My research builds on my experience in seismic analysis, design, and construction of bridges and on my passion for supporting communities following extreme events such as earthquakes and hurricanes. My research focuses on three areas.
- Providing guidance for state and local transportation agencies to improve the resilience of our bridges following extreme events. The majority of state transportation agencies indicate that they are prepared for extreme events (i.e. earthquake, tsunami, hurricane, storm surge, tornado, etc.) that are expected in their region, however, most agencies do not have formal written procedures defining precisely how they will plan for and respond to these events. My colleagues and I developed guidelines that provide details on how agencies can prepare for extreme events, respond efficiently during the response, and repair bridges to get our communities back to normal as quickly as possible. These guideline documents also detail how agencies can code and mark damaged bridges to efficiently use their limited resources. Training materials are available for immediate use by agencies to maximize their training budgets. I co-led a seven-day workshop to train local agencies in Hawaii on the emergency response procedures my colleagues and I developed. My work in this area was supported by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and the National Cooperative Highway Research (NCHRP).
- Developing sustainable and earthquake-resistant buildings for developing countries. Most of the world’s population resides in non-engineering buildings. This type of construction often uses unreinforced stone masonry and is highly susceptible to full or partial collapse during an earthquake. I work with colleagues in Nepal to define the vulnerability of these structures and to build the research capacity of local universities to develop earthquake-safe building details that are also affordable to these communities and align with their cultural heritage. My work in this area was supported in part by the United States Education Foundation in Nepal (USEF/Nepal) via a Fulbright Senior Scholar Flex Award.
- Improving the understanding of the seismic fragility of segmental bridges through large-scale structural testing and detailed simulations. The popularity of segmental bridge construction has grown in recent decades as agencies seek to expand and repair the nation’s aging infrastructure while also minimizing traffic delays during construction. My work in this area focuses on ensuring this type of construction is suitable for high seismic zones. I published many papers on the seismic behavior of segmental bridges, the modeling of jointed concrete connections, and the equivalent unbonded length of multi-strand tendons. In addition, I authored guidelines for the seismic design of segmental bridges. My work in this area was supported by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans).
