Table of Contents

Member Spotlight

Earthquake Engineering Research Institute

Founded in 1948, EERI's mission is to reduce earthquake risk by (1) advancing the science and practice of earthquake engineering, (2) improving understanding of the impact of earthquakes on the physical, social, economic, political, and cultural environment, and (3) advocating comprehensive and realistic measures for reducing the harmful effects of earthquakes.

Announcements

Request for Qualifications: CSMIP 2014 Data Interpretation Projects

The California Strong Motion Instrumentation Program (CSMIP) for the California Geological Survey in the Department of Conservation plans to fund three or more data interpretation projects for the analysis and interpretation of strong-motion data recorded from earthquakes.

The California Strong Motion Instrumentation Program (CSMIP) of the California Geological SurveyThese projects are intended to further understanding of strong ground shaking and the response of structures during earthquakes, and to increase the utilization of strong motion data in improving seismic code provisions, seismic design practices and post-earthquake response.

The CSMIP Program external link icon is soliciting proposals from private engineering firms and universities to interpret and analyze the strong-motion data on the topics given in the Request For Qualifications (RFQ). The RFQ includes a description of the data interpretation topics, the required proposal contents, and the contract conditions.

Proposals must be received by CSMIP no later than April 15, 2014. To receive a copy of the RFQ, send an email to Shirley Rowley at Shirley.Rowley@conservation.ca.gov, or contact CGS by phone at (916) 322-3105.

3rd International Conference on Urban Disaster Reduction: Call for Abstracts

The 3rd International Conference on Urban Disaster Reduction (3ICUDR) will be held September 28 – October 1, 2014 in Boulder, Colorado. The conference builds on an established practice of international collaboration and knowledge-sharing after disaster events in Japan, U.S., and Taiwan. In this third conference, New Zealand joins the three collaborating countries. The mission of this conference is to develop, integrate, and promote new knowledge and best practices in sustainable disaster recovery, with a particular emphasis on urban environments.

Save the Date: 3rd International Conference on Urban Disaster Reduction (3ICUDR)Abstracts that take bold steps in describing new strategies and ways of thinking to significantly reduce potential casualties, damage, and disruption from future disasters; and create safe, resilient, and adaptive communities, regions, and nations are being solicited. Young scholars are encouraged to present emerging research. Papers that bridge the knowledge gaps between research and practice are particularly welcomed. For more information and suggested topic areas, view the Call for Abstracts at http://3icudr.org/call-for-abstracts/. The deadline for submission is May 1, 2014.

3ICUDR websiteThe conference is being organized by the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute in collaboration with colleagues from the following partner organizations: USA — the Natural Hazards Center, University of Colorado, Boulder; Disaster Research Center, University of Delaware; Hazard Reduction and Recovery Center, Texas A&M University; Japan — the Research Center for Disaster Reductions Systems (DRS), Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Kyoto University, Kyoto, and the Risk Management Office/Research Center for Natural Hazard & Disaster Recovery, Niigata University, Niigata, in coordination with the Institute of Social Safety Science; Taiwan — the National Science and Technology Center for Disaster Reduction (NCDR) and the Disaster Management Society of Taiwan; and New Zealand — the New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering (NZSEE) and GNS Science, New Zealand. For more information about the conference, visit: www.3icudr.org.

NEES-EERI Webinar: Lessons Learned from the Performance of a Base Isolated Hospital in Christchurch

In the next webinar in the NEES/EERI Research-to-Practice webinar series, Dr. Robert Nigbor (M. EERI, 1984), NEES@UCLA, and Dr. Henri Gavin (M. EERI, 1994), Duke University, will discuss their observations regarding conventional and base-isolated buildings that they instrumented during the aftershock sequence of the Christchurch earthquakes.

NEES logoBy deploying instruments from the NEES@UCLA site, they were able to capture records from hundreds of seismic events, including the M 6.0 and M 5.9 earthquakes of December 23, 2011.

Date: Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Time: 12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. PDT
Presenters: Robert Nigbor, NEES@UCLA, and Henri Gavin, Duke University

Information about registration for this NEES/EERI Webinar will be available soon at https://nees.org/events/details/265 external link icon.

There is no cost to attend this webinar. PDHs will be available from EERI after the webinar for $30.

Upcoming Events: ACEE, 2014 UR Forum, and UME Short Courses

The following 2014 conferences and courses may interest EERI members: the Fifth Asia Conference on Earthquake Engineering (5ACEE), the 2014 Understanding Risk (UR) Forum, and the UME Short Courses on the "Seismic Design of Tanks" and "Earthquake Engineering for Nuclear Facilities."

Fifth Asia Conference on Earthquake Engineering

Fifth Asia Conference on Earthquake Engineering (5ACEE logo)The Fifth Asia Conference on Earthquake Engineering (5ACEE) will be held at Howard International House in Taipei, Taiwan, October 16–18, 2014, with the theme "Earthquake Engineering for Resilient Communities." This conference is jointly organized by the National Center for Research on Earthquake Engineering and the National Taiwan University.

5ACEE will provide an excellent forum to bring together researchers, professionals, engineers, scientists, and academics to promote and exchange new ideas and experiences in the field of earthquake engineering. Keynote speakers include EERI members: Professor Masayoshi Nakashima (M. EERI, 1988), Kyoto University, Japan; and Dr. Norman Abrahamson (M. EERI, 1984), Engineering Seismologist, PG&E. For more details about 5ACEE, visit the conference website at http://acee2014.ncree.org.tw/ external link icon.

2014 Understanding Risk Forum

2014 Understanding Risk (UR) ForumThe 2014 Understanding Risk (UR) Forum will be held in London from June 30–July 4, 2014 with the “Producing Actionable Information” theme. The third biennial UR Forum, organized in partnership with University College London’s Department of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Public Policy, is expected to host more than 800 people who will attend the event.

Every two years, the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) convenes the UR Forum — a five-day event designed to showcase best practices and the latest technical advances in disaster risk assessment. The Forum provides organizations with the opportunity to highlight new activities and initiatives, build new partnerships, and foster advances in the field. For more information, visit the UR Forum website at https://understandrisk.org/UR2014 external link icon.

UME Short Courses

In addition to academic courses, the ROSE Programme external link icon of the UME Graduate School provides isolated short courses for engineers and researchers that focus on structural and seismic engineering topics, ranging from basic to advanced issues:

Seismic Design of Tanks (May 5–9, 2014)
ROSE Programme of the UME Graduate School (logo)This course will provide state-of-the-art seismic analysis and design of slender-to-squat tanks from an international perspective. This course is taught by Roberto Nascimbene, Head of Structural Analysis Area at the Eucentre Foundation and Adjunct Professor at the University of Pavia, Faculty of Engineering.

Earthquake Engineering for Nuclear Facilities (May 12-23, 2014)
This course will provide an overview of the basis of earthquake engineering with a particular focus on the methods for dealing with nuclear facilities and extreme events. This course is delivered by Pierre Labbé (M. EERI, 2005), EDF-DIN; Alain Pecker (M. EERI, 2000), Geodynamique et Structure; Gian Michele Calvi (M. EERI, 1990), University of Pavia; and Paolo Bazzurro, IUSS Pavia.

