Welber S. de Souza

Welber S. de Souza

Structural engineer and M.S. student in aerospace structures at the Aeronautics Institute of Technology (ITA), Brazil.

I study how manufacturing processes leave plasticity and residual stresses in structures, and I build finite element methods that capture these local effects without a full nonlinear analysis. Before ITA, I spent fifteen years designing and verifying the structures of the São Paulo Metro.

Welber S. de Souza with his wife and daughter in front of the main building of the Aeronautics Institute of Technology (ITA), São José dos Campos

About

I am an M.S. student in Aeronautical and Mechanical Engineering at ITA, advised by Prof. Alfredo Rocha de Faria. My thesis develops a semi-analytical finite element method for the plastic deformation that riveting induces in aeronautical panels, with the aim of predicting residual stresses and panel distortion at a fraction of the cost of a nonlinear analysis.

I came to research from practice. I am a civil engineer by training (B.S., IFSP, 2018), and since 2011 I have worked at INGENIA, a São Paulo engineering firm where I am now a managing partner and technical director. I designed the elevated monorail stations of Metro Line 15-Silver, supervised the works of Line 17-Gold, and today I manage the independent technical verification of the Line 2-Green expansion, reviewing the structural calculations of stations, yards and deep foundations.

I am applying to Ph.D. programs for Fall 2027. I am interested in computational mechanics for structures shaped by how they are made: manufacturing-induced plasticity, structural optimization under fabrication constraints, and the finite element methods that connect the two.

Research

123arp
  • Global panelCoarse, strictly linear-elastic mesh. Each rivet sits at the centre of one element, and that element is special.
  • Special elementCarries the closed-form plastic zone (radius rp) and its displacement field around the hole of radius a, passed to its four nodes.
Schematic: an analytical elasto-plastic solution for the hole expansion caused by a rivet is embedded in a plate element, which hands the local plasticity to the global model as prescribed displacements.

Semi-analytical finite element modeling of riveting-induced plasticity

M.S. thesis, ITA, 2025 to 2027. Advisor: Alfredo Rocha de Faria.

A riveted joint leaves a small plastic zone around each hole, and a fuselage panel has thousands of them. Resolving every zone with a nonlinear model is too expensive for design. I derived a closed-form elasto-plastic solution for the hole expansion (von Mises yielding, Hollomon hardening) that gives the plastic radius and the displacement field, and formulated special plate elements with an embedded rivet that pass this local solution to a linear-elastic global mesh as prescribed displacements.

The elements are being implemented in the group's in-house finite element code and validated against full nonlinear analyses and experimental data, with application to the effect of riveting sequence on residual stresses and panel distortion.

Figure: pressure field or deformed airfoil

Open-source CAD to CFD to FEM pipeline for airfoil loading

With F. L. S. Bussamra, E. B. Ferreira and A. Rocha de Faria. Manuscript in preparation.

A fully open-source workflow for a NACA 0012 airfoil: structured mesh generation from CAD geometry, aerodynamic loading in OpenFOAM, and one-way transfer of the pressure field to a CalculiX structural model, validated against reference data.

Figure: floor mesh from EDUCASYS

Finite element mesh generation for building floor systems

Undergraduate research and B.S. thesis (EDUCASYS), IFSP, 2016 to 2018. Advisor: Edson Bispo Ferreira.

A CAD-based modeling interface with discretization modules in Fortran, Python and AutoLISP for the finite element analysis of multi-story floor systems. It grew out of an earlier CNPq fellowship (2013 to 2014) in which I wrote Java tools for beam internal forces and an image-based center-of-mass locator.

Work

  • Photo: elevated monorail station, Line 15-Silver (e.g. São Mateus or Iguatemi)
    Elevated monorail stations, Line 15-SilverStructural designer, INGENIA for the São Paulo Metro, 2016 to 2018Executive structural design and finite element modeling of the access buildings of Iguatemi Station and the external structures of São Mateus, Fazenda da Juta, Jardim Planalto, Sapopemba and Jardim Colonial stations, including 40 m steel pedestrian footbridges and 15 m cantilevered column corbels.
  • Photo: Line 2-Green station or yard under construction
    Independent verification, Line 2-Green expansionContract manager, 2020 to presentTechnical review of the structural calculations of Lots 2, 6, 7 and 8, Ponte Grande Station, Tamanduateí Yard and the Anália Franco substation: reinforced concrete, steel and deep foundations, including finite element models. Awarded Best and Largest Works 2024 by the Instituto de Engenharia.
  • Photo: TBM or NATM tunnel face, Line 2-Green
    Supervision of underground works, Line 2-GreenLots 1, 5 and 6, 2023 to presentSupervision of TBM and NATM tunnel excavation and underground stations for the São Paulo Metro.
  • Photo: Line 17-Gold monorail guideway
    Monorail works, Line 17-GoldProject coordinator, 2018 to 2020Construction supervision of the monorail guideway and stations; earlier, review and approval of design documents for the Line 5-Lilac expansion.
  • Photo: BIM model audit or IFC checker screen
    Automated BIM model verificationINGENIA, 2022 to presentIFC model auditing with buildingSMART IDS and Python (ifcopenshell), plus a web application for document review workflows, used on the Metro verification contracts.
  • Photo: Jacareí wastewater plant or pumping station
    Water and sanitation structuresStructural designer, 2018 to 2020Executive structural design for the Jacareí wastewater treatment plant expansion, a stormwater pumping station and underground drainage galleries under the federal PAC sanitation program.
  • Photo: rooftop PV array or the Vila Franca de Xira building
    Buildings, rooftops and international projects2019 to presentNBR 6123 wind loading and lifeline systems for rooftop photovoltaic installations on hospitals and schools; the extension block of the Santa Casa de Vila Franca de Xira, Portugal, delivered in BIM; and container-based laboratory facilities in Arizona, USA.

