Director of Engineering Dr. Ziad Azzi Serves as Judge and Mentor for High School Competition
MIAMI — DDA Forensics sponsored the annual Florida International University (FIU) Wall of Wind (WOW) Mitigation Challenge, where Director of Engineering Dr. Ziad Azzi served as a judge and mentor. The event took place March 19 at the NSF-NHERI Wall of Wind at FIU’s Engineering & Computing Center in Miami.
The WOW Challenge is a hands-on, judged competition that engages South Florida high school students in real-world engineering applications. Teams are tasked with developing innovative mitigation concepts within guidelines established by the WOW research team, applying principles of wind engineering, structural design, and aerodynamics.
This year’s objective was to reduce the wind-induced force on a building’s foundation by optimizing its overall shape. Teams of students were tasked with developing a design that would improve a tall building’s aerodynamic performance, creating a model representing a tall building. The tall building models were tested by the NSF-NHERI Wall of Wind at FIU to evaluate the effectiveness of the design. The competition required a written technical paper, an oral presentation, and a physical wind test of a building model by the NSF-NHERI Wall of Wind.
“It’s always meaningful to return to my alma mater and see firsthand how high school students are applying real-world wind engineering principles to their designs. From incorporating aerodynamics to exploring techniques like chamfered and rounded corners to reduce wind loads, these students are tackling the same challenges faced by today’s structural and wind engineering professionals,” said Azzi.
The WOW facility enables researchers to better understand wind effects on civil infrastructure systems and to prevent wind hazards from becoming community disasters. It is the largest and most powerful university research facility of its kind and is capable of simulating a Category 5 hurricane with winds over 157 mph. It includes 12 very large electric fan motors that are used to test structures, materials, and products and their ability to withstand hurricane-force winds.
“Events like this highlight the importance of investing in STEM education and creating opportunities for high school students to engage with these concepts in a practical and exciting way,” said Azzi.
Azzi, a graduate of the Wind Engineering Ph.D. program at the FIU’s Wall of Wind, brings extensive research and industry experience to the competition. He was previously an adjunct professor at FIU in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, teaching undergraduate and graduate-level design courses, and served as a research scientist at the facility. He has published numerous articles and conference papers in prestigious journals as well as delivered lectures and presentations on the wind flow and wind effects on structures.
The challenge is hosted by the FIU International Hurricane Research Center (IHRC) and FIU Extreme Events Institute (EEI) with grant support from the Florida Division of Emergency Management.
“DDA Forensics is proud to support initiatives like the WOW Challenge that foster innovation, promote resilience in the built environment, and inspire the next generation of engineers,” said Jonathon Diego, Managing Partner, DDA Forensics.
About DDA Forensics
DDA Forensics provides forensic engineering, building consulting and expert witness services for attorneys and insurance carriers throughout Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Texas. We specialize in evaluating and determining the cause of property damage and failures for residential and commercial structures. With over 20 years of experience, the most advanced education, certifications and technologies, we provide objective and accurate forensic investigations that yield clear, concise, conclusive results. Learn more at bjavronf.elementor.cloud/.
About the Wall of Wind (WOW) Facility
The NHERI Wall of Wind (WOW) Experimental Facility (EF) at Florida State University (FIU) is a state-of-the-art research facility funded by the National Science Foundation. It allows researchers to better understand the wind effects on civil infrastructure systems and helps prevent wind hazards from turning into community disasters. This world-class facility provides an exceptional opportunity for professionals in the insurance and legal sectors to learn how scientific advancements can shape the way property claims and litigation are managed in the aftermath of natural disasters. Learn more at https://fiu.designsafe-ci.org/.
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