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Jeffrey A. Zapfe

Ph.D.


Higher Education | Market Principal
Principal

Jeff Zapfe PhD
“Acentech is easily the best place I have ever worked. I have great clients and outstanding colleagues, and have had the chance to work in places spanning the gamut from concert halls to subway tunnels.”

Jeff Zapfe has more than 35 years of consulting expertise in the area of vibration, structural dynamics, vibration sensitive facilities and equipment, and vibration isolation. He conducts analyses of structures at the design stage and measures, analyzes, and develops vibration mitigation solutions in occupied buildings.

His experience ranges from projects concerned with measurement and attenuation of building vibrations, construction vibration mitigation, prediction and control of footfall-induced vibrations on floors housing sensitive equipment, to the evaluation and mitigation of ground-borne noise and vibration due to transportation systems. Jeff served as Principal investigator of a Transportation Research Board (TRB) study to determine the relationship between railway-induced vibration and human annoyance.

The JAZ 411

I was born and raised in Canada but I have been in the US so long that I find myself thinking that those Canadians sure talk funny. To relax, I am an avid golfer (although lately my skill level often interferes with the relaxation part). To date, the highlight of my golf career is a 77 on the Old Course at St. Andrews (but that was a long time ago). The photo on the right shows me just after an unplanned visit to the Road Hole bunker. I also love to go to Italy. The first photo was taken in 2019 in Montefalco which is easily my favorite town in Italy – great food great wine, what more can you want. The second photo was taken in my back yard in 2020 during a COVID-inspired “fake trip to Italy.” My wife made the cappuccino, but I made the cornetti (they took all day, but they were good).

Accomplishments

  • Author of many papers pertaining to vibration issues
  • The Pennsylvania State University, Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, 1995
  • University of Toronto, M.ASc., Aerospace Engineering, 1982
  • University of Toronto, B.ASc., Engineering Science, 1981