1. Professor, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Univ. of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, PQ, Canada J1K 2R1 (corresponding author).
2. Senior Lecturer, Civil Engineering Department, Sami Shamoon College of Engineering, P.O. Box 950, Beer Sheva 84100, Israel.
3. Structural Engineer, Teknika HBA, 150 de Vimy St., Sherbrooke, PQ, Canada J1J 3M7.
4. Structural Engineer, Group SM International, 75 Queen, Suite 5200, Montreal, PQ, Canada H3C 2N6.