CEE 430 Introduction to Earthquake Engineering

CEE 430: Introduction to Earthquake Engineering(Elective course for a BSCE degree)

An overview of earthquake processes and details of the characteristics of destructive ground motion, the effect of such motion on civil engineering structures; review of current design practice in mitigating earthquake hazards to various civil engineering structures such as buildings, bridges, dams, lifelines, ports and harbors, etc. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits.

Senior standing Earthquakes (4th edition), by Bruce A. Bolt, Freeman, 1999. Students completing this course successfully will be able to:

from lectures:

1. understand earthquake mechanism and characteristics and its engineering significance.
2. understand the vibration mechanism of structures.
3. understand the importance of ground conditions during earthquakes.
4. understand the earthquake damages to various types of structures.
5. understand the earthquake provision of design code.
6. design safe structures against earthquakes.

from the term paper project (in-depth study on earthquake related technical paper):

1. learn how to search for research materials.
2. learn how to write a technical paper, and to present it to audience effectively.

1. Earthquakes (12 hrs)
2. Earthquake vibrations (10 hrs)
3. Earthquake damages to various civil engineering structures (12 hrs)
4. Earthquake design procedures and codes (6 hrs)
5. Case histories (2 hrs)

Two 75-minute lecture sessions per week. Moderate use of spreadsheet and other programs through homework. None College-level mathematics and basic sciences: 0 credits
Engineering topics: 3 credits
General education: 0 credits This course will enhance the student's

1. ability to apply knowledge in mathematics, physics, probability, and engineering science areas to civil engineering problems,
2. ability to develop design criteria to meet desired needs and to design a civil engineering system, component, or a process satisfying these criteria,
3. ability to identify and formulate an engineering problem, to collect and analyze relevant data, and to develop a solution,
4. ability to present ideas and technical material to diverse audiences in writing, visually, and verbally,
5. ability to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a societal and global context,
6. knowledge of current issues and awareness of emerging technologies,
7. ability to use modern engineering techniques, skills, and tools including computer-based tools for civil engineering analysis and design,
8. proficiency in geotechnical engineering,
9. proficiency in structural engineering.

Isao Ishibashi <ishibas@odu.edu> March 07, 2003