Biography
Professor Quek Ser Tong graduated from Monash University with a BEng in 1979, from the National University of Singapore with MEng in 1984 and from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with MSc and PhD in 1986. His MEng thesis research topic is in core-frame interaction of tall buildings, whereas his PhD dissertation is in structural systems reliability.
Professor Quek was Head of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the National University of Singapore from 2016-2020, Vice Dean, Faculty of Engineering 2010-2015, Inaugural Director of the Global Engineering Programme 2009-2012, and was appointed the 4th Keppel Chair Professor from 2018-2020. Prior to joining NUS in 1982, he worked at the Ministry of Defence as a systems engineer in the Defence Science Organisation in 1980-81 and as a civil engineer in the Lands and Estates Division in 1981-82.
Professor Quek has taught courses in mechanics, concrete structures, finite element analysis, probability and statistics applied to civil engineering problems, structural stability and dynamics, and decision, risk and reliability analysis. He has published about 250 technical papers covering topics such as smart materials, structural health monitoring, systems identification, reliability analysis, stochastic finite element analysis, stochastic simulation, structural dynamics and digital twin.
He is a registered professional engineer and has been involved in consulting jobs on topics such as in-situ concrete strength assessment, performance tests on architectural concrete surfaces, dynamic analysis of tall buildings, assessment of forces on crane structures and finite element analysis of complex components.
Positions Held
- 2005 – present, Professor
- 1998 – 2005, Associate Professor
- 1990 – 1998, Senior Lecturer
- 1986 – 1990, Lecturer
- 1982 – 1986, Senior Tutor
- 1981 – 1982, Civil Engineer, Ministry of Defence
- 1980 – 1981, Systems Engineer, Ministry of Defence
Consultancy Projects, patents, etc.
- Provide consultancy to more than 10 organizations/companies
- Conduct courses for continuing education in Singapore & Malaysia (Structural Dynamics, Finite Element Analysis, Reinforced Concrete Design, Risk Analysis
- Principal/Co-Investigator of Research Projects funded by NRF, DSTA, A*STAR, EDB, NUS ARF
- US Provisional Patent “Mobile Double-sided Interdigital Transducer” filed (2003)
- US Patent entitled “Optical Fibre Sensor” granted (USPTO 7,496,247)
Qualifications
- BEng (1st Class), Monash University, Australia, 1979
- MEng, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 1984
- MS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA, 1984
- PhD, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA, 1986
- PEng, Professional Engineers Board, Singapore, 1994
Honours & Awards
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Fellowship – 1988
- IES KYD Gin Award for Prestigious Publication in 1990
- Defence Technology Prize for Research in 2006
- Faculty of Engineering Teaching Commendation List 2008/09
- Public Administration Medal (Bronze), Singapore Government, 2018
- Visiting Professor, Tsinghua University, 2019-2022
- IES Prestigious Engineering Achievement Award, 2024
- IASSAR Distinguished Research Award, 2025
Professional Activities
Scientific and professional societies
- Member of the Institution of Engineers, Singapore
- Member of the International Association for Structural Safety and Reliability
Institutional and professional service
- Editorial Board Member of Int J. Protective Struct, Structural Safety Journal, Int. J. Structural Stability & Dynamics, Electronic J of Struct Engrg.
Teaching Areas
- Engineering Mechanics
- Reinforced Concrete Design
- Basic Engineering Probability and Statistics
- Reliability and Decision Analysis
- Structural Stability and Dynamics
- Finite Element Method
- Final Year Integrated Design Project
Research Interests
- Structural Reliability & Stochastic Simulation
- Structural Health Monitoring & Smart Materials
- Structural Dynamics & Protective Technology
Selected Publications (last five years)
- X Liu, ZD Xu, ST Quek, B Sun, X Liu, D Xu. Simple Model for Longitudinal Temperature Distribution of Utility Tunnel Fire with Double Fires and End Wall Fire Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities 39 (3), 04025013, 2025
- H Mei, ST Quek, A Guo. Seismic-tsunami risk assessment for isolated coastal bridges using nested Copula method, Engineering Structures 328, 119715, 2025
- EWW Cheok, C Chen, X Qian, ST Quek, MBI Si. A general maximum energy release rate criterion for mixed mode I/II fatigue crack growth under large-scale yielding. Theoretical and Applied Fracture Mechanics, 104899, 2025
- EWW Cheok, X Qian, A Kaps, ST Quek, MBI Si. A strain-interfaced digital twin solution for corner fatigue crack growth using Bayesian inference, International Journal of Fatigue 191, 108705, 2025
- Y Weng, ST Quek, JKW Yeoh. Robust vision-based sub-pixel level displacement measurement using a complementary strategy, Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing 223, 111898, 2025.
