The objective of this study was to develop and validate practical modeling methods for investigating load paths and system behavior in a realistic light-frame wood structure. The modeling methods were validated against full-scale tests on subassemblies and an L-shaped house. The model of the L-shaped house was then modified and...
The objective of this study was to compare structural load path and system behavior of a light-frame (LF) and a timber frame (TF) structure. This load path analysis is part of a broader research effort that compares LF to TF residential structures. Structural analysis software was used to create a...
There are about 80 million single-family dwellings (SFDs) in the United States, predominantly of wood-frame construction. Of these, 68% are owner-occupied. A home is typically the largest single investment of a family, and is often not covered by earthquake insurance, even where it is available. Of all the houses in...
Long period (10–20,000 s) magnetotelluric (MT) data are being acquired across the continental USA on a quasi-regular grid of ∼70 km spacing as an electromagnetic component of the National Science Foundation EarthScope/USArray Program. These data are sensitive to fluids, melts, and other organic indicators, and thus provide a valuable complement...
Small-scale physical experiments were conducted to investigate the application of the Goda wave pressure formulae modified to predict the horizontal wave loads on elevated structures considering non-breaking, broken, and impulsive breaking waves. The air gap defined as the vertical distance from the still water level to the base of the...
To quantify the postpeak residual capacity and
to gain insights into the load transfer mechanism of a shear
wall, nail connection tests were performed on salvaged
connections after a monotonic shear wall test loaded up
to peak load. Experimental results reveal that there is a
loss of strength in most...
To facilitate the evaluation and design of structures subjected to fluid loading, a study of fluid-structure interaction (FSI) using the particle finite element method (PFEM) is presented to approximate the responses and sensitivities of structures which interact with fluid. A wide range of structural types are permissible by making no...
Recent geophysical and geological investigations of the Tibetan plateau have given rise to conflicting models of plateau growth and deformation, where the presence and extent of partial melt in the crust could be a determining factor. Here we investigate the attenuation structure of the crust and upper mantle, as attenuation...
During the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, numerous bridge structures were damage or destroyed. The damage to bridge systems was caused by long duration strong ground shaking, tsunami inundation forces, or both. Long duration strong ground shaking from subduction zone earthquakes and the multi-hazard scenario of combined earthquake...
Increasing public awareness that the Cascadia subduction zone in the Pacific Northwest is capable of great earthquakes (magnitude 9 and greater) motivates the Cascadia Initiative, an ambitious onshore/offshore seismic and geodetic experiment that takes advantage of an amphibious array to study questions ranging from megathrust earthquakes, to volcanic arc structure,...