach

• Seminar — The Good, the Bad, and the IMPL-EX: Finite Element Modelling of Seismic Pounding in Masonry

  University of Chieti–Pescara, Apr 2026

• Presentation — Impact of Seismic Input Selection Criteria (UHS vs. CMS) on the Nonlinear Response of RC Structures

  ReLUIS WP.18, INGV Milan, Mar 2026 Poster

• Tutorial — Beam-Column Element Integration in OpenSees: Modelling of a Cyclic Column Experiment

  with Prof. E. Spacone, University of Chieti–Pescara, Jul 2025

• Invited Webinar — Modelling of Bolted Steel Connections and Local Buckling in STKO for OpenSees

  ASDEA, Jun 2025

  International online audience Recording

• TA in Reinforced Concrete Structures

  Instructor: Güney Özcebe (2019)

  IUSS Pavia, ROSE Master curriculum

• TA in Seismic Hazard & Engineering Seismology

  Instructor: Valerio Poggi (2019)

  IUSS Pavia, ROSE Master curriculum

• TA in NHERI-SimCenter Programming Bootcamp

  Instructors: Peter Mackenzie-Helnwein & Frank McKenna (2022)

  Python, C/C++, MPI, OpenMP, Unix

• Tutor & Lab Assistant

  TED University, Ankara (2014–2017)

  Undergraduate physics tutoring, Hydromechanics laboratory

Awards & Fellowships

• MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship — Seal of Excellence (2025)

  Proposal RESONATE

• MIUR PhD Fellowship

  Italian Ministry of Universities & Research, four-year doctoral funding

• Erasmus Mundus Tuition Waiver

  MEEES Programme

• BSc Civil Engineering with Honours (2017)

  TED University — 2nd-highest GPA in department; merit tuition waiver, 2015–2017