A little bit about us.
X-Elastica is a small consulting firm, based in Boulder CO, focusing on the nonlinear analysis of complex concrete and reinforced concrete structures through advanced non-linear analyses. We specialize in AAR, nonlinear dynamic analysis, probabilistic based failure analyses and related matters.
Focus areas include: concrete dams, nuclear containment structures, bridges, and buildings.
We use in-house developed software (developed and fine-tuned over a cumulative ~50 years) to perform state of the art analysis when all else failed to provide satisfactory results.
Our company has its root in academia, our tools have been extensively reviewed through peer-reviewed articles in top journals, our focus is exclusively on complex problems that can not be addressed with commercial codes.
Specialized Analyses
- Alkali-Aggregate Reaction (AAR)
- Nonlinear Dynamic Analysis
- Probabilistic Based Failure Analyses
- Advanced Non-linear Analysis
- Risk, Reliability and Resilience Assessment
- Seismic Hazard Analysis
Focus Areas
- Concrete Dams
- Nuclear Containment Structures
- Bridges
- Buildings
- Complex Infrastructure
- Critical Safety Systems
Our Approach
- In-house Developed Software
- 50+ Years Cumulative Experience
- State-of-the-art Analysis
- Academic Research Foundation
- 200+ Peer-reviewed Publications
- International Recognition
Our Team
Dr. Victor Saouma
Dr. Victor Saouma specializes in the probabilistic-based nonlinear safety assessment (ageing and seismic) of concrete dams and nuclear containment structures. As a faculty member, he has taught a comprehensive battery of structural analysis courses including introductory structural analysis, matrix analysis, finite element methods, nonlinear analysis of frames, as well as fracture mechanics and continuum mechanics.
His research has focused on theoretical, numerical and experimental aspects of infrastructure safety assessments. This work has been funded by prestigious organizations including: National Science Foundation, US Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Reclamation, Tokyo Electric Power Company, Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Dr. Jan Červenka
Dr. Jan Červenka is the executive director at Červenka Consulting and brings extensive research and practical experience in the application of advanced simulation technology to complex engineering problems.
Areas of expertise include: advanced numerical modeling of brittle and heterogeneous materials, simulation of engineering structures, grid/cloud/parallel computing of engineering problems, modeling of smart/intelligent structures and buildings.
His professional mission is to advance the development of these methodologies and bring them closer to practicing engineers, extending the applicability of modern computational methods in engineering practice.
Services & Projects
"For the most part, we deal exclusively with structures which defy the traditional code based simple analysis."
🏗️ Dams
Safety assessment of concrete hydraulic structures with special emphasis on material degradation, seismic, and hydraulic hazards.
Services include:
- 3D nonlinear analysis
- Seismic analysis
- Probabilistic based assessment
- Risk, reliability and resilience assessment
- Alkali-aggregate (-silica) reaction modeling
- Soil-structure interaction
- Thermal loads and thermal analysis
⚛️ Nuclear Power Plants
Risk assessment of nuclear power plant concrete components through multi-hazard events.
Services include:
- 3D nonlinear analysis
- Seismic hazard analysis
- Soil structure interaction
- Probabilistic seismic assessment
- Fragility and vulnerability assessment
- Concrete degradation analysis
🌉 Bridges & Buildings
Comprehensive structural analysis for complex structures requiring advanced nonlinear analysis.
Services include:
- Advanced structural assessment
- Nonlinear dynamic analysis
- Material degradation analysis
- Seismic vulnerability assessment
- Long-term performance evaluation
Software Solutions
🚀 ATENA
Advanced Tool for Engineering Nonlinear Analysis
Now distributed by X-Elastica in North America!
