Earthquake and structural engineering

Our world-class research program in earthquake and structural engineering focuses on understanding how key infrastructure stands up to extreme forces such as an earthquake. We simulate earthquake effects on large-scale models and use those results to engineer safer buildings, bridges and roads.

Center for Civil Engineering Earthquake Research

3 empty shake tables on the main floor of the Earthquake Engineering Laboratory

Researchers and students in this program have access to two state-of-the-art earthquake engineering facilities, the Earthquake Engineering Laboratory, which opened in 2014 and houses our four shake tables, and the Large-Scale Structures Laboratory, which offers a 9,000 square foot high-bay laboratory for researchers to do floor experiments.  

Learn more about our research facilities
 

Faculty in earthquake and structural engineering

Earthquake & Structural Engineering Bayesian Inference, Model Updating, Uncertainty Quantification, Model Inversion, Data Assimilation, Structural Health Monitoring, System Identification, Damage Identification, Computational Mechanics, Nonlinear Modeling, Disaster Resilience, Risk Engineering, Structural Engineering, Earthquake Engineering, Experimental Mechanics
Hamed Ebrahimian
Hamed Ebrahimian
Assistant Professor He, him, his
(775) 682-6567
hebrahimian@unr.edu
SEM 218
1366 Bayesian Inference, Model Updating, Uncertainty Quantification, Model Inversion, Data Assimilation, Structural Health Monitoring, System Identification, Damage Identification, Computational Mechanics, Nonlinear Modeling, Disaster Resilience, Risk Engineering, Structural Engineering, Earthquake Engineering, Experimental Mechanics
Earthquake & Structural Engineering
Elnaz Esmaeilzadeh Seylabi
Elnaz Esmaeilzadeh Seylabi
Assistant Professor
(775) 682-6568
elnaze@unr.edu
SEM 214
1366
Earthquake & Structural Engineering
Patrick Laplace
Patrick Laplace
Research Associate Professor
(775) 784-8080
plaplace@unr.edu
EEL 118
1366
Earthquake & Structural Engineering
Gokhan Pekcan
Gokhan Pekcan
Professor; Graduate Program Director; Associate Chair for Graduate Affairs
(775) 784-4512
pekcan@unr.edu
SEM 130B
1366
Earthquake & Structural Engineering
Floriana Petrone
Floriana Petrone
Assistant Professor
(775) 682-6582
florianapetrone@unr.edu
SEM 216
1366
Earthquake & Structural Engineering seismic isolation, nonstructural components
Keri Ryan
Keri Ryan
E.W. McKenzie Foundation Endowed Professor and Chair
(775) 784-6928
klryan@unr.edu
SEM 103
1366 seismic isolation, nonstructural components