Rene Testa is an expert in structural mechanics and materials. He has extensive experience in infrastructure assessment and rehabilitation, including work on the Whitestone Bridge, George Washington Bridge and on the Brooklyn Bridge and Triborough Bridge anchorage rehabilitation projects. He has done testing on the Manhattan, Walt Whitman, and Throgs Neck Bridges, as well as on high- and low-rise buildings. He has analyzed failed structures, mechanical systems, and components of metallic and cementitious materials. His research includes work on composite materials, the inelastic response of concrete, and modeling of the mechanical response of structural fabrics for which he holds a patent for a stress transducer. His current research focuses on the use of vibration monitoring to detect damage in structures, the characterization of damage in materials, and the management of bridge maintenance.
Rene Testa teaches courses in structural analysis and design, testing and assessment of structures, fatigue and fracture, and continuum mechanics.
He is a registered professional engineer in the states of New York and New Jersey.