Research on Large Structural Systems of the Infrastructure addresses the large physical systems that support the infrastructure, such as buildings, bridges, dams, electric power transmission and distribution system components, and so on. This research addresses the performance of these systems under day-to-day in-service conditions as well as their performance under rare hazard events, such as earthquakes, wind storms, fires, and blast.
Emphasis is placed on innovative structural materials and systems; assessment of in-service conditions; sensing and data analytics; laboratory simulations; resilience quantification and assessment; and life-cycle reliability and performance. Particular strengths are transportation structures and laboratory simulation of hazard events. Current areas of research include:
- Highway bridges under fatigue and other loading, and potential for failure
- Resilience to natural hazards and man-made hazards
- Laboratory simulation of natural hazard events
- Reliability and life-cycle management and engineering
- Resilience of interdependent infrastructure systems
- Measurement and evaluation, sensing systems, and mobile sensing