Further information on the UME short courses can be found at www.roseschool.it/page/65/short-courses.html external link icon.

Strawbale Construction Appendix Approved for 2015 IRC

An appendix on Strawbale Construction was approved for inclusion in the 2015 International Residential Code (IRC) at the International Code Council’s (ICC) Public Comment Hearings in Atlantic City, NJ on October 4, 2013. This followed a 9-1 vote for approval by the IRC Building Committee at ICC’s code change proposal Committee Hearings in Dallas, TX in April of 2013.

Mark Aschheim, Martin Hammer, David Eisenberg, and Laura Bartels testified at ICC 2013 Committee Action Hearing in Dallas, TexasStrawbale construction uses baled straw, stacked as blocks and plastered both sides, as either a structural or non-structural wall system. Invented in the 1880’s on the plains of Nebraska after the invention of the baling machine, it was practiced regionally for 50 years. Some early strawbale buildings over 100 years old are still in service. The method of construction fell into disuse over the next 40 years but experienced a rebirth in the 1980s in the American southwest. A steady spread of the technology’s use has resulted in the construction of strawbale buildings in 49 of the 50 United States, and in over 45 countries throughout the world. Many variations of strawbale construction are practiced, depending on seismic risk, climate, available materials, and regional building traditions.

The lead author of the appendix is architect Martin Hammer (M. EERI, 2010). Significant contributors to the appendix include Mark Aschheim, PE (Professor at Santa Clara University; M. EERI, 1993), San Francisco bay area design professionals Kevin Donahue, SE and Dan Smith, Architect, and sustainable building codes advocate David Eisenberg of the Development Center for Appropriated Technology (DCAT) in Arizona. Mr. Eisenberg also co-authored the first load-bearing strawbale building code in 1995 for Tucson and Pima County, AZ. The IRC appendix also received input from other strawbale building practitioners in the U.S. and around the world.

The appendix was developed over a period of 11 years, and is based on focused testing and broad field experience over the last 20 years. Structural testing includes load-bearing, in-plane reverse cyclic and monotonic tests of full-scale wall specimens, out-of-plane tests, and a shake table test of a one-room full scale structure at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) NEES facilities in 2009.

Straw Bale Residence, El Dorado, CA, 2006 (before plaster); courtesy Martin Hammer, ArchitectThe shake table test and its associated cyclic and component tests were funded by the EERI Endowment as part of the Special Projects Initiatives Program (now the Initiatives Development Committee), and Darcey Donovan, PE (M. EERI, 2008) was the Principal Investigator. Current EERI President Ian Buckle (M. EERI, 1989), UNR Professor of Civil Engineering and Director of CCEER, and Sherif Elfass, UNR Research Assistant Professor and NEES Operations Manager, were the lead advisors of the project. The shake table test demonstrated successful seismic performance and the resilience of plastered strawbale wall systems in strong shaking (0.82g, equivalent to 200% of the Canoga Park Topanga Canyon record of the 1994 Northridge, California earthquake).

Thermal tests at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory have shown plastered strawbale walls to have a thermal resistance of R-30 for a typical wall. ASTM E-84 tests in 2000 indicated a flame spread index and a smoke development index for straw bales, each less than the respective IBC maximums for both concealed and exposed insulation. In 2006 ASTM E-119 full-scale fire tests were conducted, including hose stream tests, indicating fire-resistance ratings for strawbale wall assemblies with clay plaster and cement-lime plaster of 1-hour and 2-hour, respectively.

Testing reports and other supporting documentation for the IRC appendix, as well as the appendix as approved, can be viewed and downloaded at
http://www.ecobuildnetwork.org/projects/straw-bale-code-supporting-documents external link icon.

The IRC Strawbale Construction appendix dovetails with the format and requirements of the IRC. This includes the use of strawbale shear walls that relate to the IRC’s prescriptive wall bracing requirements for wind speed and seismic design category. Structural use of strawbale walls as a load-bearing or in-plane lateral load resisting element is currently limited to one-story buildings in the IRC appendix. The 2015 IRC will be available from ICC in June of 2014. Commentary is expected to be included in the IRC Code and Commentary at a later publication date.

Proceedings Available: 7th International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering are now available. These proceedings contain two special sessions: Symposium in Honor of Clyde N. Baker and Special Session to Honor Legacy of Ralph B. Peck.

The proceedings also contain 315 papers from 58 countries: 11 state of the art, 38 invited, and 266 contributed papers from 49 countries. To view the table of contents and list of papers, visit: http://bit.ly/1mFvKYd (PDF) external link icon.

The proceedings set includes a CD-ROM and abstract volume. You may place your order for this and previous conference proceedings at http://7icchge.mst.edu/proceedings/ external link icon.

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Chapter Spotlight

Are We on Shaky Ground? Earthquakes and New York City

On February 27, 2014, the New York–Northeast Chapter of EERI and the Center for Architecture, AIANY, co-organized the “Are We on Shaky Ground? Earthquakes and New York City” event. Event speakers included: Klaus H. Jacob (M. EERI, 1986), Columbia University; Sissy Nikolaou (M. EERI, 2004), Mueser Rutledge Consulting Engineers; Ramon Gilsanz (M. EERI, 2011), Gilsanz Murray Steficek; and Andrew E. Whittaker (M. EERI, 1998), SUNY Buffalo.

Ramon Gilsanz, Andrew E. Whittaker, Klaus H. Jacob, and Sissy Nikolaou at NYNE Chapter of EERI and AIANY eventThese leading professionals with an interest in earthquake risk reduction presented tales of the underground conditions and discussed seismic risk exposure for typical NYC building types. In combination with “Considering the Quake’s” multi-media content, this enlightening event put earthquakes on the radar in New York City. The "Considering the Quake" exhibition external link icon — tailored not only for the architecture and engineering communities but for an invested public as well — features full-sized seismic technology utilized in buildings, architectural and structural models, seismic testing videos, and a 500N shake table from North American Wave Spectrum Science and Trade Inc.

To read the full article about the event, visit the AIANY website at http://main.aiany.org/eOCULUS/newsletter/#/imagining-and-measuring-the-unimaginable/ external link icon.

EERI Utah Chapter Short Course: Evaluation and Mitigation of Liquefaction Hazard for Engineering Practice

Date: Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Time: 7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Presenter: W.D. Liam Finn, Professor Emeritus of Civil Engineering, University of British Colombia

EERI Honorary member W.D. Liam Finn, University of British ColombiaThe purpose of the EERI Utah Chapter short course is to improve engineering practice in Utah through thorough review and discussion of state-of-the-art procedures applied by engineers to evaluate and mitigate liquefaction hazard. Emphasis will be on urban infrastructure, including bridges, buildings, and planned development. 

