Representative:

Professor Bozidar Stojadinovic
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
University of California, Berkeley
MC 1700
Berkeley, CA 94720
tel.: 510-643-7035
fax: 510-643-8928
e-mail: stojadinovic@ce.berkeley.edu

Members:

Abolhassan Astaneh-Asl, Vitelmo Bertero, Jon Bray, Anil K. Chopra, Ray W. Clough, Mary Comerio, Armen Der Kiureghian, Gregory L. Fenves, Filip C. Filippou, Steven Glaser, William Godden, Richard Goodman, Sanjay Govindjee, Dwight Jaffee, Henry Lagorio, George Leitmann, Stephen A. Mahin, Hugh D. McNiven, Jack P. Moehle, Khalid Mosalam, Claudia Ostertag, Juan Pestana, Elijah Polak, Michael Riemer, Jerry Sackman, Raymond Seed, Nicholas Sitar, Bozidar Stojadinovic, Claude Stoller, Robert L. Taylor, Stephen Tobriner, and Robert Twiss

Other Directory Information:

Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center (PEER)
1301 S. 46th Street
Richmond, CA 94804-4698
tel.: 510-231-9554 fax: 510-231-9471
e-mail: peer_ctr@eerc.berkeley.edu
website: http://peer.berkeley.edu

Website(s):

http://www.berkeley.edu

http://nees.berkeley.edu/

Research in earthquakes at the University of

UC Berkeley shake table with platform removed at the Richmond Field Station.

California at Berkeley pre-dates the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, and the subject has been of continuing interest among earth science and engineering faculty and students. Members of CUREE from UC Berkeley include faculty not only from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, but also from Architecture, Geology and Geophysics, the Institute for Governmental Studies, and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

During the past three decades, much of the research conducted at Berkeley has been coordinated through the Earthquake Engineering Research Center (EERC). Virtually all areas pertaining to earthquake engineering have been addressed including strong ground motion and ground failure, response of natural and man-made structures to earthquakes, design of structures to resist earthquakes, development of new systems for earthquake protection, and development of architectural and public policy aspects of earthquake engineering.

Perhaps the best known among Berkeley’s facilities is the earthquake simulator or shaking table, (pictured at right with its platform removed), which was upgraded in the mid 1990s to have a six-degree-of-freedom capability. Combined with its large capacity and size (20-ft by 20-ft), it provides a unique research capability in the US for fully dynamic testing.

A large universal testing machine, several test set-ups with hydraulic actuators, field-deployed testing equipment, and the ability to also draw on the large testing capability of Davis Hall on the Berkeley campus has allowed researchers to conduct voluminous earthquake experimentation over the past three decades. Recently conducted tests include qualification of energy dissipation devices for use in the Golden Gate Bridge seismic retrofit, steel frame beam-column assembly tests as part of the SAC Steel Project, and base isolation bearing tests.

The Director of the Earthquake Engineering Research Center is Prof. Nicholas Sitar. EERC’s headquarters and main laboratory facilites are located at the University of California’s Richmond Field Station, near the Berkeley campus; e-mail: info@eerc.berkeley.edu web site; http://eerc.berkeley.edu.

The Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center (PEER) is a national center for earthquake engineering administered under the Engineering Research Centers Program of the National Science Foundation, with a broad funding base including NSF, the State of California, and industry partners. PEER brings together the talents of faculty, staff, students, and industry partners of 9 core universities and numerous affiliated partners to solve complex, multi-disciplinary earthquake engineering problems. Its core research program emphasizes development of performance-based earthquake methods to address the safety and economic needs of individual stakeholders as well as society as a whole. The PEER Lifelines Program involves industry stakeholders to fund and manage a broad program considering earthquake ground motion, permanent ground failure, lifeline component and net work response, and emergency response. Various outreach and education programs carry the message of earthquake risk reduction to students, decision-makers and policy-makers, and the general public.

The Director of the Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center is Prof. Jack Moehle. PEER has headquarters at the University of California’s Richmond Field Station, near the Berkeley campus; e-mail: peer_ctr@peer.berkeley.edu; web site: http://peer.berkeley.edu.

The George E. Brown, Jr. Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES) installation consists of a Reconfigurable Reaction Wall (RRW) earthquake simulator facility designed to support the development of a new generation of hybrid testing methods. Such testing methods smoothly integrate physical and numerical simulations conducted at different location using the Internet. The RRW facility leverages the capabilities of existing testing facilities located at the University of California, Berkeley Richmond Field Station. It builds on an existing 60x20-foot strong floor and an existing 4-million-pound axial compression-tension machine by adding a configurable 42-foot high strong wall, a set of dynamic and static actuators, a new multi-channel digital control system, and equipment and Internet connections to enable teleparticipation. Further information on this facility can be found at http://nees.berkeley.edu

NISEE is the NSF-funded National Information Service for Earthquake Engineering program at Berkeley that disseminates information on earthquake engineering and allied fields to practicing engineers and related professionals, academic researchers, government agencies, and the general public. The services offered include bibliographic searches, lending of materials by mail, distribution of software, and on-line services. A popular feature available on the web is EQIIs, which provides access to over 5,000 images of earthquakes. For information on library services contact NISEE at eerclib@nisee.ce.berkeley.edu or on the web at: http://www.eerc.berkeley.edu

