Welcome New Members

Welcome New Members

EERI welcomes members who have recently joined the Institute!

Regular
Oliver Kuebler, Swiss Reinsurance, Risk Analysis
Anton Nelson, STV Inc

Student
Brian DeMeza, Oregon State University
Pratik Deogekar, University of Illinois
Claudia Deveaux, Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra, Civil
Erin Dupree, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Architect
Fardad Haghpanah, Johns Hopkins University, Systems/Operations
Vedhus Hoskere, University of Illinois
Evangelia Korre, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Geotechnical
Arnold Mendo, Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru, Civil
Marco Palacios, CSU Los Angeles Tanmay Ramani, University of Illinois 

Sital Uprety, University of Illinois, Civil

Young Professional
David Lam, Degenkolb Engineers
Brandon Paxton

EERI Online Membership Directory

Please note that as part of our ongoing efforts to reduce paper consumption and the overall environmental impact of our operations, the EERI Membership Directory is no longer available in print form and is now offered exclusively online. Visit the EERI Member Resources area and login to view the online Membership Directory. If you experience a problem logging in, please view the tutorial How to Login. If trouble persists, email Juliane Lane at juliane@eeri.org or call (510) 451-0905 for assistance.

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Publications

Earthquake Spectra: Preprint Manuscripts

Five preprint manuscripts have been posted to the Earthquake Spectra website prior to formal publication. The papers to be published are:

• "Shake Table Testing of Seismically Restrained Clay Brick Masonry Parapets" by Marta Giaretton (M. EERI, 2015), Dmytro Dizhur (M. EERI, 2014) and Jason Ingham (M. EERI, 2012) 

• "A Ground-Motion Logic-Tree Scheme for Regional Seismic Hazard Studies" by Özkan Kale and Sinan Akkar

• "Modeling and Evaluation of a Seismically Isolated Bridge Using Unbonded Fiber Reinforced Elastomeric Isolators" by Yasser M. Al-Anany (M. EERI, 2013), Mohamed A. Moustafa (M. EERI, 2012) and Michael J. Tait (M. EERI, 2016)

• "Bayesian Updating of Earthquake Vulnerability Functions with Application to Mortality Rates" by H.Y. Noh, Anne Kiremidjian (M. EERI, 1976), Luis Ceferino and Emiliy So (M. EERI, 2011)

• "Vs-κ0 Correction Factors for Input Ground Motions used in Seismic Site Response Analyses" by Ashly Cabas (M. EERI, 2013) and Adrian Rodriguez-Marek (M. EERI, 1999)

To read all current preprint manuscripts posted, visit Earthquake Spectra preprints.

If you have questions about Spectra, contact Managing Editor Liz Stalnaker at liz@eeri.org

Earthquake Spectra May 2017 Issue Now Available

The May 2017 issue of Earthquake Spectra (Volume 33, Issue 2) is now available online. Print copies of the new issue have been mailed.

Highlights of this issue include the research manuscripts:

• "Response History Analysis for the Design of New Buildings in the NEHRP Provisions and ASCE/SEI 7 Standard: Part I - Overview and Specification of Ground Motions" by Curt B. Haselton (M. EERI, 2014), Jack W. Baker (M. EERI, 2004), Jonathan P. Stewart (M. EERI, 1994), Andrew S. Whittaker, Nicolas Luco (M. EERI, 2001), Andy Fry, Ronald O. Hamburger (M. EERI, 988), Reid B. Zimmerman (M. EERI, 2013), John D. Hooper (M. EERI, 1987), Finley A. Charney (M. EERI, 1983), and Robert G. Pekelnicky (M. EERI, 2000).
• "Response History Analysis for the Design of New Buildings in the NEHRP Provisions and ASCE/SEI 7 Standard: Part II - Structural Analysis Procedures and Acceptance Criteria" by Curt B. Haselton (M. EERI, 2014), Andy Fry, Ronald O. Hamburger (M. EERI, 1988), Jack W. Baker (M. EERI, 2004), Reid B. Zimmerman (M. EERI, 2013), Nicolas Luco (M. EERI, 2001), Kenneth J. Elwood (M. EERI, 1994), John D. Hooper (M. EERI, 1987), Finley A. Charney (M. EERI, 1983), Robert G. Pekelnicky (M. EERI, 2000), and Andrew S. Whittaker.
• "Response History Analysis for the Design of New Buildings in the NEHRP Provisions and ASCE/SEI 7 Standard: Part III - Example Applications Illustrating the Recommended Methodology" by Reid B. Zimmerman (M. EERI, 2013), Jack W. Baker (M. EERI, 2004), John D. Hooper (M. EERI, 1987), Stephen Bono, Curt B. Haselton (M. EERI, 2014), Albert Engel, Ron O. Hamburger (M. EERI, 1988), Ayse Celikbas (M. EERI, 1999) and Afshar Jalalian (M. EERI, 2012).
• "Response-History Analysis for the Design of New Buildings in the NEHRP Provisions and ASCE/SEI 7 Standard: Part IV - A Study of Assumptions" by Jordan A. Jarrett (M. EERI, 2013), Reid B. Zimmerman (M. EERI, 2013), Finley A. Charney (M. EERI, 1983) and Afshar Jalalian (M. EERI, 2012).
• "A Detailed Inventory of Non-Ductile Concrete Shear Wall Buildings" by Jeff Yathon (M. EERI, 2008), Perry Adebar (M. EERI, 1999) and Kenneth J. Elwood (M. EERI, 1994).