EERI Honorary Member W.D. Liam Finn (M. EERI, 1976), University of British Colombia, is an expert in geotechnical earthquake engineering with particular interest in liquefaction, seismic response of sites and earth structures, seismic safety evaluation of dams, seismic response of pile foundations, and seismic risk.

Additional presentations will be made by local experts: Loren Anderson, Utah State University; Steve Bartlett, University of Utah; Kyle Rollins (M. EERI, 1988), Brigham Young University; Kevin Franke (M. EERI, 2008), Brigham Young University; and EERI Honorary Member Les Youd (M. EERI, 1974), Brigham Young University.

Who Should Attend
Geotechnical and structural engineers, building and transportation officials, and risk managers.

Registration
For more information and to register for the course, visit the EERI Utah Chapter website external link icon. Also, see the EERI Utah Chapter Short Course flyer (pdf) external link icon for course details.

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Member Spotlight

Welcome New EERI Members

EERI would like to take this opportunity to welcome new members who have joined the Institute this winter (mid December to mid March).

If you would like to connect with these new members, find them in the EERI online membership directory, which requires logging into the Member Resources Area of the EERI website.

SUBSCRIBING MEMBERS
CoreBrace (EERI Silver Subscribing Member)New Silver Subscribing Member CoreBrace designs and fabricates Buckling Restrained Braces at its facility in West Jordan, Utah. The company prides itself in the design and fabrication support that it provides engineers and steel fabricators. Each brace is custom built for project needs in a timely manner to meet even the tightest schedules. CoreBrace’s specialties include buckling restrained brace design, buckling restrained brace fabrication, connection design, seismic design, and much more. For more information about CoreBrace, visit www.corebrace.com external link icon.

Mueser Rutledge Consulting Engineers (MRCE) logoNew Bronze Subscribing Member Mueser Rutledge Consulting Engineers (MRCE), founded in 1910 in New York City, is the first firm in the United States to combine a geotechnical specialty with structural foundation design engineering. Today MRCE remains a leader in the field they pioneered, providing structural design of foundations and waterfront structures and complete geotechnical studies. By combining geotechnical engineering with structural foundation design engineering, MRCE specializes in complicated sites, especially in urban areas. Visit the MRCE website at www.mrce.com/index.htm external link icon.

REGULAR MEMBERS
Birkan Bayrak, Landau Associates Inc, Civil Engineering
Jeff Bond, City of Albany, Urban Planner
Matthew Bowers, SC Solutions Inc
Christine Butterfield, Consultant, Public Policy
Carlos Casabonne, GCAQ Civil Engineers, Civil Engineering
Hon Fung Chan, EBMUD, Geotechnical Engineering
Katherine Coates, Arup, Structural Engineering
Edward Cole, Ringfeder Power Transmission USA Corp
Ross Corotis, University of Colorado
Maria Crespo, Principia, Seismologist
Robert Cunningham, F.D. Thomas, Contractor
Andrew Cussen, Nautilus Group
Yael Daniel, University of Toronto
Amitabh Dar, Bruce Power, Civil Engineering
Matthew Daw, Keast & Hood, Structural Engineering
Marco De Biasio, EDF, Structural Engineering
Andrew Dinsick, GeoPentech, Geotechnical Engineering
Jack Everts, ExxonMobil Development Co
Michael Ewald, PartnerRe
Jennifer Foschaar, Arup, Structural Engineering
John Gillengerten, Structural Engineering
JoLyn Gillie, HWA GeoSciences Inc, Geophysicist
Michael Givens, Geotechnical Engineering
Maurizio Gobbato, Risk Management Solutions
John (Jack) Gordon, GRI
Nicholas Hedley, Simon Fraser University, Information Science
Richard Henry, University of Auckland
John Ho, PSI
Lars Jahnel, Ringfeder Power Transmission USA Corp
Xiaodong Ji, Tsinghua University
Courtney Johnson, AMEC
Daria Khachi, Dialog, Structural Engineering
Bijan Khazai, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Risk Analysis
Do-Kyoun Kim, KISTEC
Ioannis Koutromanos, Virginia Tech, Civil Engineering
Aris Kozmidis, Arup
Koichi Kusunoki, Yokohama National University
Mario Lafontaine, Rene Lagos Engineers
Sue Lamb, Yamhill County Emergency Management, Emergency Prep Response
Peter Laursen, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Martin Lawrence, BC Hydro
Feng Li, Golder Associates
Ying-Cheng Lin, University of Alabama
Masaki Maeda, Tohoku University
Harold Magistrale, FM Global
Dragos Marcu, Popp & Asociatii SRL, Structural Engineering
Claudia Marin, Howard University, Structural Engineering
Antony Martin, GEOVision
David Muria-Vila, UNAM
Eric Musselman, Villanova University
Nobuoto Nojima, Gifu University
Dan Palermo, York University
Duhee Park, Hanyang University, Geotechnical Engineering
Jae-Young Park, KISTEC
Juan Perez-Gavilan, UNAM
Maria Polese, University of Naples
Mathias Raschke, Risk Analysis
Diana (Kathy) Reyes, Fugro Consultants Inc, Geotechnical Engineering
Juan Reyes, Univ de los Andes
Luis Romero, GCAQ, Structural Engineering
Jose-Luis Sanchez, TYPSA
Rodolfo Sancio, Geosyntec Consultants, Geotechnical Engineering
Shigeki Senna, NIED
Steven Shepherd, Simpson Gumpertz & Heger, Structural Engineering
Stan Siler, Structural Engineering
Wei Song, University of Alabama, Structural Engineering
Ricardo Taborda, CERI, Civil Engineering
Anthony Tessari, SUNY Buffalo, Geotechnical Engineering
Jale Tezcan, So Illinois University, Civil Engineering
Ethan Tsai, AMEC
Robert Turner, Fugro Consultants Inc, Engineering Geologist
Paul Westermann, Interactive Resources, Structural Engineering
Mark White, Law Offices of Mark N. White, Owner
Laura Whitehurst, Walter P Moore, Structural Engineering
Liam Wotherspoon, University of Auckland
Feng Xiong, Sichuan University
Shawn You, MTS Systems

