Earthquake-related topics

General quake information

Experts at the UC Berkeley Seismographic Laboratory can provide information about earthquake activity around the world.

Peggy Hellwig, seismologist (510) 643-9449

Earthquake engineering - buildings, bridges, freeways, utility systems

Jack Moehle
Director, Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center, a multi-university organization headquartered at UC Berkeley's Richmond Field Station, Professor, UC Berkeley Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
(510) 231-9554
(510) 642-0697
E-mail: moehle@peer.berkeley.edu
Areas of expertise: Reinforced concrete structures, bridge and building design, seismic testing methods.

Stephen Mahin
Thrust area leader, capacity assessment, Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center, Professor, UC Berkeley Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
(510) 231-9421
(510) 642-4021
E-mail: mahin@ce.berkeley.edu
Areas of expertise: Behavior and design of structures, seismic isolation of bridges and buildings, laboratory testing of structures.

Gregory Fenves
Thrust area leader, demand assessment, Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center, Professor, UC Berkeley Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
(510) 231-9491
(510) 643-8543
E-mail: fenves@ce.berkeley.edu
Areas of expertise: Structural analysis, structural dynamics, computer-aided earthquake engineering, seismic vulnerability of gas and electric distribution systems.

Gary Black
Associate professor of architecture in the College of Environmental
Design, and a member of Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center.
(510) 368-5349 (cell)
(510) 528-1605 (home)
E-mail: rgb@uclink.berkeley.edu or gary_black@integratedstructures.com
Areas of Expertise: Research and development of earthquake and fire resistant
structural/construction systems using sustainable technologies. One construction system he has been developing uses straw bales in combination with reinforcing steel and concrete to create a structure that is economical and extremely earthquake-resistant for buildings up to five stories. As the main materials are readily everywhere, and since the construction is relatively low-tech it would be ideal for rebuilding in Iran. The construction type (SMS), so-called because it uses "spars" and "membranes" as the principal structural elements, has been used in the construction of several buildings in the U.S. Black plans to construct a pilot, three-story residential project in India in 2004.

Geotechnical engineering - ground motion, liquefaction

Jonathan Bray
Researcher, Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center, Professor, UC Berkeley Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
(510) 642-9843 Office
E-mail: bray@ce.berkeley.edu
Areas of expertise: Geotechnical engineering, ground motion, liquefaction, seismic impact on structures such as dams, landfills and embankments.

Nicholas Sitar
Researcher, Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center, Professor, UC Berkeley Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
(510) 643-8623
E-mail: nsitar@ce.berkeley.edu
Areas of expertise: Geotechnical engineering, landslides, stability of natural and reinforced slopes.