Saba Ghassemi

About

Saba Ghassemi is a PhD researcher in structural engineering at the University of Southampton, working within the Infrastructure Group. Her research focuses on the structural assessment of ageing bridge infrastructure, with a particular emphasis on corrosion-induced deterioration in reinforced-concrete and metallic bridge structures.

Her PhD work combines large-scale laboratory testing, advanced corrosion characterisation, structural health monitoring techniques, and nonlinear numerical modelling. A major part of her research investigates the behaviour of corroded reinforced concrete bridge deck slabs. These studies examine how corrosion affects load-carrying capacity, deformation response, cracking behaviour, stiffness degradation, and failure-mode transition. Alongside the reinforced-concrete slab work, she has contributed to research on ageing metallic railway bridges, including field monitoring, finite-element modelling, corrosion-scenario analysis, and laboratory testing of wrought-iron and steel samples from historic bridge structures. Her research is connected to the Heavy Axle Weight / ageing infrastructure research programme and has relevance to Network Rail, bridge asset management, and the safe evaluation of existing infrastructure.

Academic qualifications

• PhD in Structural Engineering, University of Southampton, UK — Jan 2024 – Expected Jan 2028
• MEng in Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, University of Tabriz, Iran — 2018 – 2020
• BEng in Civil Engineering, University of Tabriz, Iran — 2012 – 2016

Latest publications

1. Zhang, Z., Ghassemi, S., Watson, G., Moy, S., Powrie, W., & Kashani, M. M. (2026). A synthesised material model and statistical insights towards structure-scale assessment of wrought iron in historic railway underbridges. ASCE Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering (Accepted In Press).
2. Ghassemi, S., Zhang, Z., Powrie, W., & Kashani, M. M. (2026). Experimental investigation of corrosion effects on the structural performance of reinforced concrete bridge slabs. Proceedings of the fib Congress 2026, Lisbon.
3. Ghassemi, S., Ekraminia, S. S., Hajialilue-Bonab, M., Tohidvand, H. R., et al. (2025). Innovative insights into micropile seismic response: Shaking table tests reveal critical dependencies and liquefaction mitigation. Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment, 84(4), 206.
4. Ghassemi, S., Zhang, Z., Powrie, W., & Kashani, M. M. (2025). Field testing and finite element model validation of ageing metal railway bridges with corrosion impact analysis. Structures, 82, 110813.
5. Ekraminia, S. S., Hajialilue Bonab, M., Ghassemi, S., & Derakhshani, R. (2023). Experimental study on seismic response of underground tunnel-soil-piled structure interaction using shaking table in loose sand. Buildings, 13(10), 2482.