- EWW Cheok, X Qian, ST Quek, MBI Si A digital twin approach toward unlocking elasto-plastic fatigue crack growth rates under negative load ratios Engineering Fracture Mechanics 301, 110034, 2024
- C Wang, DG Lu, ST Quek. Development of risk-targeted hazard maps with second-order hazard approximation for mainland China. Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering 178, 108489, 2024
- B Dai, C Gu, ST Quek, Y Xiang, C Liu. Integrated approach to diagnose structural behaviour of dam. European Journal of Environmental and Civil Engineering 28 (2), 457-478, 2024
- EWW Cheok EWW, Qian X, Chen X, Quek ST, Si MBI. A local digital twin approach for identifying, locating and sizing cracks in CHS X-joints subjected to brace axial loading. Engineering Structures 299, 117085, 2024.
- QQ Li, ZD Xu, QS Tong, YR Dong, YS Xu, Y Lu. Mechanical properties of viscoelastic materials subjected to thermal‐oxidative ageing: An experimental and theoretical study Journal of Applied Polymer Science 140 (45), e54667, 2023
- H Jiang, E Ge, C Wan, S Li, ST Quek, K Yang, Y Ding, S Xue. Data anomaly detection with automatic feature selection and deep learning Structures 57, 105082, 2023
- Zhang S, Zhang C, Santo H, Cai M, Si MBI, Cao J, Quek ST. Digital Twin of a Generic Jack-Up Platform. Offshore Technology Conference, D012S057R008, 2023
- J Cao, ST Quek, H Xiong, Z Yang Comparison of Constrained Unscented and Cubature Kalman Filters for Nonlinear System Parameter Identification Journal of Engineering Mechanics 149 (11), 04023088, 2023
- P Pei, ST Quek, Y Peng Multiobjective Reliability-Based Design Optimization of the Fuzzy Logic Controller for MR Damper-Based Structures Structural Control and Health Monitoring 2023
- P Pei, ST Quek, Y Peng Enriched global–local multi‑objective optimization scheme for fuzzy logic controller-driven magnetorheological damper-based structural system Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing 193, 110267, 2023.
- J Cao, ST Quek, S Zhang, C Zhang, M Cai, M Si Fast Prediction of Dynamic Structural Response Using Reduced Basis Function Combined with Neural Network Structural Health Monitoring 2023
- DK Pokkalla, Z Wang, JC Teoh, LH Poh, CT Lim, ST Quek. Soft missing rib structures with controllable negative Poisson’s rations over large strains via isogeometric design optimization. Journal of Engineering Mechanics, ASCE, 148(11), 04022063, 2022.
- E Cai, Y Zhang, ST Quek. Visualizing and quantifying small and nonstationary structural motions in video measurement. Computer-Aided Civil and Infrastructure Engineering, 2022.
- X Zhang, ST Quek Efficient subset simulation with active learning Kriging model for low failure probability prediction. Probabilistic Engineering Mechanics, 103256, 2022
- J Sun, KH Kong, CQ Lye, ST Quek. Effect of ground granulated blast furnace slag on cement hydration and autogenous healing of concrete. Construction and Building Materials 315, 125365, 2022
- Z Xia, ST Quek, A Li, J Li, M Duan, G Zhou, H Shi. Sensitivity analysis in seismic reliability of an urban self-anchored suspension bridge. Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing 164, 108231 2022.
- J Cao, ST Quek, H Xiong. Bayesian Filter for Parameter Identification in Time Domain. Recent Developments in Structural Health Monitoring and Assessment, World Scientific, 2022
- Kumar D, Poh LH, Quek ST. Isogeometric shape optimization of missing rib auxetics with prescribed negative Poisson’s ratio over large strains using genetic algorithm. International Journal of Mechanics Sciences 193, 106169 2021.
A full list of the publications can be found at
https://scholar.google.com.sg/citations?hl=en&user=jjxvi7kAAAAJ&view_op=list_works