Photos should show public areas or previously published images; Metro construction sites usually carry disclosure restrictions.

Publications

Conference papers

  • Marques, D. S., Souza, W. S., Silva, C. C. (2026). Computational modeling of diaphragm walls via soil-structure interaction in Python and Matlab. 22nd COBRAMSEG, Brazilian Congress of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering. Accepted.
  • Marques, D. S., Souza, W. S., Guimarães, A. L. A., Cardoso Jr., E. A., Silva, C. C. (2026). Application of network topological analysis to the evaluation of a proposed structuring axis for the East Zone of the São Paulo metro network. AEAMESP, 32nd Metro-Railway Technology Week, São Paulo. Finalist, 13th Technology and Development Metro-Railway Award.
  • Marques, D. S., Souza, W. S., Silva, E. J. (2025). INSPECTUS: route optimization tool for rural aerodrome inspection using the Traveling Salesman Problem. 22nd SITRAER, Air Transportation Symposium, Brasília.

Magazine articles

  • Silva, I. M., Kenchian, A., Souza, W. S., Siqueira, R. G. (2015). A proposal for the gateway of the city of Bonito-MS. Concreto & Construções, 1, 142 to 150.

Invited talks

  • Souza, W. S., Bucker, M. B. (2025). Evolution of São Paulo Metro construction works and challenges in structural design. SEDICITEC, Science and Technology Week, IFSP, São Paulo.

Conference presentations

  • Jazra, F. M., Souza, W. S. (2013). Development of a didactic application for internal forces in simply supported planar beams. 5th CINTEC, Scientific Initiation Congress of the Federal Institute of São Paulo, São João da Boa Vista.

Manuscripts in preparation

  • Souza, W. S., Marques, D. S., Silva, E. J., Rocha de Faria, A. INSPECTUS: an intelligent decision support system for aerodrome inspection route optimization.
  • Souza, W. S., Bussamra, F. L. S., Ferreira, E. B., Rocha de Faria, A. Open-source CAD-CFD-FEM pipeline for the aerodynamic loading of airfoils: structured mesh generation and validated one-way coupling.
  • Souza, W. S., Marques, D. S. High school physics textbook (in Portuguese).

Teaching and mentoring

  • Volunteer physics teacherCurso Comunitário Bonsucesso (CCB), a free college-prep course for students from low-income communities in São Paulo. Co-author of a high school physics textbook in preparation.2015 to present
  • Co-advisor, undergraduate final thesisIFSP. A finite element processor for the plane-strain analysis of circular and oval tunnel cross-sections, benchmarked against PLAXIS. Student: Aislan Paes; advisor: Prof. Cátia C. Silva.2026
  • Instructor, short courseIFSP. Analysis of diaphragm walls via the finite difference method using Python and Matlab.2025
  • Volunteer, technical assistance program for low-income housingIFSP, design team in partnership with an NGO, coordinated by Dr. Alexandre Kenchian.2016 to 2018

Awards

  • Alumni Who Inspire (Egressos que Inspiram), first editionCivil Engineering Department, IFSP, at SEDICITEC2025
  • Best and Largest Works AwardInstituto de Engenharia. Line 2-Green expansion from Vila Prudente to Penha, São Paulo Metro.2024
  • Academic Honor DiplomaIFSP2015
  • First place, 8th Boldness (Ousadia) Design CompetitionIBRACON, 58th Brazilian Concrete Congress2015
  • Undergraduate research fellowship, Young Talents for ScienceCNPq2013 to 2014

Media

Education

  • M.S., Aeronautical and Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace StructuresAeronautics Institute of Technology (ITA). Thesis: semi-analytical finite element modeling of riveting-induced plastic deformation in aeronautical structures.Expected 2027
  • Specialization in Project ManagementFundação Getulio Vargas (FGV)2022
  • B.S., Civil EngineeringFederal Institute of São Paulo (IFSP). Thesis: EDUCASYS, a finite element mesh generator for building floor systems.2018
  • Technical degree, Building ConstructionFederal Institute of São Paulo (IFSP)2012