2025

Upcoming Congress! 10-11 November 2025

Further information: Click Here. Watch the video (Matias and Daniel invites you to join): Click here.

The first Structural Engineering Congress organised by IABSE Ecuador 2025, will take place on 10-11 November 2025. Organized by the national chapter of IABSE (International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering), in collaboration with the Civil Engineering programs at Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ) and Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL). The main goal of this event is to promote the dissemination and exchange of knowledge related to structural design of buildings and bridges, as well as to encourage research discussions in areas relevant to structural engineering. The inaugural edition of the IABSE Ecuador 2025 Congress will take place in Quito, Ecuador, at the campus of Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ).

Onsite Lecture by invited Guest: Professor M. M.Mashal

 

Location: USFQ. On 22 October 2025, the Ecuadorian National Group of IABSE hosted a technical lecture by Prof. Mustafa Mashal from Idaho State University (USA) at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ).

The lecture, titled “Innovative Materials and Technologies for the Construction and Retrofitting of Durable Earthquake-Resilient Bridges,” addressed cutting-edge solutions for enhancing bridge resilience against seismic hazards.

This event was co-organized by the Civil Engineering Department at USFQ Politécnico, the American Concrete Institute (ACI) USFQ Student Chapter, and the IABSE Ecuador National Group of the International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering (IABSE).

Online Technical Lecture: Dr. F.J.H. Prado

Location: Virtual (Zoom). On 27 August 2025, the Ecuadorian National Group of IABSE co-organized a virtual technical lecture titled “Instrumentación sísmica e identificación de la respuesta de estructuras.” The session was delivered by Dr. Francisco Javier Hernández Prado, Assistant Professor at the Universidad de los Andes, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

The lecture focused on the use of seismic instrumentation and data-based techniques for identifying the dynamic response of structures, highlighting their relevance in structural health monitoring and the evaluation of seismic performance.

This event was jointly organized by the Civil Engineering Department at USFQ Politécnico and the IABSE Ecuador National Group, strengthening collaboration and knowledge exchange on advanced monitoring techniques for resilient infrastructure.

Online Technical Lecture: H.R.Asuero

  

On July 29 an online conference took place titled "Lessons from Chile for Ecuador: Seismic Vulnerability and New Advances in Bridges." The speaker was PhD(c) Henry Rojas Asuero, and the session was moderated by Dr. Natividad García Troncoso. The event addressed topics related to seismic design and had approximately 55 attendees. 

Onsite Technical Lecture: Prof. I. Palomar

   

On July 24 a conference was presented by Prof. Irene Palomar of the Universidad de Alcalá (Spain), at the Pichincha Association of Architects (Quito-Ecuador). The conference was about the “Materials in Architectural Heritage: Science and Technology for the Conservation and Management of Heritage Buildings”, and several students and professionals attended this lecture. This conference was organized by IABSE Ecuador, the ACI Student Chapter of Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ), the USFQ Civil Engineering Department, the Pichincha Association of Civil Engineers, and the Pichincha Association of Architects.

Onsite Technical Lecture: Prof. J. Puentes

     

On July 22, a conference was presented by Prof. Javier Puentes of the Universidad de Alcalá (Spain), at the Pichincha Association of Civil Engineers (Quito-Ecuador). The conference was about the “Design and Applications of Special Types of Concrete”, and several students and professionals attended this lecture. This conference was organized by IABSE Ecuador, the ACI Student Chapter of Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ), the USFQ Civil Engineering Department, the Pichincha Association of Civil Engineers, and the Pichincha Association of Architects.

Joint National Group Meetings: Chile and Ecuador

On 22 July 2025, the Ecuadorian National Group represented by Eva Lantsoght, and Natividad Garcia T. held a meeting with the Chilean National Group represented by Matías A. Valenzuela; and the Ministry of Public Works of Ecuador (MTOP) to discuss key aspects of asset management practices in Chile and their applicability to the Ecuadorian context. Technical meetings like this play a crucial role in promoting mutual learning and improving infrastructure management practices in Latin America.

Topics addressed included:

The implementation of bridge management systems, such as the i3MOP system developed in Chile; the development and updating of the national bridge inventory; the identification and classification of structural damage; and the current technical standards in both countries and opportunities for joint improvement.

Onsite Technical Lecture and Event: Prof. D. White

    

On 9 July 2025, Prof. Donald White from the CEE Department at Georgia Tech visited Quito, Ecuador, in the second week of July. During his visit, IABSE Ecuador had the honor of recognizing his outstanding contributions to the field of structural engineering by presenting him with the Donald W. White Award for Excellence in Structural Engineering. This is the inaugural presentation of this award, and in recognition of the magnitude and enduring impact of Prof. White’s contributions, it will carry his name in all future editions.

The Donald W. White Award for Excellence in Structural Engineering will be conferred only on exceptional occasions and exclusively to engineers whose work has profoundly transformed the structural engineering profession, as Prof. White’s has. This designation not only honors an extraordinary career but also sets a benchmark for technical, ethical, and academic excellence that we seek to promote and celebrate in our country through IABSE Ecuador.

The Ecuadorian NG extends their special gratitude to their NG member Telmo Andrés Sánchez and to the structural engineering company ADSTREN for all the efforts to make Dr. White´s visit possible.