 

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In Memoriam

Enrico "Henry" Quarantelli, 1924 - 2017

Prof. Quarantelli Photo courtesy of the Disaster Research CenterWe are saddened to share the news that longtime EERI member, Enrico L. (Henry) Quarantelli (M. EERI, 1983), passed away on Sunday, April 2, 2017. He was 92 years old. His work has permeated almost every aspect of disaster studies and his insightful research serves as the basis for many of the preparedness, response, and recovery activities used today.

Professor Quarantelli was a cofounder of the Disaster Research Center (DRC) at Ohio State University along with Russell Dynes and Eugene Haas in 1963. The center, which moved to University of Delaware in 1985, was the first of its kind and has been a leader in field investigations and other aspects of the study of disaster ever since. Along with a prolific body of research—including more than 400 publications—Professor Quarantelli also left a legacy in the ways in which disaster research is carried out. Notably, he was in the vanguard of researchers to employ quick response methods, in which researchers enter the field as soon as possible after disaster to gather perishable data.

To learn more about Professor Quantelli's life and work, and about a Celebration of Life event being held at the University of Delaware on June 9, 2017, please visit the DRC memorial page. EERI respectfully acknowledges the Natural Hazards Center at the University of Colorado, Boulder for excerpts reprinted above from the article, "Saying Goodbye to One of the Greats," by Jolie Breeden. Read the full article here.

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News of the Institute

Take a Sneak Peek at these Exciting 11NCEE Tours!

The Eleventh National Conference on Earthquake Engineering (11NCEE) Organizing Committee has been very busy putting together an exciting program for you. Here is a first look at some of the unique tour opportunties that will be available exclusively to conference attendees.

• Follow the notorious San Andreas Fault from Palmdale to Devil’s Punchbowl on this full day tour, providing up-close views of paleoseismic sites featuring stratified sediments, faults exposed in stream cuts, folded sandstone formations and the famously twisted Highway 14 road cut.
• Visit major projects underway by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, as part of their ongoing seismic overhaul to improve the capacity and reliability of city’s water system, potentially including visits to the Van Norman Complex and the Foothill Trunk Line Installation in the San Fernando Valley, where aging steel pipes are being replaced with larger welded steel and earthquake resistant ductile iron pipe.
• Tour the single most important piece of economic infrastructure in the region, the Port of Los Angeles, with speakers highlighting earthquake resistant systems, structures and components in place to support the port’s need to maintain critical economic continuity in the event of a major quake.
• Within walking distance of the Westin Bonaventure, and in conjunction with the LA Conservancy, enjoy a guided tour into the spectacular renaissance of Los Angeles’ downtown historic core, highlighting architectural treasures now strengthened with modern seismic retrofits, helping preserve DTLA’s rich architectural and cultural history well beyond the next major earthquake.

The 11NCEE may be a year away (June 25-29, 2018), but the deadline to submit abstracts is just a few weeks away - June 25, 2017. Please don't wait! Submit your abstract today! (400 words maximum. If accepted, you will be invited to submit an extended abstract or a full paper.)

Honors Committee Seeks Awards Nominations by August 1, 2017

EERI's Honors Committee is charged with developing recommendations for several awards. The committee greatly depends on nominations submitted by the members of the Institute and seeks help in identifying worthy members whose contributions should be recognized.

