Education

Ph.D.
University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 2011
Dissertation: “Modeling the Time-dependent Flexural Response of Wood-Plastic Composites” 
Ph.D. Advisor: Professor Steven M. Cramer

M.S.
University of Colorado-Boulder, Boulder, CO, 2005
Thesis: “Effects of Freezing and Freeze-Thaw Damage to the Transport Properties of Concrete”
Thesis Advisor: Professor Yunping Xi

B.S.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA, 2000

Biography

     Dr. Hamel grew up paddling and hiking in the mountains and lakes of New Hampshire. He completed a B.S. and M.S. in Civil Engineering at WPI in Massachusetts, and the University of Colorado at Boulder, respectively. Between degrees he worked as a bridge designer in Boston and a structural engineer in Denver designing hospitals and courthouses. After earning his PE in Colorado, he returned to school and completed his doctorate in Structural Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
     Dr. Hamel joined the faculty at the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) in 2011, where he teaches up to 7 courses per year in civil and structural engineering. In 2020, he was elected Chair of the Civil Engineering Department. Between 2014 and 2019, he directed the UAA Summer Engineering Academies, a series of week-long summer camps that promote engineering. This program tripled in size under his direction.
     Dr. Hamel became a co-advisor of the UAA ASCE Chapter in 2014, and the sole Faculty Advisor from 2017-2020. He assisted the chapter in re-starting UAA’s participation in the AISC Student Steel Bridge Competition in 2017, which has continued every year since and has resulted in participation at the National Championships in 2019, 2022, and 2023. In 2020, he was selected as one of 2 recipients nationally of the ASCE Faculty Advisor Award.
     His current research activities involve Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs), accreted ice at the Port of Anchorage, and seismic reliability assessments of structures in Anchorage. He has published dozens of peer-reviewed journal articles and conference proceedings, and spoken at National and International conferences.
     Dr. Hamel has been an active member of ASCE and SEAAK since 2011, including the SEAAK Snow Loads Committee, an 8-year project of which Dr. Hamel is a founder that has updated snow loads used across Alaska. He has led the “bridge breaker” or “tower crusher” events at the Anchorage E-week student competitions each February since 2012. As a result of his service to the engineering community, he was selected as the Alaska Engineering Societies “Engineer of the Year” in 2020.
     Dr. Hamel currently lives in Anchorage with his wife and 3 kids.

Teaching Responsibilities

• CE A152 Introduction to Civil Engineering
• CE A431 Structural Analysis
• CE A432 Steel Design
• CE A433 Concrete Design
• CE A631 Structural Finite-Element Analysis
• CE A639 Loads on Structures
• CE A651 Advanced Structural Analysis
• CE A652 Advanced Steel Design

Professional & Department Service

• UAA Summer Engineering Academies Director 2014 - present
• Civil Engineering Curriculum Committee 2011 - present
• UAA ASCE Student Chapter Faculty Advisor 2016 - present
• Structural Engineering Association of Alaska (SEAAK), 2011 - present
• Engineers Without Borders, West Coast Technical Advisory Committee, 2011 - present
• Review, Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, 2011 - present
• Reviewer, Journal of Structural Engineering, 2014 - present
• ASTM, D07 Committee of Wood Plastics, 2008 - 2014
• ASTM, D20 Committee on Plastic Lumber, 2008 - 2014

Research Interests

• Characterizing of the quasi-static and the time-dependent mechanical behavior of structural plastics, Wood-plastic Composites (WPC), and Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs)
• Development of sustainable structural materials such as bio-derived polymer composites, post-tensioned timber, and Cross-laminated Timer (CLT)
• Heat Transfer analysis and energy sustainability of Civil infrastructure, systems and materials
• Use of high performance computers to analyze structural systems composed of inelastic and time-dependent materials
• New technology and design methods for infrastructure in developing countries

Research Projects

• Seismic Hold-down Connectors for Polyuerthane-based Structural Insulated Panels, UAA INNOVATE award, 2017
• Structural Evaluation of Alaska Structural Insulated Panels, Alaska Insulated Panels, 2015-2017
• Thermo-mechanical Modeling of Temperature Isolation Systems for Steel Frames, AISC, 2014-2017
• “Design and Evaluation of Thin-Shell Latex-modified Concrete Barrel Roof Units, UAA INNOVATE award, 2013
• Investigation of High-mast Light Pole Anchor Bolts, AKDOT&PF and FHWA, 2012-2013
• “Evaluating the Performance of Structural Plastics in Cold Regions, UAA INNOVATE award, 2012, $10,000

Publications

Hoisington, D., and Hamel, S. “Evaluating the Behavior of Anchor Rod Foundations for High-mast Light Poles (HMLPs) using Nonlinear Finite-element Analysis”, ASCE Journal of Structural Engineering, 142(9), September 2016.

Hoisington, D., Hoffman, J., and Hamel, S. “Measured Anchor Rod Tightening of a High-mast Light Pole in Alaska.” Transportation Research Record, 2431, 29 September 2014.

Hamel, S., Hermanson, J., and Cramer, S. “Predicting the Flexure Response of Wood-Plastic Composites from Uni-Axial and Shear Data using a Finite-element Model.” Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, 26(12), December 2014.

Hamel, S., Hermanson, J., and Cramer, S. “Mechanical and Time-Dependent Behavior of Wood-Plastic Composites Subjected to Bending.” Journal of Thermoplastic Composite Materials, 28(5), 22 April 2015.

Hamel, S., Hermanson, J., and Cramer, S. “Mechanical and Time-Dependent Behavior of Wood-Plastic Composites Subjected to Tension and Compression.” Journal of Thermoplastic Composite Materials, 26(7), August 2013.

King, D., and Hamel, S. “The Tensile Creep Response of a Wood-Plastic Composite in Cold Regions.” In The 10th International Symposium on Cold Regions Development. Anchorage, AK, June 2-5, 2013

Hamel, S., Hermanson, J., and Cramer, S. “The Effect of High Temperature on the Axial Mechanical Response of Wood-plastic Composites.” In Advancements in Fiber-Polymer Composites. Milwaukee, WI, May 5-6, 2013.

Hamel, S., Hermanson, J., and Cramer, S. “Tension and Compression Creep Apparatus and Testing for Wood-Plastic Composites.” ASTM Journal of Testing and Evaluation, 39(6), November 2011.

Hamel, S., Bechle, N., Hermanson, J., and Cramer, S. “Characterizing Macroscopic Creep Behavior of Wood-Plastic Composites in Tension and Compression.” In The Tenth International Wood & Biofiber Plastic Composites Conference. Madison, WI, 2009.

Jakes, J., Bechle, N., Hamel, S., Gronvold, A., Hermanson, J., and Stone, D. “Investigating Deformation in HDPE-Wood Flour Composites Using Uniaxial Tension and Nanoindentation Experiments.” In The Tenth International Wood & Biofiber Plastic Composites Conference. Madison, WI, 2009.

 

Career History/Work Experience

2004-2007,Design Engineer II
S.A. Miro, Denver, CO,

2002-2003, Bridge Engineer
Green International Affiliates, Medford, MA

2001-2002,Staff Structural Engineer
BSC Group Inc., Boston, MA

1998-1999, Engineering Intern and Draftsman
Spaulding Associates, Worcester, MA

1997-1998, Surveyor
Jones and Beach Engineering, Stratham, NH