YOUNG PROFESSIONAL MEMBERS
Kevin Aswegan, Magnusson Klemencic Associates, Structural Engineering
Paolo Bocchini, Lehigh University, Risk Analysis
Jason Bock, GRI, Geotechnical Engineering
Lindsay Burden, University of Virginia, Geotechnical Engineering
Yan Chang-Richards, Univ of Auckland, Risk Analysis
Josh Colley, Geosyntec, Geotechnical Engineering
Arash Erfani, Arup, Geotechnical Engineering
Matthew Farren, GEI Consultants, Geotechnical Engineering
Majid Ghayoomi, University of New Hampshire, Geotechnical Engineering
Daniel Gillins, Oregon State University, Geotechnical Engineering
Vamshi-Krishna Gudipati, Structural Engineering
Thomas Keatts, Shannon & Wilson Inc, Geotechnical Engineering
Byungmin Kim, Risk Management Solutions Inc, Geotechnical Engineering
Nik Marin, Alameda County Public Works Agency, Civil Engineering
Sandra Martinez-Cuevas, Urban Planner
Tadesse Meskele, GRI, Geotechnical Engineering
Aaron Michel, AIR Worldwide Corp, Risk Analysis
Nicholas Rillstone, KPFF Consulting Engineers, Structural Engineering
Kyle Romney, Parsons Brinckerhoff, Geotechnical Engineering
Andrew Seifried, Lettis Consultants Intl Inc
Andrew Shuck, Wiss Janney Elstner Associates Inc, Structural Engineering
Christopher Smith, NIST, Structural Engineering
Stuart Stringer, Moffatt & Nichol, Structural Engineering
Andy Sunjaya, Structural Engineering
Dmitra Tsiaousi, Fugro Consultants Inc
Zeynep Tuna, Istanbul Technical University, Structural Engineering
Alper Ucak, Parsons Brinckerhoff, Structural Engineering
Yuyang Wang, Structural Engineering
Lydell Wiebe, McMaster University, Structural Engineering
Pedram Zohrevand, Florida Intl University, Structural Engineering

AFFILIATE MEMBER
Mihail Garevski, Institute of Earthquake Engineering & Seismology, Structural Engineering

E-AFFILIATE MEMBERS
Paulina Amponsah, Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, Seismologist
P. Anbazhagan, Indian Institute of Science
Douglas Asante-Nyarko, Ghana Education Service, Education
Prakash Badal, Larsen & Toubro, Structural Engineering
V.R. Balasubramaniam, National Institute of Rock Mechanics, Geophysicist
Supratik Bose, Indian Institute of Technology
Yao Cui, Dalian University of Technology, Structural Engineering
Archanaa Dongre, IPEC Delhi/NCR, Education
Ramanand Dubey, IIT Roorkee, Structural Engineering
Zikrul Fahad, Earthquake & Megacities Initiative, Urban Planner
Putul Haldar, Malaviya National Institute of Technology, Structural Engineering
Juan Herrera, Javeriana University, Education
Mihail Iancovici, Technical University of Bucharest, Education
Richard Jones, Carpenter & Paterson Asia Ltd, Structural Engineering
Can Karageyik, Erges Engineering & Consulting Ltd, Structural Engineering
Ilker Kazaz, Ataturk University, Structural Engineering
Sadaqat Khan, NED Univ of Engineering & Tech, Structural Engineering
Abhay Khandeshe, Khandeshe Consulting Engineer
Santosh Kirve, Structural Engineering
Suchart Limkatanyu, Prince of Songkla University, Structural Engineering
Yukta-Bilas Marhatta, PARADIGM-Nepal, Civil Engineering
Pio Miranda, SismoConsultores SA, Structural Engineering
Ghazala Naeem, Resilience Group, Emergency Prep Response
Pelin Ozener, Yildiz Technical University, Geotechnical Engineering
Nuri Ozhendekci, Yildiz Technical University, Structural Engineering
Byron Paiz, Proinasa, Structural Engineering
Kumar Pallav, Mnnit, Structural Engineering
Dilip Paul, IIT Roorkee, Civil Engineering
Florin Pavel, Tech Univ of Civil Engineering, Civil Engineering
Prakash Sangamnerkar, M.P. Housing & Infrastructure
Vlatko Sheshov, IZIIS, Geotechnical Engineering
Muralidhar Sivaraju, Tebodin, Structural Engineering
Beyza Taskin, Istanbul Technical University, Structural Engineering
Ramakant Upadhyaya, Civil Engineering
Jairo Valcarcel-Torres, Global Earthquake Model, Risk Analysis

