DLSU CE Faculty and Students at ASEP CASTED 2020 Virtual Conference

 

ASEP Officers and Conference Chairs

DLSU CE Faculty and students participated at the 2nd International Conference on Concrete And Steel Technology, Engineering and Design (CASTED2020)which banners the theme, “Casted in Concrete and Steel for Resiliency and Sustainability,” a virtual conference hosted by the Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines (ASEP) and supported by the Philippine Group of the International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering (IABSE), held on October 22-24, 2020 via Zoom and Stream Yard platform.

Dr. Lessandro Garciano (Prof., ASEP Tresurer) served as over-all  CASTED2020 conference vice-chair. Dr. Rodolfo Mendoza, Jr. (Assoc Prof. Lecturer, ASEP Director) served as chair of the CASTED2020 Technical Committee with Dr. Andres Oreta (Prof, ASEP Fellow) as Vice Chair. Members of the various committees are Dr. Bernardo Lejano (Prof),  Engr. Adam Abinales (Prof. Lecturer) and Engr. Erick Sison (Prof. Lecturer). Garciano, Mendoza, Abinales,  Sison and Oreta also served a session chairs in the keynote sessions of the conference.

The papers presented by DLSU Faculty and students are as follows:

• Comparative Study of Ferro-cement wall system, fibre reinforced wall system and tradional wall system (CHB) – Vincent Pilien (PhD Student)
• Performance of FRP-confined concrete under elevated temperature – Dr. Rodolfo Mendoza, Jr with co-authors Emmanuel Emman Endaya (MSCE student) and Andres Winston Oreta
• Experimental investigation of cracks in concrete with volcanic ash as an additive by ultrasonic pulse – Stephen John Clemente (PhD student)
• Investigation of the effect of optimized RHA and crumb waste rubber tires to concrete’s microstructure and mechanical performance - Richard De Jesus (Asst. Prof.) with co-authors: Carmela Isberto and Janne Marielle Landicho (BSCE Students)

Garciano (Right)

Abinaes (Left)

Oreta (Right)

Mendoza

DLSU Civil Engineering graduate students participate in the Sakura Science Exchange Program 2017

Five graduate students in Civil Engineering of DLSU participated in the Japan-Asia Youth Exchange Program 2017 (Sakura Exchange Program in Science). Tokyo City University (TCU) hosted the delegates at their Setagaya Campus from October 9 to 16, 2017. Dr. Lessandro Garciano, Chair of the Civil Engineering Department of DLSU accompanied the students during this exchange. Being an alumnus of TCU, Dr. Garciano introduced the students to the different professors and laboratories of the urban and civil engineering department of TCU.

The student contingent included Randy B. Salazar (MS CE), Erjosh O. Salvame (BS/MS CE), John Carlo R. Samarita (BS/MS CE), Jomari F. Tan (BS/MS CE) and Rainier Lawrence A. Valdez (BS/MS CE).

DLSU delegates arrive in Tokyo

The program commenced with a welcome address from Dr. Koji Homma, followed by a primer on history of TCU by Dr. Toshio Kinoshita. Professor Osamu Maruyama, Chair of the Civil Engineering Department of TCU, also gave a discussion on the week-long activity. The entire program focused on a collaborative research activity between DLSU and TCU wherein each DLSU student is paired with a TCU faculty adviser to conduct a short-term research on a pre-determined topic. The themes of the research activity are the following:

·         Disaster mitigation and reduction engineering

Prof. Ikumasa Yoshida

·         Structural and safety engineering

Prof. Osamu Maruyama and Prof. Hiromi Shirahata

·         Geotechnical and geo-environmental engineering

Prof. Kazuya Itoh)

·         Water environmental engineering

Prof. Takahito Mikami

The DLSU contingent were also accompanied by select TCU students and faculty to a campus tour which showcased various facilities in the university including the engineering laboratories where the short-term researches will be conducted for the remaining duration of the program.

To balance with the fast-paced research engagements, TCU students accompanied DLSU students to a tour in Tokyo, visiting city sights in Shibuya and Akihabara.

DLSU delegates and TCU students visit Akihabara "Electric Town"

The exchange program also included site visit at Tokyu Construction Institute of Technology where breakthrough researches in structural integrity and construction methodologies are developed. Several features exhibited in this tour included the shaking table, reaction wall, artificial weather simulator, wind tunnel, and the variable guide frame for tunnel inspection.

Wind tunnel at Tokyu Research Institute

The highlight of the Exchange Program was the presentation of the short-term researches conducted by DLSU graduate students in the respective laboratories. Each student was allotted fifteen minutes to present the work they have done and five minutes for the Q&A forum.

A certificate of achievement from the Japan Science and Technology Agency and TCU was given to each participant (including Dr. Garciano) after the presentations. This certificate also meant entry into the Sakura Science Club.

The program ended with a farewell party attended by faculty and students from both universities.

Write-up by: Jomari F. Tan

DLSU MSCE Offshore Program research papers presented at SLU Research Forum

The presenters in the SLU 1st CE Research Forum - DLSU Faculty and DLSU MSCE Graduates 

The CHED-funded DLSU Civil Engineering MSCE Offshore Program with St. Louis University (SLU) College of Engineering culminated with a Research Forum organized by SLU last Oct 28, 2017.

