The Structures program at the University of California, Irvine emphasizes the application of analytical and experimental approaches to the investigation of the effects of earthquakes and other extreme hazards on constructed facilities. In graduate programs, students study earthquake magnitude, intensity and frequency; seismic damage to structures; load prediction including response spectra, normal mode and direct integration techniques as well as seismic response for special structures and lifeline engineering. The Engineering Laboratory Facility includes the Structural Engineering Test Hall, the Modal Analysis Laboratory and the Shake Table Facility.

The objectives of the program are to prepare graduates for responsible positions in industry and research institutions by providing an opportunity to become familiar with state-of-the-art methodologies applied to significant engineering problems. Part-time Masters students are encouraged, with many classes being offered early or late in the day for the convenience of those students that are employed full-time.

Coursework is tailored to the individual student in consultation with a faculty advisor. Students in the M.S. program are required to select between a Thesis Option or a Coursework Option. In either case, a minimum of 36 units (equivalent to 12 courses) is required, but this will include credit for research or project work. Students beginning study in a fall quarter should be able to earn their M.S. degree in three to four quarters, although completion of a thesis often adds an additional one to two quarters. The M.S. degree must be earned within four calendar years. There are no specific course requirements for the Ph.D. degree, which usually involves one year or more of coursework beyond the M.S. degree. A minimum two year residency is required for all Ph.D. students.

Structural Engineering Test Hall

The Engineering Laboratory Facility includes a 3,500-sq. ft., 28-ft. high Structural Engineering Test Hall with a 5-ton capacity overhead traveling crane, a 24-inch thick reinforced concrete “strong floor” and a “strong wall” 22 ft. high, 58.5 ft. long and 36 inches thick, which is accessible for testing from the interior or exterior. The basement permits access to the underside of the test floor for equipment installation and storage; a computer room is adjacent to the test floor area for instrumentation and control equipment; a corporate yard area is used for construction handling and storage of test specimens; a room adjacent to the test hall houses other equipment including a Tinius Olsen 200-kip Universal Testing Machine and a concrete cylinder test rig. A closed loop, servo-controlled dynamic load system with electronic control and signal monitoring can activate four actuators of 55-kip to 220-kip capacity. Ortman actuators, with capacity up to 300 kips and strokes of up to 20 inches, are used for monotonic or cyclic testing.

Modal Analysis Laboratory

The Modal Analysis Laboratory for experimental vibration research and teaching is located in the Engineering Gateway building. The lab is equipped with: several dual-channel dynamic signal analyzers as well as PC-based and UNIX-based 16-channel data acquisition/dual channel excitation systems; an extensive array of force and motion sensors (large and small); small shakers (10 lb., 30 lb., 100 lb.); two 5,000-lb. eccentric mass shakers; a small horizontal shake table for scale model testing. Workstations have software to perform system identification as well as structural dynamics modification and forced response simulation studies (“what if?” analysis) from the experimentally derived vibration data.

Dual-Axis Shake Table

A 10-ft. x 12-ft. shake table with bi-axial - horizontal and vertical - motion became operational in Summer 1999. The table has a maximum horizontal stroke of ±10 inches and a maximum vertical stroke of ±5 inches. The shake table is capable of producing 1.0 g horizontal excitation at 1 Hz for a 30,000 lb. test article. The shake table will significantly augment the experimental investigation of current and future projects by complementing the pseudo-static testing capability in the Structural Engineering Test Hall.