WVU graduate student helps engineer a faster way to build with steel

Sahabeddin Rifai, a doctoral student in civil engineering, is researching the FastFloor system, a modular all-steel floor system designed for commercial buildings and data centers. (WVU Photo/Megan Rinker)

West Virginia University doctoral researcher Sahabeddin Rifai is working to advance the future of steel construction by studying how a new all-steel floor system can be designed for comfort, performance and broad industry use.

Story by Erik Rudolph, Marketing Strategist
Photos by Megan Rinker, Graphic Arts Designer

Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources

MORGANTOWN, W.Va.-

Rifai, a Ph.D. candidate and graduate research assistant in the Wadsworth Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the WVUBenjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, is researching the FastFloor system, a modular all-steel floor system for commercial buildings and data centers.

"FastFloor" system was originally inspired by ship construction and adapted for buildings. The system is designed as a faster, lightweight and more sustainable alternative to the traditional concrete-and-steel floor systems that have been widely used in North America for decades. WVU is one of the six universities in the U.S. collaborating on this project.

"My research focuses on the dynamics and vibrations of floor systems," Rifai said. "Specifically, I investigate FastFloor, a modular all-steel floor system for commercial buildings and data centers. It represents a faster, lightweight and more sustainable alternative to the traditional concrete-and-steel systems that have been the standard in North America for decades."

The FastFloor system is being developed as a nonproprietary technology, meaning its benefits and design standards are intended for broad adoption across the steel industry rather than being limited to a single commercial entity.

Rifai said his research aims to better understand how the system behaves when exposed to vibration. Because FastFloor is composed entirely of steel and has a flexible diaphragm, it has low damping and unique vibration modes involving plate bending and beam deformations. Those characteristics make vibration serviceability, or how a floor feels and performs for occupants, one of the most important parts of the design process.

S ahabeddin Rifai reviews data related to his research on the vibration performance of the FastFloor all-steel flooring system. (WVU Photo/Megan Rinker)

"It is important because we must ensure FastFloor is comfortable for future occupants," Rifai said. "Humans spend the majority of their time on floors, and excessive vibration can be unsettling."

Through vibration testing, Rifai is working to establish benchmark data and design recommendations that engineers can use to safely design all-steel floor systems for future commercial buildings and data centers. His research also tests technologies that increase damping, which helps reduce vibration and improve floor performance.

For Rifai, one of the most meaningful discoveries has been that improving floor performance is not as simple as making a floor lighter or stiffer. "Floor vibrations are like squeezing a melon: different factors are interconnected and affect how the floor behaves as a whole," Rifai said. "I also found that damping is a truly crucial property; without it, vibrations simply cannot cease on their own."

One challenge Rifai faced was determining the exact damping level needed to satisfy vibration serviceability requirements. To address it, he simulated higher damping levels by having groups of people stand still on a test specimen, using the human body's natural ability to act as an effective damper to collect the necessary data.

Rifai said his experience at Statler College helped prepare him to conduct the research by giving him the structure, mentorship and resources needed to focus deeply on experimental work.

"The Ph.D. program structure allowed me to focus deeply on experiments. Additionally, fellowships from my department and the Statler College allowed me to stay dedicated to my research." Rifai said. "My advisor, Dr. Onur Avci, who has recently received an AISC award for faculty members, spent significant time with me in the lab since I joined his research group. He has provided the mentorship and resources necessary to conduct these experiments."

Rifai's work recently earned national recognition from the American Institute of Steel Construction Education Foundation, which selected him as the recipient of the 2026 Reidar Bjorhovde Outstanding Young Professional Award. The annual honor recognizes recent and upcoming graduates making significant contributions to the future of steel construction.

As part of the Bjorhovde Award, Rifai will receive special recognition at NASCC: The Steel Conference, where he will connect with engineers, designers and researchers from across the steel construction industry. He will also visit a steel mill and fabrication shop and attend meetings of AISC task committees responsible for standards that govern structural steel design and construction.

Rifai said the award is meaningful because it shows his research is contributing to both civil engineering and the people who will one day use buildings designed with systems like FastFloor.

"The 2026 AISC Reidar Bjorhovde Outstanding Young Professional Award is high recognition of my work," Rifai said. "It signifies that my research is making a tangible difference for both humanity and the field of civil engineering. This award helps me dive deeper into the world of structural steel."

Rifai plans to continue studying vibration mitigation strategies and hopes his work will give engineers a framework for designing comfortable, high-performing all-steel floors.

"I hope my findings provide the essential framework for engineers to design comfortable, all-steel floors that advance the construction industry," Rifai said.