Eugene O'Brien (engineer)

Eugene O'Brien is an Irish civil engineer specializing in structural dynamics, bridge aerodynamics, and railway track dynamics. He is a Professor of Civil Engineering at University College Dublin (UCD), Ireland, where he also leads the UCD Railway Research Group.

O'Brien's research focuses on the dynamic behavior of structures under moving loads, particularly the interaction between vehicles (trains, road traffic) and infrastructure (bridges, tracks). A significant part of his work involves developing and applying numerical modeling techniques to simulate these dynamic interactions, predict structural responses, and assess safety and performance. He has published extensively on topics such as bridge-vehicle interaction, dynamic amplification factors, and the effects of bridge roughness on vehicle dynamics.

O'Brien is a Fellow of the Institution of Engineers of Ireland. He has been involved in numerous national and international research projects related to transportation infrastructure and is a frequent speaker at conferences and workshops in his field. His work has contributed to the development of improved design guidelines and assessment methods for bridges and railway tracks. He has also served on expert panels investigating structural failures and providing guidance on infrastructure management.