STUDENT MEMBERS
Haitham Eletrabi, Auburn University, Structural Engineering
Michael Jensen, Auburn University, Structural Engineering
Taylor Rawlinson, Auburn University, Structural Engineering
Levi Ekstrom, Brigham Young University, Geotechnical Engineering
Carlos McEniry, Cal Poly Pomona, Civil Engineering
Tim Feng, Cal Poly Pomona, Civil Engineering
Cristina Chilin, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Structural Engineering
Carleen Altinok, Cornell University, Structural Engineering
Dan Ki, Cornell University, Geotechnical Engineering
Daniel Wilentz, Cornell University, Mechanical
Kimberly Bernstein, Cornell University, Civil Engineering
Nan Wei, Cornell University, Mechanical
Olivia Kalban, Cornell University, Structural Engineering
Shengnan Zhao, Cornell University, Civil Engineering
Stella Kim, Cornell University, Civil Engineering
Edward Valdovinos, CSU Los Angeles
Kheder Alrazaa, CSU Los Angeles, Civil Engineering
Atakan Mangir, Fatih University, Structural Engineering
Bassel El Kadi, Fatih University, Civil Engineering
Ajinkya Lokhande, Georgia Institute of Technology, Structural Engineering
Antonella Ungari, Georgia Institute of Technology, Geotechnical Engineering
Chinyu Hsieh, Georgia Institute of Technology, Structural Engineering
Christopher Detring, Georgia Institute of Technology, Civil Engineering
Daniella Remolina, Georgia Institute of Technology, Civil Engineering
Eric Goldstein, Georgia Institute of Technology, Architecture
Gonzalo Marcillo, Georgia Institute of Technology, Civil Engineering
Jian Zhong, Georgia Institute of Technology, Structural Engineering
Leonardo Rogliero, Georgia Institute of Technology, Structural Engineering
Linglong Xing, Georgia Institute of Technology, Civil Engineering
Manotapa Bhaumik, Georgia Institute of Technology, Structural Engineering
Philip Richardson, Georgia Institute of Technology, Architecture
Sai Ghate, Georgia Institute of Technology, Structural Engineering
Stephen Hsu, Georgia Institute of Technology, Structural Engineering
Tejasvee Prasad, Georgia Institute of Technology, Structural Engineering
Thanh Nguyen, Georgia Institute of Technology, Structural Engineering
Varun Ajmera, Georgia Institute of Technology, Structural Engineering
Weiwei Xing, Georgia Institute of Technology, Structural Engineering
Xi Liu, Georgia Institute of Technology, Structural Engineering
Xi Wang, Georgia Institute of Technology, Civil Engineering
Yiqiao Dong, Georgia Institute of Technology, Structural Engineering
Yuzhi Guo, Georgia Institute of Technology, Structural Engineering
Zachary Colville, Georgia Institute of Technology, Structural Engineering
Jeong Seon Park, Hanyang University, Civil Engineering
Shrabony Adhikary, IIT Roorkee, Geotechnical Engineering
Alexander Himschoot, Iowa State University
Duong Van, Iowa State University, Education
Mary Nazari, Iowa State University, Structural Engineering
Rosalin Mendez, Lehigh University, Structural Engineering
Thomas Matarazzo, Lehigh University
Ahmad Siam, McMaster University, Civil Engineering
Omar Abdelkarim, Missouri University of Science & Technology, Structural Engineering
Isela Galan, New Mexico State University, Civil Engineering
Malcolm Braughton, New Mexico State University, Civil Engineering
Tsegaye Gebremariam, New Mexico State University, Education
James Desmond, Oregon State University, Structural Engineering
Kylean Gunhus, Oregon State University, Civil Engineering
Ramiro Bazaez, Portland State University, Structural Engineering
Selamawit Mehary, Portland State University, Structural Engineering
Yunlan Zhang, Purdue University, Civil Engineering
Cesar Brambila, San Diego State University, Civil Engineering
Ibrahim Hassan, San Diego State University, Civil Engineering
Janine Khrista Andres, San Diego State University, Civil Engineering
Luis Cantabrana, San Diego State University, Civil Engineering
Randolf Trajano, San Diego State University, Civil Engineering
Ryan Stull, San Diego State University, Civil Engineering
Aaron Wu, San Jose State University, Civil Engineering
Marissa Neighbour, San Jose State University, Civil Engineering
Mary Nguyen, San Jose State University, Civil Engineering
Mona Sadeghian, San Jose State University, Civil Engineering
Cristian Cruz, Stanford University, Structural Engineering
Mahalia Miller, Stanford University, Risk Analysis
Samuel Schreiber, Stanford University, Civil Engineering
Basit Qayyum, SUNY Buffalo, Civil Engineering
Hossein Aghakhani, SUNY Buffalo, Mechanical
Laura Hernandez, SUNY Buffalo, Structural Engineering
Seyedsina Yousefianmoghadan, SUNY Buffalo, Structural Engineering
Winifred Lao, SUNY Buffalo, Civil Engineering
Alexandra Hlihor, Tech University of Cluj-Napoca, Architecture
Alexandru Vulcan, Tech University of Cluj-Napoca, Structural Engineering
Andrea Dezo, Tech University of Cluj-Napoca, Structural Engineering
Aniko Simon, Tech University of Cluj-Napoca, Structural Engineering
Claudiu Costa, Tech University of Cluj-Napoca, Structural Engineering
Florin Silaghi, Tech University of Cluj-Napoca, Structural Engineering
Iosif Flesch, Tech University of Cluj-Napoca, Structural Engineering
Margareta Vranau, Tech University of Cluj-Napoca, Structural Engineering
Mugurel Neagu, Tech University of Cluj-Napoca, Architecture
Peter Kupas, Tech University of Cluj-Napoca, Structural Engineering
Stefan Aslovici, Tech University of Cluj-Napoca, Structural Engineering
Connor Hayden, UC Berkeley, Geotechnical Engineering
Andrew Yu, UCLA, Civil Engineering
Andy Luu, UCLA, Structural Engineering
Christopher Hilson, UCLA, Structural Engineering
Christopher Motter, UCLA, Structural Engineering
Christopher Segura, UCLA, Civil Engineering
Clint Bannout, UCLA, Civil Engineering
Dorian Krausz, UCLA, Structural Engineering
Matthew Stewart, UCLA, Civil Engineering
Paul Lee, UCLA, Geotechnical Engineering
Rhonda El-Hachache, UCLA, Civil Engineering
Sean Ahdi, UCLA, Geotechnical Engineering
Soheil Kashani, UCLA, Civil Engineering
Steven Cseh, UCLA, Civil Engineering
Suraj Patel, UCLA, Civil Engineering
Yazhou Xie, UCLA, Civil Engineering
Yi Tyan Tsai, UCLA, Geotechnical Engineering
Yinan Pei, UCLA, Civil Engineering
Mustafa Mashal, University of Canterbury, Structural Engineering
Brook Robazza, University of British Columbia, Structural Engineering
Frances Rose Wee, University of British Columbia, Structural Engineering
Ji Hyun (Jenna) Kim, University of British Columbia, Structural Engineering
Linus Yau, University of British Columbia, Civil Engineering
Saman Hashemi, University of British Columbia, Civil Engineering
Andrew Kin, University of California Irvine, Civil Engineering
Andrew Lund, University of California Irvine, Civil Engineering
Marta De Bortoli, University of California Irvine, Structural Engineering
Naif Ghabban, University of California Irvine, Structural Engineering
Anthony Adams, University of California San Diego, Structural Engineering
Christopher Trautner, University of California San Diego, Structural Engineering
Jared Leventhal, University of Colorado, Civil Engineering
Ruben Saucedo, University of Colorado, Civil Engineering
Tiago De Oliveira Almeida, University of Colorado, Geotechnical Engineering
Kevin Kho, University of Illinois, Civil Engineering
Qiwen Chen, University of Illinois, Structural Engineering
Wanching Huang, University of Illinois, Civil Engineering
Alvaro Hurtado-Chaparro, University of Los Andes, Structural Engineering
Andrew Jacobucci, University of MA - Amherst, Structural Engineering
Eric Turberg, University of MA - Amherst, Civil Engineering
Nathan Ziegler, University of MA - Amherst
Ryan McNerney, University of MA - Amherst, Structural Engineering
Ashley Evans, University of Memphis
Jeremy Rice, University of Memphis, Civil Engineering
Melissa Difillippo, University of Memphis, Structural Engineering
Dennis Larson, University of NE - Lincoln (Omaha), Structural Engineering
Jonathan Ingram, University of NE - Lincoln (Omaha)
Alireza Mohebbi, University of Nevada-Reno
Lisa Bryant, University of Nevada-Reno, Civil Engineering
Reihaneh Sarraf-Shirazi, University of Nevada-Reno, Civil Engineering
Sebastian Varela-Fontecha, University of Nevada-Reno, Structural Engineering
Shokoufeh Zargar-Shoushtari, University of New Hampshire, Structural Engineering
Janet Perez, University of Southern California, Civil Engineering
Nick Halsey, University of Southern California
Rana Kashani, University of Southern California, Civil Engineering
Sylvia Tran, University of Southern California, Civil Engineering
Brett Maurer, Virginia Tech, Geotechnical Engineering
Chia-Hung Fang, Virginia Tech, Structural Engineering
Douglas Edwards, Virginia Tech, Structural Engineering
Francisco Flores, Virginia Tech, Civil Engineering
Marcus Freeman, Virginia Tech, Structural Engineering
Mohammadreza Moharrami-Gargari, Virginia Tech, Structural Engineering
Trevor Walker, Virginia Tech, Structural Engineering

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Program Updates

Friedman Family Visiting Professionals Program 2013-2014

In the 2013–14 academic year, students from eleven EERI student chapters had the privilege of hosting a distinguished professional as part of the EERI Friedman Family Visiting Professionals Program.

The program takes advantage of the breadth and depth of the EERI membership to help students understand and consider professional careers associated with earthquake engineering and earthquake risk reduction. The program offers a unique opportunity for students to hear about high profile projects and interact with visiting professionals in an informal setting.

