Innovative Solutions in Earthquake Engineering

Dr. Muhammad Farhan bin Mohd Fisol is an academic and researcher specializing in the field of structural engineering, specifically focusing on earthquake engineering and resilient infrastructure. He serves as a Senior Lecturer (DS13) in the Faculty of Civil Engineering (FKA) at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM).

An overview of his academic background, expertise, and research contributions includes:

Academic Profile & Appointment

Dr. Farhan completed his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) at UTM, where his exceptional research and academic journey were highly recognized—including being featured during UTM’s 69th Convocation ceremony for his outstanding achievements. Shortly before wrapping up his doctoral journey, he officially joined the Faculty of Civil Engineering as a Senior Lecturer in July 2025, anchoring himself within the Department of Structures and Materials.

Research Expertise

His core research falls under the Engineering Seismology and Earthquake Engineering Research (eSEER) group. Dr. Farhan’s technical expertise spans several advanced areas of civil engineering:

• Earthquake & Structural Dynamics: Analyzing how buildings and infrastructures withstand seismic forces and cyclic loads.

• Finite Element Analysis (FEA) & Modeling: Simulating structural behaviors under extreme conditions using advanced computational tools.

• Innovative Resilient Systems: Deep structural analysis into Steel Plate Shear Walls (SPSW), coupled shear walls, and optimizing seismic isolators/rubber bearings for bridges.

Notable Grants & Innovation

Dr. Farhan actively drives cutting-edge research aimed at improving structural safety and sustainability. His notable project involvements and grants include:

• UTM New Researcher Grant (Geran Penyelidik Baharu): Investigating the performance assessment of reinforced concrete frames built with offsetting stiffened steel plate shear walls and masonry infill under cyclic loading.

• Government Agency Grant (Lembaga Kenaf dan Tembakau Negara): Researching ways to enhance concrete performance using sustainable Kenaf fiber products under both fire conditions and cyclic loading.

• Intellectual Property: He holds a national copyright for the invention/formulation titled “Design Mix of Heat-Resistant Kenaf Fibre Concrete Grade 40”.

Publications

He has co-authored several highly technical papers presented at international conferences and published in indexed journals (such as AIP Conference Proceedings and IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science). His literature primarily evaluates energy dissipation, structural ductility, and the mechanics of lateral force-resisting systems.