Simpson Gumpertz & Heger’s (SGH) Engineering Mechanics & Infrastructure (EMI) group recently welcomed senior leaders Payman Tehrani and Ike Udoh to the firm, bolstering our advanced analytical capabilities in energy development and water and transportation infrastructure.

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Advanced Infrastructure Analysis: Payman K. Tehrani, Ph.D., P.E.

Payman Tehrani joins as a Principal and Vice President with SGH’s Structural Mechanics & Materials (SMM) Division, partnering closely with team members across the United States while operating out of San Jose, CA. He leads advanced analyses of complex infrastructure for clients in the transportation, water, nuclear, and oil and gas industries. He specializes in assessing geotechnical and structural systems under seismic, blast, impact, and construction sequencing demands. These efforts include developing effective strategies for soil-structure interaction (SSI), fluid-structure interaction (FSI), and structure-soil-structure interaction (SSSI) analyses, as well as assessing highway and railroad structural components under impact loading from vehicular and railcar traffic and blasts.

“Payman has a proven track record of leadership and innovation in large-scale, high-profile engineering projects in the United States and around the globe,” said Robert MacNeill, SGH Associate Principal and SMM Division Head. “He brings immense technical insights to develop programs that reduce design and construction cost, schedule, and risk for our clients and their end users. We are thrilled to have him join our team.”

He enjoys sharing his expertise across the industry, both as a member of the ASCE committee on Dynamic Analysis of Nuclear Structures (DANS) and as an author and peer reviewer for several technical publications, including the ASCE Journal of Engineering Mechanics, ASCE Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, and Earthquake Spectra.

“I am happy to join SGH and partner alongside the firm’s many thought leaders,” said Payman. “My colleagues have set the standard for advanced analysis of infrastructure systems, and I am eager to lead teams to solve the critical challenges of the future.”

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Renewable Energy Development: Ike E. Udoh, Ph.D.

Ikpoto (Ike) Udoh joins SGH as a Project Director and Vice President with the firm’s Water & Industrial Infrastructure (WII) Division while based out of Houston, TX, and partnering closely with structural engineering colleagues there. He specializes in developing and executing offshore energy projects, with particular expertise in renewable energy technology spanning the civil, coastal, and offshore engineering disciplines. He focuses on developing new technologies and delivering innovative solutions for clients.

“Ike has a knack for recognizing technology gaps in the energy market and developing technical solutions to meet those needs,” said Peter Nardini, SGH Associate Principal and WII Division Head. “He brings technical leadership to our group and a passion for managing high-performing project teams.”

Ike served as chair of the Offshore Symposium of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers, Texas Section, from 2021 through 2023, and has been a member and co-chair of the Loads and Global Performance team of the Floating Wind Systems Offshore Compliance Recommended Practice (OCRP) working group of the American Wind Energy Association and American National Standards Institute.

“I am thrilled to join the esteemed team here at SGH and eager to contribute to high-impact projects that drive the evolution of transformative energy solutions,” said Ike. “SGH’s reputation for delivering specialized engineering that goes beyond expectations perfectly aligns with my fervor for implementing disruptive and unconventional approaches to tackle the intricate challenges within the energy infrastructure realm.”

Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH) is a national engineering firm committed to delivering holistic advice for our clients’ most complex challenges. We leverage our collective and diverse experience, technical expertise, and industry knowledge of structures and building enclosures, advanced analysis, performance & code consulting, and applied science & research to deliver unrivaled, comprehensive solutions that drive superior performance. With 700 employees in nine office locations throughout the United States, SGH’s industry-leading teams constantly seek to advance the meaning of what’s possible. For more information, please visit www.sgh.com.

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