PETRO MYKOLAIOVYCH KOVAL
An outstanding bridge builder of the road industry, who founded and implemented a modern system for bridges condition monitoring, which still operates successfully today.
He has trained thousands of young bridge specialists.
A real legend of bridge science.
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WAY OF LIFE
Petro Koval was born May 1, 1955 in Volyn Region, PhD, Member of the Academy of Civil Engineering of Ukraine, Associate Member of the Transport Academy of Ukraine, a specialist in technical diagnostics of transport facilities, author of more than 400 scientific papers, 29 inventions and patents. 10 PhD theses were defended under his supervision.
Petro Koval's professional growth was connected with Lviv National Polytechnic University (“Lvivska Politechnika”). After graduating with honors from the Faculty of Civil Engineering in 1977 (at that time Lviv Polytechnic Institute) he started his career as a senior engineer of Lutsk district road section in 1981. He graduated from “Building Structures” Department of the same institute and worked at “Lvivska Politechnika” National University as engineer, researcher, head of research laboratory, associate professor, deputy head of the department. In 1988 he defended his PhD thesis.
WORKING PATH
From 2002 Petro Koval was a Director of M. Shulgin State Road Research Institute, the main research institution of Ukraine in the area of construction, repairing and maintenance of roads and transport facilities, which is part of the Management of State Road Service of Ukraine. “DerzhdorNDI” SE is also a basic organization for scientific and technical activities in the area of construction, building materials industry, architecture and urban planning of the Ministry of Regional Development and Construction of Ukraine, leading organization in creating of a national database of regulatory, technical, instructional and legal documents of state level and industry level. Under the leadership of Petro Koval, the institute has developed into a modern research complex, which includes 18 scientific departments: specialized departments with testing laboratories, the main testing center, a certification body for road construction materials and road machinery.
ACHIEVEMENTS
Under his leadership, a methodology of road bridges research by a highly informative method of acoustic emission with use of software and hardware for processing and locating signals "AKEM" and "AKIIM" was developed. On the basis of this method a high-precision diagnostics of constructions is carried out and the most effective measures for prevention of emergency situations, carrying out of reconstructions and bridges repairing are planned. Thanks to his active work, it was possible to create the “Analytical Expert System of Bridge Management” (AESUM), which is installed in all regional road services of Ukraine.
This and other researching developments of Petro Koval are described in monographs: “Methods of research and testing of construction materials and structures”, “Acoustic emission during destruction of materials, products and structures”, "Bridges: structures and reliability", in co-authorship with other outstanding scientists.
During the period of 2002 – 2009, the international scientific relations of the institute with related professional institutions of European Community were significantly expanded. In 2007, thanks to his requests, “DerzhdorNDI” SE had been accepted as a member of the Forum of European State Road Research Laboratories (RENVI), participated in researches in the frameworks of international projects.
Petro Koval was the Chairman of Editorial Board of the professional collection of scientific papers “Dorogi I Mosti” (“Roads and Bridges”).
He passed away May 5, 2020 in Kyiv.