ATENA Features
- User-friendly software for nonlinear analysis
- Concrete cracking, crushing simulation
- Reinforcement yielding analysis
- Extensively validated by international benchmarks
- Used at 1000+ installations worldwide
Merlin - Proprietary FEA
- 3D nonlinear/transient finite element software
- Specialized for concrete fracture and deterioration
- Dam and nuclear containment structure assessment
- Advanced dynamic analysis capabilities
PPACS - Risk Assessment
- Probabilistic Performance Assessment
- Matlab-based scripts for risk assessment
- Uncertainty quantification
- Machine Learning techniques
Advanced Technologies
Technologies embedded in our proprietary computer codes (A: ATENA; M: Merlin)
🔧 Finite Element
- Nonlinear analysis (A-M)
- Advanced algorithms and time integration
- Rich constitutive model libraries
- Discrete crack modeling
- Thermal analysis capabilities
🌊 Seismic Analysis
- Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Analysis
- Multiple dynamic analysis techniques
- Ground motion processing
- Soil-structure interaction
🔬 Fracture Mechanics
- Linear and Elasto-Plastic Fracture Mechanics
- Cohesive crack modeling
- Automatic crack propagation
- Fatigue analysis
⚗️ ASR Modeling
- Saouma-Perotti model implementation
- Temperature and humidity dependent
- Anisotropic expansion modeling
- RILEM benchmark validated
📊 Risk & Reliability
- Fragility and vulnerability assessment
- Time-dependent reliability
- Life cycle evaluation
- Portfolio assessment
🤖 Soft Computing
- Advanced sampling techniques
- Machine Learning integration
- Uncertainty quantification
- Meta-model development
Publications & Research
📚 Academic Foundation
Over 200 peer-reviewed journal articles collectively written over the years, greatly benefiting the unique and advanced services we provide.
📖 Published Books
- Saouma, V.E. & Hariri-Ardebili M.A. Structural Analysis of Large Infrastructures (Concrete Dams and Nuclear Containment Structures), 2019
- Saouma, V.E. (2013) Numerical Modelling of AAR, CRC Press
- Saouma, V.E. and Sivaselvan, M.V. (2008) Hybrid Simulation; Theory, Implementation and Applications, Taylor & Francis
🔍 Search Publications
Latest News
🚀 ATENA New 2024 Release
This latest version of ATENA 2024 introduces a revolutionary new pre-processor, blending the robustness of ATENA Science with the user-friendly simplicity of ATENA 3D Engineering.
For more information contact us at atena@xelastica.com.
🇺🇸 X-Elastica Now Official North American ATENA Distributor
We are thrilled to announce our partnership with Červenka Consulting to bring ATENA to North America.
This partnership provides local technical support, faster response times, and specialized consulting services combined with software solutions.
Contact us at atena@xelastica.com for more information.
Management of Alkali Aggregate Affected Structures; Analysis, Performance & Prediction
October 27–29, 2025
Please note: This course assumes that participants are already dealing with a structure confirmed to have Alkali-Aggregate Reaction (AAR). It does not cover detection or diagnosis of AAR.
Course Description
This specialized short course—taught by three leading experts with extensive research and field experience—is designed for practitioners managing Alkali-Aggregate Reaction (AAR) in critical infrastructure.
The course addresses theoretical foundations, laboratory testing, petrography, and finite element modeling, with a focus on both static and seismic loading conditions. Participants will explore both deterministic and probabilistic approaches to modeling AAR, with an emphasis on the state of the art rather than the state of the practice. While grounded in cutting-edge research, the course is structured to deliver practical, actionable knowledge for real-world applications.
Course Audience and Purpose
This course is designed for owners’ engineers, consultants, contractors, and regulators responsible for managing dams, hydroelectric plants, or major reinforced concrete structures affected by Alkali-Aggregate Reaction (AAR) or other chemical expansion phenomena.
Instead, the focus is on providing a state-of-the-art foundation for making informed engineering decisions regarding the assessment and long-term management of affected concrete structures and associated equipment. Participants from major agencies—including Departments of Transportation, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Reclamation, TVA, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission—as well as professionals from EPRI and leading consulting firms, will gain valuable insights into evaluating and mitigating AAR-related issues in bridges, buildings, dams, and nuclear structures.
Instructors
- Jan Cervenka: Executive Director Cervenka Consulting
- Andreas Leemann: Group Leader Concrete Technology, (EMPA)
- Jan Jan Lindgård: Senior Research Scientist SINTEF
- Simon-Nicolas Roth: Head of Dam Structures, Hydro-Quebec
- Victor Saouma: Professor Emeritus, University of Colorado Boulder
Target Audience
- Federal agencies (NRC, Reclamation, USACE, TVA, DOT, FHWA).
- Private sector (EPRI, NextEra, large consulting companies)
- ICOLD members
- Europe:????
Schedule
To accommodate participants across North America and Europe, this short course will be delivered in three sessions, each lasting 3–4 hours, scheduled at times that are convenient for both regions. This includes about 30 minutes for questions and answers.
