Dr. L. Tirca

Dr. Lucia Tirca, Assistant Professor
Department of Building, Civil & Environmental Engineering
E-mail.
Telephone: 514-848-2424 Ext 7924
Fax: 514-848-7965

Mailing address
Dept. of Building, Civil & Environmental Engineering
Concordia University, Rm: EV-6.211
1455 de Maisonneuve Blvd. West
Montréal, Québec, Canada, H3G 1M8

Office location
1515 St. Catherine W.
Rm: EV-6.211
Montréal, Québec, Canada, H3G 2W1
(Metro: Guy-Concordia - Guy Exit)

Biography

Dr. Lucia Tirca joined the Department of Building, Civil and Environmental Engineering as an Assistant Professor in 2008. After she was awarded the Ph.D. degree in Civil (Structural) Engineering from Technical University of Civil Engineering, Bucharest, Romania (2001), she was a postdoctoral fellow at École Polytechnique de Montréal (2002-2003). During her engineering career, Dr. Tirca received a number of prestigious awards. As a researcher she was awarded the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) pre-doctoral Fellowship (2000) held at Nihon University, Tokyo, Japan and European Tempus Fellowship (1998, 1997, and 1996) held at Royal Technical University, Stockholm, Sweden, University of Barcelona, Spain, and University Federico II, Naples, Italy. As a designer she was rewarded with the “Mention Honorifique CANAM” (2007) for the project “AVON Canada”, Point Claire, Quebec and the European “Venice Biennials Prize” (1996) for the project ’’The Hay Market’’ Timisoara, Romania. Her research interests include seismic retrofit and rehabilitation of existing steel structures, design of steel structures with different dissipation devices, structural dynamics and earthquake engineering. Dr. Tirca has several years of practical experience in structural and consulting engineering in Canada and Europe.

She is a member of Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec and a Design Verification Engineer certified by the Ministry of Public Work in Romania (1994). Dr. Tirca has authored/coauthored about thirty articles in technical journals and conferences proceedings, as well as a number of technical reports. Her teaching, research and design philosophy is based on the belief that “Structural engineering is the art of using materials to build real structures, to withstand forces so that our responsibility with respect to public safety is satisfied.” (quoted from an unknown source)

Currently, opportunities exist for M.A.Sc. Research and M.Eng. projects.

Research

• Design Buildings to Withstand Seismic Forces
• Design Steel Structures with Different Dissipation Devices
• Seismic Retrofit and Rehabilitation of Existing Steel Structures
• Structural Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering

Teaching

Fall/Winter 2008-2009 (websites for the courses can be accessed through MyConcordia Portal)

• Structural Analysis I (BCEE 342/2 )
• Design of Steel Structure (CIVI 454/4)
• Mechanics of Materials (ENGR 244/4-V)

Publications

• L.Tirca, S. Lorenzo, J. Estok, T. Pall “Seismic Retrofit of a 10-storey Condominium Building with Pall Friction Dampers”, in proceedings of The 9th Canadian Conference on Earthquake Engineering, Ottawa, Canada, June 2007, Paper No. 1016.

• L. Tirca, R. Tremblay “Influence of building height and ground motion type on the seismic behaviour of zipper concentrically braced steel frames” in proceedings of The 13th World Conference on Earthquake Engineering, Vancouver, Canada, August 2004, Paper No. 2894.

• R. Tremblay, L. Tirca “Seismic performance of multi-storey zipper steel braced frames for mitigation soft-storey response” in proceedings of The 4th International Conference STESSA’2003, Naples, Italy, edited by F. M. Mazzolani. Balkema, ISBN 90 5809 577 0.

• R. Tremblay, L.Tirca “Flexural demand on partially-encased composite columns in multi-storey concentrically steel braced frames” in proceedings of The 4th International Conference STESSA’2003, Naples, Italy, edited by F. M. Mazzolani. Balkema, ISBN 90 5809 577 0.

• L. Tirca, D. Foti, M. Diaferio “Response of middle-rise steel frames with and without passive dampers to near-field ground motion” in Engineering Structures Journal, Vol. 25, No2, 2003, pp169-179.

• L.Tirca “Response of Steel MRFs Structures to Near-Field Ground Motions” in proceedings of The 1st International Conference on Steel & Composite Structures, Korea, June 2001, Edited by Chang-Koon Choi & Hyo-Gyoung Kwak,Vol II, pp 1629-1637, ed.Techno-Press, ISBN 89-89693-02-0 94530.

• V. Gioncu, G. Mateescu, L. Tirca & A. Anastasiadis “ Influence of the type of seismic ground motions” in the volume ’’Moment resistant connections of steel building frames in seismic areas’’ Edited F.M. Mazzolani, E & FN Spon, London, 2000, pp57-92, ISBN 0-415-23577-4;

• L.Tirca “Behaviour of Steel MRFs subjected to pulse seismic input” in proceedings of The 9th International Conference on Metal Structures, Timisoara, 2000, Edited by M. Ivan, ISBN 973-8109-17-5, pp 494-501.

