Paul H. Wirsching

Research Expertise

• Structural reliability and probabilistic mechanics
• Probabilistic and statistical approaches to design of structural and mechanical systems
• Random vibration analysis and design
• Specialty in metal fatigue and fracture reliability analysis and design

Education

• PhD: The University of New Mexico, 1970
• MS: University of Notre Dame, 1959
• BS: Civil Engineering, St. Louis University, 1957

Employment Since 1980

• 1999: The University of Arizona: Professor Emeritus
• 1980-99: Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, The University of Arizona:
  • Associate Professor 1970-80
  • Professor 1980-99
• 1999-date: UA College of Engineering Special Professional Education short course, Mechanical Shock (a four-day short course offered biannually): Associate Director
• 1987-date: UA College of Engineering Special Professional Education short course, Random Vibrations, Analysis and Design (a one-week short course offered annually): Associate Director
• 1980-date: UA College of Engineering Special Professional Education short course, Reliability Methods in Mechanical and Structural Design (a one-week short course offered annually): Director

Honors and Awards

• Induction into Offshore Energy Center’s Hall of Fame as a Technology Pioneer: Reliability-Based Design of Marine Structures, 2003
• Fellow ASME, 1994
• Andersen Consulting Outstanding Faculty Award, 1993
• Dedicated Service Award, ASME, 1992
• State of the Art of Civil Engineering, ASCE, 1982
• Tom L. Popejoy Dissertation Prize, The University of New Mexico, 1973

Professional Societies

• Fellow, American Society of Mechanical Engineers
• American Society of Civil Engineers
• Sigma Xi
• International Association for Structural Safety and Reliability

Registered Engineer

• California (Mechanical)

Publications Since 2000

• Wirsching, P.H., Application of Reliability Methods to Fatigue Analysis and Design, Recent Developments in Reliability Based Civil Engineering (A. Haldar, ed.), World Scientific Publishing Co., 2006.
• Wang, X., Kang, J-K, Kim, Y., and Wirsching, P. H., Low Cycle Fatigue Analysis of Marine Structures, Proceedings of the 25th International Conference on Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering, Hamburg, Germany, 2006.
• Spencer, J. S., Wirsching, P. H., Wang, X, and Mansour, A. E., Development of Reliability Based Classification Rules for Tankers, Trans. Soc. Naval Architects and Marine Eng., Jersey City, New.Jersey., 2005.
• Wang, X., Cheng, Z, Wirsching, P. H., and Sun, H., Fatigue Design Factors and Safety Levels Implied in Fatigue Design of Offshore Structures, Proceedings of the 24th International Conference on Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering, Halkidki, Greece, 2005.
• Millwater, H. R. and Wirsching, P. H., Analysis Methods for Probabilistic Life Assessment, ASM Handbook, Vol. 11, Failure Analysis and Prevention, 2003.
• Wirsching, P. H. and Nguyen, H. P., Fatigue Reliability: A Review of Recent Advances, Int. J. Mater. Prod. Technol. 16 (Nos. 1 and 2), 2001.
• Nguyen, H. P., Wirsching, P. H., and Ma, K-T, Failure of Ship Hull as a First Passage Problem, Proc. 8th ASCE Specialty Conference on Probabilistic Mechanics and Structural Reliability, University of Notre Dame, 2000.
• Wirsching, P. H., Nguyen, H. P., and Ma, K-T., Fatigue Reliability as a First Passage Problem, Proc. 8th ASCE Specialty Conference on Probabilistic Mechanics and Structural Reliability, University of Notre Dame, 2000.
• Paez, T. L., Nguyen, H. P., and Wirsching, P. H., First Passage Failure: Analysis Alternatives, Proc. 8th ASCE Specialty Conference on Probabilistic Mechanics and Structural Reliability, University of Notre Dame, 2000.
• Wirsching, P. H., Nguyen, H. P., Osage, D. A., and Mansour, A. E., Probability Based Fitness for Service for Pressure Vessels and Piping, Proc. 8th ASCE Specialty Conference on Probabilistic Mechanics and Structural Reliability, University of Notre Dame, 2000.
•  Osage, D. A., Shipley, K. S., Wirsching, P. H., and Mansour, A. E., Application of Partial Safety Factors for Pressure Containing Equipment, Proc. ASME Pressure Vessel and Piping Conference, Seattle, 2000.

Consulting Since 2000

• American Bureau Shipping
• Amoco Production Co.
• Earl and Wright
• Exxon Production Research
• GE Aircraft Engines
• Hughes Aircraft Co.
• Lincoln Composites
• Mansour Engineering Inc.
• Material Properties Council
• Naval Sea Systems Command
• PMB Engineers, Inc.
• Risk Engineering
• Shell Oil Company
• Southwest Research Institute
• Westinghouse Savannah River Co.