Coverage
Day 1: Materials and Tests
-
Basics of ASR (AL)
- Alkalis
- Reactive aggregates
- Moisture (AL/JL)
- Sequence of reaction and mechanism of expansion (AL)
-
Diagnosis (AL, JL)
- Manifestation of ASR
- Impact on mechanical properties
- Damage rating index (DRI)
- Assessment of past expansion
- Crack-index
- Stiffness Damage Test (SDT)
-
Prognosis
- Assessment of future expansion and expansion rate
- Tests and their interpretation
Day 2: Modeling
- Engineering impact, mechanical property deterioration (VES)
- Numerical simulation (VES)
-
- Code Requirements
- Verification and Validation
- Model
- Implementation
- Parameter identification
- Performance based evaluations
- Seismic analysis
- Fragility curves
-
Computer Programs
- ATENA (JC)
- Merlin (VS)
- PaDamComp (SR)
Day 3: Applications
- xxx (SR)
- Xxx (JC)
- Nuclear enclosure Building (VES)
Bios
Jan Cervenka is CEO of Cervenka Consulting s.r.o., where he is also one of the key developers of finite element modelling and advanced simulation software ATENA. The software is currently distributed to over 2000 users all over the world for advanced modelling of concrete and reinforced concrete structures in static, dynamics, creep as well as thermal and moisture diffusion problems. During his professional career he was involved in projects in the Nuclear Industry (AREVA, KHNP, AXPO), analysis and design of wind tower foundations and grouting systems for on-shore as well as off-shore installations, and miscellaneous buildings and tunnel projects throughout Europe, North America, and Asia. He is active in ACI, fib, and EU standardisation CEN committees.
Andreas Leemann graduated in geology at the ETH Zurich in 1989 and finished his PhD on lake research in 1993. Since 1995 he has worked at Empa, a Swiss federal research institute, in the concrete/asphalt laboratory (link). He currently heads the concrete technology group. He works mainly on the durability of concrete including sulfate attack, leaching, carbonation and, with a particular emphasis, alkali-silica reaction. He employs a variety of microscopy methods to characterize the microstructure. Additionally, he is active in the field of recycling concrete. He is a member of several national and international standardization groups and is active in international RILEM committees. Currently, he is Visiting Professor at Ulster University (Belfast, UK).
Jan Lindgård
Simon-Nicolas Roth is Head of Geotechnical Expertise and Design, Dam Structures, and Infrastructure for Hydro-Québec. His team provides expertise, technical support, modelling and design of dams, infrastructures and substations.
Holder of a PhD in engineering specializing in numerical modelling of concrete structures, Simon-Nicolas Roth has nearly 20 years of experience at Hydro-Québec as a dam engineer. He leads a team of engineers involved in dam expertise and engineering projects, particularly in hydraulics, hydrology, geotechnics, geology, structures and instrumentation. Having a significant interest in innovation and the training of qualified engineers, he maintains a close link with the universities by actively contributing to several research chairs. He is also on the board of directors of the IGEE (Institute of Electrical Energy Engineering).
Victor Saouma (Emeritus Professor at the University of Colorado, Boulder, URL) researches ASR, chaired a RILEM committee on the diagnosis and prognosis of structures affected by ASR, authored the book on Aging, Shaking and Cracking of infrastructures, and is Past President of IA-FramCoS. He has conducted research related to ASR funded by TEPCO, Swiss Dam Safety Commission, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, EPRI, NRC, and the Bureau of Reclamation. For 6+ years he has been a pro-bono consultant to C-10 (a citizen group) challenging the safety of Seabrook.
He is a past member of the MAaD External Review Committee (ORNL, Light Water Reactor Sustainability R&D Program) and a Member (2010–2014) of the PMDA Expert Panel for concrete in nuclear reactors; and a key contributor to EPRI’s report on Structural Modeling of Nuclear Containment Structures.
Fee
Cost: $500 / €450 (includes PDF materials for participants)
Payment can be made through the following options:
a) PayPal 
b) Wire transfer to a U.S. bank — Routing No.: 021000021, Account No.: 123456789
c) International transfer using IBAN: DE89 3704 0044 0532 0130 00
Questions
For questions or inquiries, contact ✉ victor@xelastica.com.
Registration Form
Contact Us
Ready to solve complex structural analysis challenges? Get in touch with our expert team.
📞 Phone
+1 (720) 662-5232
📧 General Inquiries
info@xelastica.com
💻 ATENA Software
atena@xelastica.com
📍 Mailing Address
880 Gapter Road
Boulder, CO 80303