Friedman Family Professionals visited the following EERI Student Chapters:

  • David Cocke (M. EERI, 1992), Structural Focus – Rice University 
  • David Friedman (M. EERI, 1988), Forell/Elsesser Engineering – Georgia Tech, Purdue University, University at Buffalo, University of Minnesota, and University of Illinois 
  • Nathan Gould (M. EERI, 1990), ABS Consulting – Iowa State University
  • John Hooper (M. EERI, 1987), Magnusson Klemencic Associates  – University of Nevada, Reno
  • Annie Kammerer (M. EERI, 1997), Bechtel Corp – University of Memphis 
  • Ron Mayes (M. EERI, 1978), Simpson Gumpertz & Heger – Johns Hopkins University
  • Farzad Naeim (M. EERI, 1983), John A. Martin & Associates – UCLA

EERI Student Chapter reports detailing the events they organized as part of their professional visits are available online at https://www.eeri.org/about-eeri/student-chapters/.

Student chapters that would like to host a visiting professional in the 2014–25 academic year will have the opportunity to apply this spring. An announcement will be made in an upcoming issue of The Pulse when the application period is open.

For more information about the Friedman Family Visiting Professionals program, visit: https://www.eeri.org/projects/friedman-family-visiting-professionals-program/.

EERI’s Confined Masonry Network: Introducing Confined Masonry in India

In late February 2014, volunteers from EERI’s Confined Masonry Network and representatives from various academic and government agencies in India met in a workshop to begin work on the development of an Indian code for confined masonry.

Participants of the confined masonry workshop view plans on the job site of the new IITGN campus.Considered an earthquake-resistant technology and alternative to low-rise reinforced concrete frame construction, confined masonry is widely used in Latin America, where it has been tested and performed well both in laboratories and many earthquakes. The Indian initiative will build on much of the work done to develop the Mexican code.

Held on the temporary campus of the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN), workshop participants also had an opportunity to visit the new campus of IITGN, currently under construction. In the first wide scale application in India, confined masonry is being used on the new campus for both faculty housing and student hostels. Thirty buildings with 9 flats each for faculty and student hostels that will house 1,200 students are under construction with this earthquake-resistant technology.

EERI member and IITGN Director Sudhir Jain (M. EERI, 1987) is overseeing this massive construction project, including academic buildings under construction in reinforced concrete. EERI member and IIT Kanpur civil engineering professor Durgesh Rai (M. EERI, 2000) agreed at the workshop to lead the effort to develop a code for engineered confined masonry for the country. Additional EERI members who participated in the workshop included C.V.R. Murty (M. EERI, 1995), Hemant Kaushik (M. EERI, 2009), Satwant Rihal (M. EERI, 1979), Vivek Rawal (M. EERI, 2011), Svetlana Brzev (M. EERI, 1995), and Marjorie Greene (M. EERI, 1982).

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Publications

Spectra Preprints: 2010-2011 Canterbury Earthquake Sequence, NGA-West2, and more

In late March, twelve preprint manuscripts were posted on the Earthquake Spectra website prior to their formal publication. In addition, the editors also posted Special Collections of Preprints of the papers that will be published in the 2010-2011 Canterbury Earthquake Sequence special issue (forthcoming) and the NGA-West2 special issue (forthcoming, August 2014). The list of new preprint manuscripts, including authors, follows:

  • Earthquake Spectra“An experimental study of confined masonry walls with varying aspect ratio” by J. J. Perez Gavilan, L. E. Flores, and S. M. Alcocer (M. EERI, 1987)
  • “A Ground Motion Prediction Model for Deep Earthquakes Beneath the Island of Hawaii” by Ivan G. Wong (M. EERI, 1978), Walter J. Silva (M. EERI, 1988), Robert Darragh (M. EERI, 1985), Nick Gregor (M. EERI, 1992), and Mark Dober (M. EERI, 2010)
  • “A Beta Distribution Model for Characterizing Earthquake Damage State Distribution” by David Lallemant and Anne Kiremidjian (M. EERI, 1976)
  • “Cyclic Performance of Welded Unreinforced Flange–Welded Web Moment Connections” by Sang Whan Han (M. EERI, 1994), Ki Hoon Moon, and Jin Jung
  • “Towards Robust Fragility Relations for Buried Segmented Pipe in Ground Strain Areas” by Michael O'Rourke (M. EERI, 1993), Evgueni Filipov (M. EERI, 2010), and Eren Uçkan
  • “Elaboration of Multi-Hazard Zoning and Qualitative Risk Maps of Pakistan” by Muhammad Shahid Siddique and Jochen Schwarz (M. EERI, 1996)
  • “Update of the Chiou and Youngs NGA Model for the Average Horizontal Component of Peak Ground Motion and Response Spectra” by Brian S.-J. Chiou and Robert R. Youngs (M. EERI, 1983)
  • “On the Calculation of Peak Ground Velocity for Seismic Performance Assessment” by Yin-Nan Huang (M. EERI, 2005) and Andrew S. Whittaker (M. EERI, 1998)
  • “Evaluation of Hybrid Broadband Ground Motion Simulations for Response History Analysis and Design” by Lynne S. Burks (M. EERI, 2008), Reid B. Zimmerman (M. EERI, 2013), and Jack W. Baker (M. EERI, 2004)
  • “Are Near-Fault Fling Effects Captured in the New NGA West2 Ground Motion Models?” by Ronnie Kamai (M. EERI, 2010) and Norman Abrahamson (M. EERI, 1984)
  • “Localized Damage Detection Algorithm and Implementation on a Large-Scale Steel Beam-to-Column Moment Connection” by S. Dorvash, S.N. Pakzad, E.L. Labuz, J.M. Ricles (M. EERI, 1995), and I.C. Hodgson
  • “NGA-West 2 Site Database” by Emel Seyhan (M. EERI, 2010), Jonathan P. Stewart (M. EERI, 1994), Timothy D. Ancheta (M. EERI, 2006), Robert B. Darragh (M. EERI, 1985), and Robert W. Graves (M. EERI, 2000)

To read preprint manuscripts or browse the complete list of preprint manuscripts, visit the Earthquake Spectra website at http://earthquakespectra.org/toc/eqsa/0/0.

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In Memoriam

Remembering Takashi Tazoh (1948-2014)

Dr. Takashi Tazoh (M. EERI, 1994), the former Deputy Director & Chief Research Manager of the Institute of Technology of Shimizu Corporation and pioneer in geotechnical earthquake engineering research, passed away suddenly on February 22, 2014, three days before his 66th birthday, after a short battle with hepatic carcinoid.

Dr. Takashi TazohTakashi was born in the town of Namerikawa in the Toyama region of Japan, on February 25, 1948 (in what he views as) one of the saddest periods in the history of his nation, following the defeat by the Allies in WWII. He attended Chuo University from which he graduated with a Bachelor's degree in engineering in 1970, and with a Master's degree in 1972.

After a brief period as a teaching assistant in Chuo University, he started his professional career at Shimizu Corporation in 1973. In 1985 he took up a position as Senior Research Engineer at the Institute of Technology, the R&D Unit of Shimizu. There, he quickly rose through the ranks and in 2006 he was appointed Deputy Director & Chief Research Manager.