Please consider nominating candidates for the Distinguished Lecture Award, George W. Housner Medal, the Alfred Alquist Special Recognition Award, and authors who deserve the 2016 Outstanding Paper Award for Earthquake Spectra (vol. 32).

Submit Your Nominations
All nominations should be accompanied by a brief justification, and must be received by August 1, 2017, in order for the Honors Committee to complete deliberations and forward its recommendations to the Board of Directors. Send your nominations to the EERI office at eeri@eeri.org. A list of all past awardees and complete descriptions of each award are accessible from http://www.eeri.org/about-eeri/honors-awards/.

All awards will be presented at EERI's Awards Luncheon at the 11th National Conference on Earthquake Engineering and 70th EERI Annual Meeting in Los Angeles, CA on June 25-29, 2018. 

2017-2018 EERI/FEMA Graduate Fellowships in Earthquake Hazard Reduction

EERI is pleased to announce the availability of two Graduate Fellowships for the 2017-2018 academic year to support full-time students in a discipline contributing to the science and practice of earthquake hazard mitigation.

The one-year fellowship, underwritten with funds provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, is designed to foster the participation of capable individuals in working toward goals and activities of the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program.

Award
The EERI/FEMA NEHRP fellowship provides a stipend of $12,000 that can be used for tuition, fees, research expenses, and the required attendance and participation at the 11th National Conference on Earthquake Engineering and 70th EERI Annual Meeting, June 25-29, 2018, in Los Angeles, California.

Criteria
Applicants must be enrolled in a graduate degree program at an accredited U.S. college or university and must hold U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status. All applications must include an academic transcript and a statement of educational and career goals. Strong consideration will be given to candidates with active involvement in EERI.

All application materials must be submitted electronically to EERI, including a letter of nomination from a faculty sponsor at the student’s institution and two additional reference letters. Letters should evaluate the applicant’s recent academic performance, document the applicant's research accomplishments, and assess the candidate’s potential to contribute to the field.

Application
Candidates may apply online at https://www.eeri.org/about-eeri/honors-awards/graduate-fellowship/

Deadline: All application materials are due July 9, 2017. Announcement of the award will be made no later than September 1, 2017.

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Student Spotlight - June 1, 2017

New Student Chapter of EERI

EERI is pleased to introduce the new student chapter established at the Dalian University of Technology School of Civil Engineering in Ganjingzi District, Dalian City, Liaoning Province, China. The chapter's Faculty Advisors are Zheng He (M. EERI, 2014) and Yao Cui. The local Contact is Tao Wang (M. EERI, 2010) of the China Earthquake Administration. Elected officers are President Jiachen Zhang (M. EERI, 2016); Vice President/Treasurer Xing Gao (M. EERI, 2016); Recording Secretary Xinyue Yu (M. EERI, 2016); Corresponding Secretary Shuhan Yang (M. EERI, 2016); and Deputy Secretaries Peng Tang (M. EERI, 2016) and Wen Xin (M. EERI, 2016).

Congratulations Sujith Mangalathu!

Sujith Mangalathu (M. EERI, 2013) has been awarded the 2017 Nevada Medal for Distinguished Graduate Student Paper in Bridge Engineering for his paper titled, "Machine Learning Techniques to Identify the Critical Uncertainty Parameters Influencing the Seismic Performance of Bridges."  Mr. Mangalathu is a doctoral student who has served as the Past President of the EERI Student Chapter at Georgia Tech. The research that led to his award winning paper was directed by Reginald DesRoches (M. EERI, 1995) and Jamie Padgett (M. EERI, 2003).  Click here to read the full article and paper abstract.

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Announcements

California Earthquake Clearinghouse and EERI Stakeholder Training Workshops

The California Earthquake Clearinghouse and EERI are holding three Stakeholder Training Workshops this summer on July 19, 2017 (Los Angeles), July 20, 2017 (San Diego) and July 31, 2017 (Sacramento). The full-day workshops will cover the following topics:

• An Introduction to the California Clearinghouse
• Disaster Service Worker Training
• Making Scientific Observations Actionable
• Reconnaissance Data Collection Tool Demonstrations
• Interactive Field Exercises
• Information Sharing

For more information and to register please click here.

