MrZakariya Waezi

Dr. Zakariya Waezi is a structural and earthquake engineering researcher at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand. His research focuses on the seismic performance, nonlinear analysis, and numerical modelling of reinforced concrete (RC) structures, with particular emphasis on the interaction between flexural, shear, and axial responses and the development of advanced computational models for RC structural components.

His doctoral research investigated the seismic behaviour of RC structures considering plastic hinge elongation and led to the development and implementation of the WDHinge family of macro-elements in OpenSees. His work integrates mechanics-based formulations with computational structural analysis to better represent deformation, strength, and damage mechanisms in nonlinear seismic simulations.

His broader research interests include nonlinear finite and macro-element modelling, reinforced concrete walls and frames, plasticity and plastic hinge behaviour, shear-flexure interaction, geometric nonlinearity, and computational methods for seismic assessment of structures. His research aims to advance reliable and computationally efficient numerical approaches for evaluating the seismic response and performance of reinforced concrete structures.