In 1993 he was awarded a Ph.D. degree from Chuo University. He authored or co-authored more than three hundred technical papers and nine books. He served as Auditor and Special Advisor of the Japanese Association for Earthquake Engineering. His long list of honors includes the 2005 Best Paper Award and the 2005 Best Program Planning Award from the Japanese Geotechnical Society.

As a young engineer, Takashi contributed to several major projects, such as the Kikuma Project in Ehime prefecture, an important national project where he investigated the performance of underground oil storage tanks influenced by earthquakes. He also worked on the earthquake observations at Tokyo Gus Sodegaura LNG terminal, Chiba Prefecture, and the seismic evaluation of foundations supporting the Hakucho Bridge in Muroran, Hokkaido, among others.

Takashi is widely known for his pioneering experimental investigations of kinematic bending of piles under the Ohba Ohashi Bridge and, later, the Ervic Building, which propelled the subject internationally in the 1980's and 1990's. Following the Kobe earthquake, he was instrumental in carrying out experimental research on foundations in liquefied environments and developing patents (such as the Super Pin device) for protecting piles from head fracturing due to excessive seismic demand. He also co-organized several Japan-Greece Workshops on earthquake engineering, with the participation of numerous Greek and Japanese colleagues.

Takashi was a leader in earthquake engineering, a great story teller, a Kanji character teacher (who personally taught friends and colleagues from all over the world), a man of humor, a world traveler, a devoted golfer, a fan of good cinema, and a great human being. Over the years, he helped several young colleagues launch their careers, including the signatories. He was always providing help to foreigners with visits to Japan and with establishing local contacts.

He is survived by his wife Michiko, whom he married in 1978, children Shin-ichiro & Yukiko, and grandchildren Yuna Tazoh & Yudai Nagaoka. Takashi will be greatly missed and always remembered by colleagues and friends.

Written by Masato Saitoh (M. EERI, 2011), Saitama University, and George Mylonakis (M. EERI, 1996), University of Bristol

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News of the Institute

Call for Nominations: 2015 EERI Distinguished Lecture Award

The EERI Honors Committee will meet soon to consider candidates for the Distinguished Lecture Award for 2015. The Committee welcomes nominations from EERI members. All nominations must be sent to EERI at eeri@eeri.org by Friday, May 30, 2014, accompanied by a brief justification.

EERI (logo)Since 1992, EERI has honored leaders in the earthquake profession through this annual award. The lecture is generally presented for the first time at the EERI Annual Meeting and then at a series of student and regional chapter meetings nationwide.

Past awardees are listed at www.eeri.org/about-eeri/honors-awards/award-recipients/.

For a complete description of the award, visit: www.eeri.org/about-eeri/honors-awards/distinguished-lecture-award.

Register Today for 10NCEE: DDBD Seminar, New Sponsors, and SDC Registration

Register now for the Tenth U.S. National Conference on Earthquake Engineering (10NCEE) in Anchorage, Alaska, July 21–25, 2014. Information about Travel and Lodging, Airline Discounts, Pre-Conference Events, and Thursday Evening at the Alaska Native Heritage Center is available at www.10ncee.org. The following is the latest information about the Direct Displacement-Based Seismic Design of Buildings Seminar, New 10NCEE Sponsors, and Registration for the 2014 EERI Undergraduate Seismic Design Competition:

Pre-Conference Event: Direct Displacement-Based Seismic Design of Buildings LATBSDC Seminar

Date: Monday, July 21, 2014
Time: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Location: Hilton Anchorage
Presenters: Dr. Nigel Priestley, Dr. Michele Calvi (M. EERI, 1990), and Dr. Mervyn Kowalsky (M. EERI, 1994)

This seminar will introduce participants to displacement-based seismic design (DDBD) and demonstrate how it can be implemented in the design office as a simple and rational alternative to current prescriptive methods of seismic design. The course will show that serious conceptual problems exist with current force-based seismic design and will demonstrate how these deficiencies are resolved when a simple displacement-based design approach is adopted. The DDBD approach results in structures with uniform seismic risk for a given performance level, which is compatible with uniform risk spectra. This is not achieved with current force-based design procedures. To read the seminar program, visit: http://10ncee.org/images/program/DDBD_ProgramPage.pdf.

Cost: Early-bird registration is $295. A companion textbook, if ordered as a part of early-bird registration for the seminar, can be obtained for the price of $120, including shipping, and will be available for pickup at the seminar. Note that current prices for the textbook on Amazon are $206. Registration increases to $365 on June 15th, at which point companion textbooks are no longer available.

Register for the event now at www.eeri.org/cohost/registration/ddbd-july-21-2014.

New 10NCEE Sponsors

Oregon State University (OSU) College of Engineering (logo)Oregon State University (OSU) College of Engineering is a new silver sponsor of 10NCEE. Founded in 1889, OSU College of Engineering has a long history of graduating world-class engineers who have made major impacts on civilization through significant contributions in science and technology. By emphasizing authentic, experiential engineering experiences within its curriculum, OSU equips students with the knowledge, skills, and passion to advance innovative solutions to today’s most complex engineering challenges. Visit the OSU College of Engineering at http://engineering.oregonstate.edu.

Alyeska Pipeline Service (logo)Alyeska Pipeline Service is a new bronze sponsor of 10NCEE. Alyeska Pipeline Service Company, established in 1970, was named after the Aleut word, “Alyeska,” meaning mainland. Its 800 employees are proud of the pipeline’s history – one enriched by teamwork, innovation and a commitment to safety, reliability, and the integrity of TAPS. The 800 mile pipeline withstood the magnitude 7.9 Denali earthquake in 2002. The ground along the fault moved an estimated 18 feet horizontally and nearly 2.5 feet vertically. Due to Alyeska’s earthquake protection, the Denali Fault earthquake did not compromise the integrity of the pipeline. No oil spilled, and pipeline operations resumed after minor repairs. Visit the Alyeska Pipeline website at www.alyeska-pipe.com.

BP (logo)BP is a new bronze sponsor of 10NCEE. Alaska remains one of BP’s leading resource basins. After more than 36 years of production, the North Slope still has a large amount of the discovered oil and gas remaining. BP focuses its strategy and investment in Alaska on the known resources; on renewing its North Slope infrastructure; on ensuring safe and sustainable operations; and on commercializing Alaska natural gas. Visit the BP website for more information at www.alaska.bp.com.

Star Seismic (logo)Star Seismic is a new bronze sponsor of 10NCEE. Star Seismic has pioneered the engineering and design of Buckling Restrained Braces (BRBs). From commercial structures and high-rise buildings, to state-of-the-art medical centers and stadiums, Star Seismic’s buckling restrained brace systems have played a key role in a wide range of award-winning construction projects all over the globe. Visit the Star Seismic website at www.starseismic.net.

SDC Registration

Official registration for the 2014 EERI Undergraduate Seismic Design Competition will open in early April at http://slc.eeri.org/SDC2014.htm. Every year, hundreds of the nation’s brightest engineering undergraduates from leading engineering universities get together for the EERI Undergraduate Seismic Design Competition (SDC), organized by the EERI Student Leadership Council (SLC).