Prof. Donald White from the CEE Department at Georgia Tech gave a lecture on “Advancing Structural Stability via FEA Simulation” at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito campus. This lecture was organized by IABSE Ecuador, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, and the structural engineering company ADSTREN. Several professionals of the field attended this lecture.

Site Visit to a Shopping Centre in Cuenca

   

On 28 June 2025, a field trip was conducted to a shopping centre under construction in Cuenca. This event was possible thanks to the coordination of NG member Pilar Naspud. The visit gathered about 60 professionals, faculty members, and university students from various institutions, including Universidad Católica de Cuenca.

Technical Visit: Guayaquil

  

On 6 June 2025, a technical visit was carried out at the Ditelme prestressed elements factory in the city of Guayaquil, organized by Natividad García. The visit included the participation of students and professors from ESPOL, UESS, University of Guayaquil, Laica Eloy Alfaro University, and USFQ.

Technical Visit: Tamauco Bridge

  

On 3 June 2025, a technical visit was conducted to the Tamauco Bridge, located in the Llano Grande area of Quito. This visit was made possible thanks to the support of Santiago Camino, a member of the team responsible for assembling the bridge. The visit included the participation of Civil Engineering students and professors from USFQ, UTE, and UPS, along with industry professionals. Further photos:  IABSE Ecuador National Group.

Technical Seminar Participation in Chile

   

As part of the collaboration between National Groups, members of IABSE Ecuador participated in a series of technical and academic activities in Chile. Location: Santiago and Valparaíso, Chile. Activities included:

• Dr. Eva Lantsoght and Estefanía Cervantes carried out technical visits to bridges in Santiago together with representatives from the Ministry of Public Works of Chile and Dr. Matías Valenzuela (Vice President of IABSE).
• Dr. Eva Lantsoght delivered a technical lecture on Load Testing of Bridges at the Ministry of Public Works.
• Technical lectures were given at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, addressing topics including load testing of bridges, slab behavior, and the effects of climate change on infrastructure performance.
• The visit also included a technical tour of the civil engineering laboratories at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, fostering academic exchange between institutions.

Additionally, these activities have been shared through the official Instagram profile of the IABSE Ecuador National Group (click here).

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Technical Talks – Industry (Hilti)

   

Technical Talks – Industry

Talk: "Sistemas de anclajes para aplicaciones estructurales y software de diseño basado en elementos finitos – Profis Engineering de Hilti."

This event is organized by the Ecuadorian IABSE National Group, the Civil Engineering Department of USFQ, and Hilti. The event brought together professionals and students from various institutions. The training included: 

a) an introduction to the principles of anchoring bolts (or similar elements) to concrete components,

b) hands-on training with software related to anchorage design, and

c) an experimental session to verify the performance of these anchorage systems.

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Technical Visit: MontView steel building by ADSTREN Engineering

 

On February 14, 2025 the Ecuadorian NG conducted a technical visit to the Mont View steel building, a project by the construction company Vormund, currently under construction in Quito, Ecuador. The visit was led by PhD. Telmo Sánchez from ADSTREN Engineering, a company actively involved in the project.

This visit brought together students and faculty from three major Ecuadorian universities: Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ), Escuela Politécnica Nacional (EPN), and Escuela Superior Politécnica del Ejército (ESPE). Participants had the opportunity to observe structural elements, construction techniques, and the challenges associated with steel building construction in a seismic region.

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Technical Talks: Industry

 

On 16 January 2025, the "Talk: Proposal for the NEC-SE-DS Regulation" event was organized by the "Master's Program in Earthquake-Resistant Civil Structures" at Espol Campus Prosperina ESPOL, in collaboration with the Ecuadorian IABSE NG. It took place on January 16th at 5:00 PM at the "Colegio de Ingenieros Civiles del Guayas."

The session was moderated by Ph.D. Natividad García and featured Ph.D. Adrián Tola Tola as the main speaker. The talk focused on presenting a proposal for the NEC-SE-DS regulation, addressing seismic design standards in Ecuador. This event brought together professionals in the field to analyze and discuss significant advancements in seismic regulations, aiming to enhance structural safety and design in the country.

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Technical visit: Building in Guayaquil

On 17 January 2025, the Technical Visit to Guayaquil focused on exploring a key building in Guayaquil. Participants had the opportunity to analyze the building's structural design and construction features, with a particular emphasis on its compliance with seismic-resistant standards.

Guided by experts, the visit highlighted the practical application of engineering principles, including the integration of advanced materials, design strategies, and construction techniques. This visit allowed participants to gain a deeper understanding of how buildings in Guayaquil are designed to address both urban and seismic challenges, providing valuable insights into the implementation of regulations like the NEC-SE-DS in real-world scenarios.

2024

Reinstated National Group, and planning for 2025.

With 7 members in the country, the national group of Ecuador was reinstated on 5 December 2024, an initiative by Eva Lantsoght, supported by other IABSE Vice Presidents from the region. Elections were held to elect the Chair, Vice-Chair, and the Secretary. Ideas for mission and vision were exchanged.

Mission: integrate academia and industry in Ecuador, support industry integration.

Vision: become a leading structural and bridge engineering association in Ecuador.

2023

Ecuadorian National Group event initiated by Eva Lantsoght (SEI EditB., Vice Chair), and with visit by Jose Matos (IABSE Vice President)

Photos: Jose's visit to the structures lab with Adrian; materials lab with Francisco and Eva; Viernes de la academia radio; and ongoing workshop presentations