SEAONC 2-Day Seminar: June 8 & 15

SEAONC is having a two-day summer seminar on “Examples from the Latest SEAOC Structural Seismic Design Manual.”  The seminar will be held at the PG & E Auditorium in San Francisco on June 8 and 15, 2017 from 6 PM to 9 PM. EERI members will receive the discounted SEAONC member registration fee! For full details click here.

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Member Spotlight - June 1, 2017

Sergio Alcocer Receives Honorary Doctor of Science Degree

Sergio M. Alcocer (M. EERI, 1987), professor at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, UNAM, has received an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science from The University of Arizona, for his partnership and for his service to higher education and international collaboration. Dr. Alcocer is a former member of EERI Board of Directors and former chair of the EERI International Activities Committee. He received his BSc in Civil Engineering from UNAM, and a PhD in Structures from the University of Texas at Austin.

Dr. Alcocer is a Foreign Member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering. He is Past-President and Honorary Member of the Mexican Society of Structural Engineering and Past-President of the Academy of Engineering of Mexico. He was the Undersecretary for North American Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Undersecretary for Strategic Planning and Technology Development of the Ministry of Energy of the Mexican Government, as well as Secretary General (Provost) and Director of the Institute of Engineering of UNAM. He is also a member of the Advisory Committee on Structural Safety of the Mexico City Government. 

Dan Frangopol Named ASCE Lehigh Valley Civil Engineer of the Year

Dan M. Frangopol (M.EERI 1987), has been recognized by Lehigh Valley ASCE as the Civil Engineer of the Year 2016. Dr. Frangopol holds the Fazlur R. Khan Endowed Chair of Structural Engineering and Architecture at Lehigh University. The award was given to Dr. Frangopol for his outstanding achievements and contributions to the profession, ASCE, and the community. He was presented with the award at the Lehigh Valley ASCE Student Dinner meeting on April 18, 2017. The dinner was held at Fritz Engineering Laboratory, Lehigh University.

Read the full article on the Lehigh University Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering website.

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News of the Profession

Links to Recent News and Views

Eight recent stories, reports, or opinions from around the web.

Lucy Jones’s Doomsday Earthquake Scenarios Will Terrify You — That’s the Point (SCPR/KPCC) Seismologist and earthquake expert Lucy Jones (M. EERI, 2001) is standing on a small hill looking south, towards California’s most consequential fault: the San Andreas. Read more

After Years of Planning, California is Likely to Roll out its Earthquake Warning System Next Year (Los Angeles Times) California will likely roll out a limited public earthquake early warning system sometime next year, researchers building the network say. Read more

Agency Takes Tectonics Study to Earthquake-Prone Alaska (ABC News) Alaska averages 40,000 earthquakes per year, with more large quakes than the other 49 states combined, and America's shakiest state is about to have its ground examined like never before. Read more

Deep in a South African Gold Mine, Scientists Drill for the Heart of an Earthquake (Science Magazine) This week, scientists are set to begin drilling a 750-meter-deep hole from the bottom of the Moab Khotsong mine, located southwest of Johannesburg, South Africa. Three years ago, a M 5.5 earthquake erupted from a previously unknown fault beneath the mine. If successful, the project could yield new insights into how quakes unfold—and how humans can inadvertently trigger them. Read more

'Spirit and Strength' in Nepal After an Earthquake and Destruction (New York Times) The April 25, 2015 Nepal earthquake delivered an 'element of surprise' to the work of Spanish photographer, Omar Havana, and set him on a path to chronicle the recovery effort. Read more

Nowcasting may Help Forecast Big Earthquakes in 53 Major Cities (New Scientist) Earthquakes have proven nearly impossible to forecast so far, but seismic nowcasting, a technique borrowed from economics and finance, can help us estimate how high the risk is. Read more

Resilience Advocates Enlighten Lawmakers on Disaster Mitigation, Funding Reform (Concrete News) A recent hearing of the U.S. House of Representatives Transportation & Infrastructure (T&I) Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management... Read more

UBC Quake Simulation Tests Retrofits, Underscores Need to Upgrade Older Buildings (Vancouver Sun) Modeled after the 9.0 Tohoku temblor in Japan in 2011 that created a devastating tsunami that killed thousands, the test at the University of B.C.’s Earthquake Engineering Research Facility was meant to simulate a large subduction quake off the West Coast, the so-called “Big One.” Read more

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