Teams from thirty-eight universities pre-registered for the SDC, including international competitors from as far away as Vietnam, India, and Romania. The 2014 EERI Undergraduate SDC will be held in conjunction with the 10th U.S National Conference on Earthquake Engineering (10NCEE) and the 66th EERI Annual Meeting on July 21-25, in Anchorage, Alaska.

Register today for 10NCEE at www.10ncee.org! We hope to see you in Anchorage this summer.

Anthony Shakal to Receive the Bruce Bolt Medal

Anthony Shakal (M. EERI, 1980), California Geological Survey (CGS) Supervising Geologist/Program Manager, was chosen as the 2014 recipient of the Bruce A. Bolt Medal, which is awarded jointly by the Seismological Society of America, the Consortium of Organizations for Strong-Motion Observation Systems (COSMOS), and EERI.

Anthony Shakal (photo)The Bruce A. Bolt Medal was established to recognize individuals worldwide whose accomplishments involve the promotion and use of strong-motion earthquake data and whose leadership in the transfer of scientific and engineering knowledge into practice or policy has led to improved seismic safety. Professor Bolt was recognized in his time by earthquake engineers and seismologists worldwide as the expert in engineering seismology.

Dr. Shakal has been associated with the CGS’s Strong Motion Instrumentation Program (SMIP) external link icon for the past 32 years, and has successfully grown and led the Program for the past 27 years. Under Dr. Shakal’s direct supervision and innovative management, the SMIP operates the largest and most advanced strong-motion network in the United States. The SMIP is also the largest strong-motion component in the U.S. Geological Survey’s Advanced National Seismic System. In 2006 at the commemoration of the Great 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, the SMIP received the Applied Technology Council/Engineering News Record joint award as the Best Seismic Program of the Twentieth Century.

To date, Dr. Shakal’s SMIP group has installed over 5,000 accelerometers at nearly 1,200 stations around the State. These seismic monitors have been placed in over 850 free-field ground stations, on more than 80 bridges, and in 200 buildings. Ground motion and structural response data gathered from this network are directly employed in the California Building Code to make structures more earthquake resilient. Two very recent examples of Dr. Shakal’s diverse skills can be seen in the successful completions of the One Rincon Tower and the new east span of the Oakland Bay Bridge.

Dr. Shakal continues to expand and promote the educational and communication links between the structural engineering and seismological communities through financially supporting an annual conference in which SMIP-sponsored research papers are presented. (SMIP13 was in Los Angeles, California.) He participates as an active member of the standards setting committee at COSMOS, and works closely with Caltrans, and the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development on projects related to earthquake engineering for hospitals. Dr. Shakal also finds time to write technical research papers to help publicize the latest findings from the programs he oversees.

For more information on the Bruce A. Bolt Medal, visit the EERI website at www.eeri.org/about-eeri/honors-awards/the-bruce-a-bolt-medal/.

Note: See the full list of 2014 EERI Award Recipients at http://bit.ly/1c3HttF. In the next issue of The Pulse, we will feature the 2014 EERI Honorary Members.

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Student Spotlight

EERI Student Chapter Activities: San Jose State University

EERI Student Chapters engage in technical and social activities year-round, including hosting EERI Distinguished Lecturers and practitioners as part of the Friedman Family Visiting Professional Program. Many chapters also enter the annual EERI Undergraduate Seismic Design Competition (SDC). Described below are some of the student chapters' most energetic organizational and outreach efforts from their 2013–2014 annual report.

EERI Student Chapter at San Jose State University
The EERI Student Chapter at SJSU external link icon officers are President Tim Hendrickson (M. EERI, 2012), VP Aaron Wu (M. EERI, 2014), Treasurer Mona Sadeghian (M. EERI, 2014), Secretary Tzvetina Ivanova, Events Chair Marissa Neighbour (M. EERI, 2014), Membership Chair Mary Nguyen (M. EERI, 2014), and Special Projects Officer Robert Veloz (M. EERI, 2011). SJSU Professor Thalia Anagnos (M. EERI, 1982) and Professor Kurt McMullin (M. EERI, YEAR) are the student chapter’s faculty advisors.

Professor Thalia Anagnos, some members of the San Jose State University EERI Student Chapter, and others at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California The student chapter went on a site tour of the new Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, which will be the new home of the San Francisco 49ers. The field trip was co-organized by Professor Anagnos who took great joy in pointing out some of the seismic bracing systems in place at the new stadium. The event was a great way to get student chapter members interested in the field of earthquake engineering.

Read the full version of the San Jose State University's EERI Student Chapter 2013–2014 annual report (PDF).

Call for Annual Report of Activities from EERI Student Chapters
EERI Student Chapter officers are encouraged to submit their annual report of chapter activities to Juliane Lane at the EERI Office via email at eeri@eeri.org. The reports will be published on the Student Chapters section of the EERI website and will be featured in upcoming issues of The Pulse throughout the year. Submit your chapter’s annual report of activities to EERI today!

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Opportunity for Students

EERI Has Two Post Graduation Internship Positions Open

The Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI) has two internship positions available for recent college graduates who are interested in gaining valuable professional experience while supporting the Institute’s mission to reduce earthquake risk. These positions can begin as early as April 28, 2014.

EERI (logo)The four to six month internships offer engagement in a number of interesting EERI projects including the World Housing Encyclopedia, the Concrete Coalition, the Learning from Earthquakes Program, the California Clearinghouse, and the Confined Masonry Network.

In July 2014, EERI will host the 10th US National Conference on Earthquake Engineering. Interns during this period will contribute significantly to the planning and organization of this conference. Interns will also be expected to travel with EERI staff to Anchorage in July to assist in the execution of the conference.

Tasks are varied, although day-to-day work focuses on supporting EERI projects and staff through research and website development and maintenance.

Internship Requirements and Full Description
For more information about internship requirements, read the full description for the EERI Post Graduation Internship Program at: www.eeri.org/about-eeri/post-graduate-internship-program/. You may also learn more about EERI at www.eeri.org.

Application Process
Interested applicants should upload their resume, a one-page cover letter highlighting their qualifications and interest in the EERI internship program, and two references to the secure website here: www.eeri.org/cohost/registration/internship-application. Preference is given to EERI members. Applications should be submitted by April 15, 2014. In-person interviews will be conducted the week of April 21, 2014. EERI would like a commitment of at least four months. New internship positions become available every four to six months.

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Calendar

Follow these steps to add EERI Calendar to your own Google calendar.

  1. Open Google Calendar
  2. On the left, above "My Calendars," click Add + and then From URL.
  3. Enter the EERI calendar's address in the field provided. EERI Calendar ics link https://calendar.google.com/calendar/ical/eeri.org_s9151tit0ab26dnf2epn25d7rg%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics
  4. Click Add Calendar. The calendar will appear on the left side under "Other calendars."

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