Ten out of the 12 graduate students in the batch of the offshore program - all CE faculty members coming from various schools in the North - SLU, Univ. of the Cordilleras (UC), Pangasinan State Univ. (PSU), Univ. of Pangasinan (UPang), Mariano Marcos State Univ. (MMSU), Cagayan State University (CSU) and Tarlac State Univ. (TSU) -  completed the requirements and graduated MSCE  during the Graduation Ceremonies held last Oct. 14, 2017. Nine papers based on the thesis of the MSCE students were presented:

1. Comparison of trip attraction between schools and malls in the city of Dagupan - John Zamora (UPang) and Dr. Alexis Fillone (DLSU Adviser)
2. Development of a seismic evacuation safety index for public schools - Jan mae Carino (SLU) and Dr. Lessandro Garciano (DLSU Adviser)
3. Public utility jeepney demand and supply analysis: The case of Baguio City, Philippines - Lovely Ranosa (SLU) and  Dr. Alexis Fillone (DLSU Adviser)
4. Flood  risk-based analysis and its impact to the strawberry fields of La Trinidad, Benguet - Dexter Hansel Apnoyan (UC) and Dr. Renan Tanhueco (DLSU Adviser)
5. Post-disaster functional asset vlaue of school buildings - Rizalyn Ullumin (PSU) and Dr. Andres Oreta (DLSU Adviser)
6. Tourist spot choice analysis in Sagada, Mountain Province and Banaue, Ifugao - Jan Nicholas Baldo (UC) and Dr. Alexis Fillone (DLSU Adviser)
7. Post-earthquake recovery strategy of a water distribution network: Case of La Trinidad, Benguet - Janice Kaye Aquino (SLU) and Dr. Lessandro Garciano (DLSU Adviser)
8. Slope stability assessment of Carabao Mountain in Baguio City - Eleazar Santaigo (SLU) and Dr. Mary Ann Adajar (DLSU Adviser)
9. Optimization of mix proportion of compressed earth blocks with rice straw using ANN - Emerson Gapuz (SLU) and Dr. Jason Maximino Ongpeng (DLSU Adviser)

Dr. Lessandro Garciano (CE Dept. chair), Dr. Alexis Fillone (TRE Division head) and Dr. Andres Oreta (STE Professor) attended the forum. Dr. Garciano delivered the welcome remarks and presented the research themes of undergrad and graduate themes at DLSU. Dr. Fillone promoted the CE Graduate Programs at DLSU, while Dr. Oreta presented the paper (#5) in behalf of Engr. Illumin who is  now in Tokyo, Japan pursuing a Master's in Disaster Management. 

The DLSU faculty held a meeting with SLU Dean Posadas and SLU faculty to explore the possibility of an Off-site program for PhD students.  Moreover, SLU consulted the DLSU faculty on how DLSU can support SLU's  new CHED-funded M.S. program in DRRM to be offered in 2018 with Conventry Univ of UK. 

Dr. Lessandro Garciano and Engr. Janice Kaye Aquino (SLU)

Dr. Alexis Fillone

Engr. Dexter Apnoyan (UC)

Engr. Lovely Ranosa (SLU)

TRE Graduate Student won Best Paper Award in the 12th EASTS International Conference

Engr. Krister Ian Daniel Roquel with his best paper award

Mr. Krister Ian Roquel, a PhD student of the Transportation Engineering Division, Civil Engineering Department, was given the Outstanding Paper Award for his presentation entitled, “Freight Transport Infrastructure Development Assessment Using an Inoperability Input-Output Model” during the 12^th Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies (EASTS) International Conference in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam last Sept. 18-21, 2017. The paper is co-authored by his advisers Dr. Alexis Fillone, Civil Engineering Department and Dr. Krista Yu, Economics Department. The rest of the papers from DLSU that were presented are

·      Abad, Raymund Paolo B. “Estimating Bus Dwell Time using Artificial Neural Networks”; “Vulnerability Assessment of Alternate Traffic Routes to Flooding in Metro Manila, Philippines”, co-authored by Dr. A. M. Fillone

·      Baldo, Jan Nicholas S. – “Characterizing Tourism Accessibility of Sagada, Mountain Province ang Banaue, Ifugao, Philippines”, co-authored by Dr. A. M. Fillone

·      Fillone, Alexis M. – “Modeling Students’ Travel Behavior During Class Suspension Due to Bad Weather”, co-authored by Mr. L. S. Ibasco

·      Rañosa, Lovely L. – “Jeepney Service Operation and Demand in Baguio City, Philippines”, co-authored by Dr. A.M. Fillone and Dr. M. de Guzman (St. Louis University); “Providers’ and Users’ Assessment of Public Transport and Facilities: Baguio City, Philippines”, co-authored by Dr. A.M. Fillone, Dr. J.M.B. Biona, Miss C.M. Villaraza, and Dr. D. Guillen

·      Zamora, John T. – “Comparison of Trip Attraction Between a Mall and a School in the City of Dagupan, Philippines”, co-authored by Dr. A.M. Fillone

The theme of the 12^th International Conference of EASTS, is “Safe, Green and Integrated Transport” with more than 500 paper and poster presentations and attended by 800 participants mostly coming from Asian countries.

Philippine Delegation at the 12^th EASTS International Conference with EASTS Board members

The day earlier, September 17, 2017, graduate students from the Transportation Engineering Division of the Civil Engineering Department also attended the First Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies (EASTS) PhD and Early Career Researcher (ECR) Accelerator Forum at the Sheraton Saigon Hotel & Towers, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The forum was a joint effort of the Women in Transport Leadership (WiTL) and EASTS – Vietnam, funded by the Australia-ASEAN Council of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and EASTS. Participants in the workshop included PhD students and ECRs from Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam, while key researchers and experts in transportation and related fields served as their mentors.

First EASTS PhD and ECR Accelerator Forum Participants