1. Researcher, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Univ. de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada J1 K 2R1; Lecturer, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Assiut Univ., Assiut 71511, Egypt.
2. Adjunct Professor, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Univ. de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada J1 K 2R1; Associate Professor, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Assiut Univ., Assiut 71511, Egypt.
3. Researcher, Institut de Recherche d'Hydro-Québec, Varennes, Québec, Canada J3X 1S1.
4. Professor, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Univ. de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada J1K 2R1 (corresponding author).