Distinguished Webinar Series in Earthquake Engineering and Seismology Organized by the Canadian Association of Earthquake Engineering

Perspectives on Structural Engineering Resilience

Wednesday, May 12, 2021, 3:00 p.m. EDT

Abstract

The concept of resilient infrastructure, formulated nearly two decades ago, has been progressively endorsed over the years.  This has happened in parallel with an at-large shift towards resilience across many disciplines, focused on disaster preparedness and response. The original definition of resilience, to the extent applicable to the field of disaster mitigation, related to the loss and recovery of functionality over time.  Even though faulty or misleading at times,  this information can be readily acquired in many engineering applications; for example, when the identification of functionality is a service and its measure is embedded into a metered distribution network (such as electricity, or water). Not surprisingly, a dominant segment of all resilience studies have focused on such distribution networks.  However, when it comes to individual engineered structures, the achievement of a resilient design is less directly obvious. This is of particular interest given that considering resilience from its greater context can effectively void efforts invested in making a particular structure that is part of a larger network more resilient  (as the Christchurch earthquake demonstrated well).  With some notable exceptions, such as lifeline bridges along major evacuation and supply routes or hospitals designed by strict state-enforced guidelines, community efforts at enhancing resilience at times are counter to the best intentions of structural engineers.  This presentation will review selected past efforts that have contributed to the quantification and enhancement of resilience for individual buildings, and outline some technical and non-technical issues that may help address and possibly resolve the structural engineering resilience dilemma.

Michel Bruneau

Michel Bruneau, Ph.D., P.Eng.,
F. CAE, F.ASCE, F.SEI, SUNY Distinguished Professor,

Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering,

130 Ketter Hall, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York 14260

Email: bruneau@buffalo.edu

Web: www.michelbruneau.com

Dr. Michel Bruneau is recognized nationally and internationally for the impact of his research contributions to the design and behavior of steel structures subjected to extreme events, and in particular earthquakes.  His work has been instrumental in the development of national and international standards of design specifications for ductile steel plate shear walls, tubular eccentrically braced frames, ductile bridge diaphragms, and ductile composite sandwich walls, leading to implementation in countless structures worldwide.  He has authored over 500 technical publications, including over 150 articles in the leading peer-reviewed journals in his field.  He is one of the most cited researchers in structural and earthquake engineering.  Notably, he is the lead author of the 900-pages textbook “Ductile Design of Steel Structures,” used worldwide by structural engineers and considered by many to be the reference for the seismic design of steel structures. He is also the lead author of the 2003 pioneering paper “A framework to quantitatively assess and enhance the seismic resilience of communities” that has formulated the concept and expression of disaster resilience in a manner that has since driven research in this field.  Dr. Bruneau has received several national awards and recognitions for his work and has been inducted as fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering.  He is also an ASCE Fellow, a SEI Fellow, and a member of various AISC and CSA committees developing design specifications for bridges and buildings.