• L. Tirca “The effect of Romanian shallow earthquakes on steel structure” in AGIR Bulletin, Vol. 4, pp 2-12, 2000, ed.AGIR Bucharest, Romania.

• L.Tirca “Behaviour of MRFs subjected to near-field earthquakes” in proceedings of The 3rd International Conference STESSA ’2000, Montreal, edited by F.M. Mazzolani, R. Tremblay, Balkema, ISBN 90-5809-130-9, pp635-643.

• L. Tirca, V. Gioncu “Ductility demands for MRFs and LL-EBFs for different earthquake types” in proceedings of The 6th International Colloquium on Stability & Ductility of Steel Structures, Timisoara 1999, edited by D. Dubina, M. Ivanyi, ISBN 0-08-043016-3, Elsevier, pp.429-438.

• V. Gioncu, L. Tirca, V. Gaivoronschi, I. Andreescu “A light weight structures for a market roof in Timisoara” in New technologies and structures in civil engineering – Case studies on Remarkable Constructions, Edited by D. Dubina, I. Vayas, V. Ungureanu, 1998, ISBN 973 9400-40-X, pp31-43;

• L. Tirca, V. Gioncu “The effects of horizontal and vertical ground motion near and far field regions” in proceedings of The second International Ph.D. Symposium, Budapest, 1998.

• L. Tirca, V. Gioncu, F.M. Mazzolani “Design criteria demands for earthquake resistant steel structures” in proceedings of The 8th International conference in Metal Structures, 1997, Timisoara.

• V. Gioncu, L.Tirca “Structural morphology of hybrid tensioned membranes” in proceedings of The International Colloquium - Structural morphology – towards the new millennium’’, Nottingham, 1997, ISBN 0-85358-064-2, pp 324-332.

• V. Gioncu, L.Tirca “Morphology, modelling, and design philosophy of braced steel frames” in proceedings of The International Colloquium - Structural morphology – towards the new millennium, Nottingham, 1997, ISBN 0-85358-064-2, pp308-315.

• L. Tirca, V. Gioncu, F.M. Mazzolani “5-storeys steel moment resisting frame” in the volume Design of structures in seismic zones. Eurocode 8 - Worked examples, Edited by: D. Lungu, F.M. Mazzolani & S. Savidis, 1997, ISBN 9630483866, pp230-281.

• V. Gioncu, L.Tirca “Comparison between experimental and calculation results in rotation capacity of steel beams” in proceedings of Colloque scientifique EC’ 97-Comparison entre les resultats Experimentaux et les resultats de Calcul dans le domaine du Genie Civil’’, Strasbourg, 1997, Vol.2, ISBN 2-9509268-3-5.

• L.Tirca,V. Gioncu F.M. Mazzolani “Influence of design criteria for multi-storey steel MR frames” in proceedings of The Second International Conference STESSA’97, Kyoto, 1997, edited by F.M. Mazzolani, H. Akiyama, ISBN 88-85651-76-3, pp266-277.

• L.Tirca – “Some Principles of regular lattice plates design” 1997, Ed. Polytechnic University Timisoara, 80pages.

• L. Tirca., G. Ciuhandu, V. Gioncu “New approaches concerning steel structures behaviour in seismic area” in AICPS Bulletin, no 2-3, pp31-44, 1996, ed. AICPS Bucharest.

• V.Gioncu. L.Tirca “New concept in seismic design of steel space structures” in proceedings of IASS Symposium - Conceptual design of Structures, Stuttgart, 1996.

• V. Gioncu, L.Tirca, H. Durr, R. Essrich “Tensioned membrane design for a market in Timisoara” in proceedings of IASS Symposium - Conceptual design of Structures, Stuttgart, 1996.

• V. Gioncu. L.Tirca “Rotation capacity of rectangular hollow section beams” in proceedings of The 7th International Symposium on Tubular Structures, Miskolc, Hungary, 1996, edited by J. Farkas & K. Jarmai, Balkema, ISBN 90 5410 8282 .

• V. Gioncu, L.Tirca, D. Petcu “Interaction between in plane and out plane plastic bucking of wide flange section members” in proceedings of Coupled instabilities in metal structures- CIMS 96’’, Liege, 1996, Edited by J. Rondal, D. Dubina, V. Gioncu, ISBN 1-86094-033-1, pp 273-281.

• V. Gioncu, L.Tirca “Correlation between experimental data and numerical results in ductility of steel members” in proceedings of The International Conference on Material Engineering, Gallipoli – Lecce, Italy, 1996, vol. I pp 270-278.

• L. Tirca, V. Gioncu “About some principles of buildings refurbishment in seismic areas” in the International workshop proceedings: ’’Buildings refurbishment in seismic areas’’, Tihany, Hungary, 1996, vol. I, p. 145-152.

• L. Tirca, V. Gioncu “Rotation capacity of beams and beam-columns” in proceedings of The International Colloquium on Stability of Steel Structures, Budapest, Hungary, 1995;