Payal Kotecha

Title
Assistant Professor
Department
Civil Engineering Department
College
College of Engineering

Areas of Expertise

  • Fiber-Reinforced Concrete
  • Finite Element Analysis
  • Composite Materials
  • Structural Health Monitoring
Payal Kotecha

Dr. Kotecha is an assistant professor of civil engineering at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Her research interests include fiber-reinforced concrete, finite element analysis, composite materials, and structural health monitoring. Besides, her teaching interests broadly comprise structural and construction engineering.

Dr. Kotecha earned her doctorate in Civil Engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington. During her doctoral journey she also received recognition for academic excellence in Civil Engineering. Prior to joining the faculty at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, she served as a post-doctoral research associate and adjunct professor at the University of Texas at Arlington. Additionally, she served as a project manager at Burke Structural Engineers in Dallas and as a project engineer at Vertex Guam.

Dr. Kotecha is a member of American Society of Civil Engineers, American Concrete Institute, American Society of Steel Construction, Structural Engineering Institute, American Society of Engineering Education, and Society of Women Engineers. She also serves as a voting member of several ACI committees. Dr. Kotecha remains actively involved in engineering education, research, service, and consulting. 

  • Ph.D. - Doctor of Philosophy in Civil Engineering, The University of Texas at Arlington
  • CIV 340: Construction Engineering
  • ES 202: Solid Mechanics
  • ES 201: Statics

FALL 2023

  • ES201 Statics
  • ES202 Solid Mechanics

SPRING 2023

  • ES202 Solid Mechanics
  • CIV340 Construction Engineering

FALL 2022

  • ES201 Statics
  • ES202 Solid Mechanics

SUMMER 2022

  • ES202 Solid Mechanics

SPRING 2022

  • ES202 Solid Mechanics
  • CIV340 Construction Engineering

FALL 2021

  • ES202 Solid Mechanics
  • Kotecha, P., and Abolmaali, A., Macro-synthetic fibers as reinforcement in deep beams with discontinuity regions: Experimental investigation, Journal of Engineering Structures, V 200, December 2019.      DOI: 10.1016/j.engstruct.2019.109672

ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS

  • Adjunct Professor, University of Texas at Arlington, USA (2018-2019 & 2020)
  • Post-Doctoral Research Associate, The University of Texas at Arlington, USA (2018-2020)
  • Research Engineering Scientist, The University of Texas at Arlington, USA (2018-2020)
  • Graduate Research/Teaching Assistant, The University of Texas at Arlington, USA (2014-2018)
  • Assistant Professor, Gujarat Technological University, India (2009-2013)

INDUSTRY APPOINTMENTS

  • Project Manager (Structural), Burke Structural Engineers, Frisco, TX, USA (2021)
  • Project Engineer (Construction), Vertex Guam, GU, USA (2021)
  • Structural Engineer, Doshi Engineers, Rajkot, GJ, India (2007-2009)
  • American Concrete Institute (ACI) 
    • ACI Committee 544: Associate Member
    • ACI Sub-Committee 544-0C-FRC Testing: Voting Member
    • ACI Sub-Committee 544-0D-FRC Structural Use: Voting Member
    • ACI Committee 447-Finite Element Analysis: Associate Member
  • American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
  • American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC)
  • Structural Engineering Institute (SEI) 
  • American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE)
  • Society of Women Engineers (SWE)
  • Summer Dissertation Fellowship (2018)
  • Recognition for Academic Excellence in Civil Engineering (2017-2018)
  • STEM Doctoral Fellowship (2014-2018)
  • Department of Civil Engineering Scholarship (2013-2014)