The Structural Engineering, Mechanics and Materials (SEMM) Program of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, has an international reputation for excellence. The Program of Instruction offers excellent opportunities for study and research leading to advanced degrees in the areas of structural analysis and design, mechanics of structures and solids, and materials in structures and construction. Many of the fundamental developments underlying the state-of-the-art in structural engineering, mechanics and materials were pioneered by SEMM faculty and students. Today, this tradition of excellence continues through vigorous programs of basic and applied research, and careful attention to instruction. The active involvement of SEMM faculty in forefront research projects and in the solution of challenging real world engineering problems results in an instructional program that is up-to-date and relevant. Graduates from the SEMM program have gone on to become world leaders in private practice, government service, education and research. Programs of study can be easily tailored to fit individual needs and interests, whether broad-based and multidisciplinary, or narrowly focused and highly technical. The curriculum provides a strong basis for advanced professional practice, research or teaching. The program is currently supported by 15 full-time faculty.

Master of Science Program

The Master of Science program consists of a minimum of 24 semester units of course work with a comprehensive examination or a research project. Of the 24 units, at least 14 must be graduate level courses in SEMM with the balance from approved graduate or advanced undergraduate courses. The program stresses application of fundamental principles of science and engineering to the formulation and solution of complex engineering problems. With an adequate undergraduate background, students should complete the program in two semesters.

Master of Engineering Program

The Master of Engineering program consists of 44 semester units of course work including independent study with an emphasis on professional practice. It includes a technical core combined with technical and non-technical breadth areas emphasizing technological, social and economic constraints in design, analysis and operation of engineering systems. The independent study must culminate in a written report. The length of the program is four semesters.

Doctoral Program

Students are normally admitted to the doctoral program following attainment of a Master of Science degree in civil engineering or in a related field. The Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering (Ph.D.) is a research degree in the Engineering Sciences appropriate for students emphasizing analysis. The Doctor of Engineering (D.Eng.) degree is a professional degree awarded for a program of study and research on the same level as that for the Ph.D. degree.

Doctoral studies consist of selected courses, examinations, and independent research culminating in a thesis. Final programs are individually formulated through consultation with a faculty guidance committee. Each doctoral student must satisfy, through course work, a major within the SEMM program. In addition, two minor areas of course work are required that are appropriate for the student’s area of research. The first minor is mathematics or statistics. The second minor is selected to broaden the student’s technical base, and provide background for research.

SEMM Contact Information

Prof. P. Monteiro, Chair - monteiro@ce.berkeley.edu
Prof. J. Moehle, Vice Chair, Academic Programs - moehle@ce.berkeley.edu
Prof. S. Govindjee, Chair, Graduate Admissions Committee - govindjee@ce.berkeley.edu
Gloria Partee, Administrative Assistant 510-642-6463
SEMM Fax 510-643-8928

Applications for admission to the SEMM program in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering can be obtained by contacting the Academic Affairs Office at aao@ce.berkeley.edu or by phone at 510-642-6464. Applications packages for Fall admission will be mailed in mid-September.

GeoEngineering

The Graduate Program in GeoEngineering at the University of California at Berkeley offers an integrated program of education and research at the forefront of geotechnical engineering, including: soil mechanics; foundation engineering; earthquake engineering; geological engineering; rock mechanics; environmental geotechnics; and applied geophysics.

Extensive state-of-the-art research and teaching facilities provide access to the latest developments in the field. The strength and breadth of the program is further enhanced by close ties with faculty in other areas of Civil Engineering (e.g. Structural), Earth Sciences (Seismology), and Mechanical Engineering. This gives individual students the opportunity to take courses in the areas of their interest directly from the faculty involved in research in those fields. Close interaction of the faculty with consulting companies and practitioners also provides opportunity for exposure to the state-of-the-art practice through invited lectures and site visits.

The interdisciplinary nature of geotechnical engineering has made it an attractive field for students with backgrounds in other areas of Engineering and Sciences, particularly Geology. Their participation in the program at Berkeley has always been strongly encouraged and has proven successful. Applicants are expected to have basic science and engineering fundamentals, with course work in mathematics (two years which include calculus, differential equations, and linear algebra), one year of college physics, one semester of college chemistry, computer programming, statics, and fluid mechanics. Students with undergraduate degrees outside of engineering may be required to take additional course work to provide the necessary background for further studies and engineering practice.

Depending on their desired educational and career objectives, students may pursue studies toward the two-semester Master of Science, four-semester Master of Engineering, research-oriented Doctor of Philosophy or practice-oriented Doctor of Engineering. Berkeley has established a renowned program in geotechnical earthquake engineering, and its faculty and students are conducting leading research in seismic site response, soil liquefaction, seismic slope stability, earthquake fault rupture, soil-structure interaction, dynamic soil properties, soil constitutive modeling, site characterization, system identification, and earthquake ground motions. Visit: www.ce.berkeley.edu/Programs/Geotech/

Contact Information: Prof. S. Glaser, Admissions Officer glaser@ce.berkeley.edu