Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering

Dr. Steven L. Kramer is Professor Emeritus of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Washington. He received his BS, M.Eng., and PhD degrees from U.C. Berkeley. Kramer joined the geotechnical group in the Department of Civil Engineering in 1984. His primary research interests included soil liquefaction, site response analysis, seismic slope stability, and hazard analysis. He has conducted research work in the area of performance-based earthquake engineering, specifically the integration of probabilistic response analyses with probabilistic seismic hazard analyses, and remains active in soil liquefaction research. Kramer has served as a consultant to private firms and government agencies on projects including high-rise structures, bridges, dams, seawalls, levees, underground structures, offshore structures/facilities, and nuclear facilities in the U.S. and abroad. He holds numerous honors and awards, including being elected into the National Academy of Engineering, and being named as a Distinguished Member of ASCE and an Honorary Member of the IAEE. Dr. Jonathan P. Stewart is a Professor in the Samueli School of Engineering at UCLA. He received his BS, MS, and Ph.D. degrees from U.C. Berkeley. He focuses his research on geotechnical earthquake engineering and engineering seismology, with emphases on seismic soil-structure interaction, earthquake ground-motion characterization, site response, seismic ground failure, and the seismic performance of structural fills and levee embankments. Findings from his research have been widely utilized in engineering practice, including through the National Seismic Hazard Model, produced by the U.S. Geological Survey, and the American Society of Civil Engineers’ guidelines for new and existing structures. He maintains an active consulting practice related to seismic hazard analysis, site response, seismic performance assessment, and geotechnical engineering for private and public agencies world-wide. His work has been recognized with best-paper awards, honorary lectures, teaching awards, and election to the National Academy of Engineering.

Introduction to Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering. Seismology and Earthquakes. Strong Ground Motion Characterization and Prediction. Seismic Hazard Analysis. Seismic Performance and Design. Dynamic Soil Properties. Site Effects and Ground Response Analysis. Soil-Structure Interaction. Liquefaction and Cyclic Softening. Seismic Slope Stability. Soil Improvement for Mitigation of Seismic Hazards. Appendix A: Vibratory Motion. Appendix B: Dynamics of Discrete Systems. Appendix C: Wave Propagation. Appendix D: Probability Concepts.