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Structures Group

The Structures Group provides performance prediction tools to reduce the vulnerability of building and infrastructure systems to extreme events (e.g., wind, fire, earthquake, impact, blast) through cost-effective reliability-based multi-hazard approaches.

The group: (1) conducts laboratory, field, and analytical research in the areas of wind engineering and coastal inundation, structural fire safety design and retrofit, mitigation of progressive structural collapse, nondestructive evaluation, and performance of structural materials and connections; (2) provides guidance, tools, and science-based criteria for vulnerability assessment, design, and retrofit applications; (3) conducts disaster and failure investigations; and (4) supports the technical information needs of federal agencies in formulating national policies related to building and infrastructure applications.

STAFF DIRECTORY 

News and Updates

Projects and Programs

Coastal Inundation: Hazard Characterization and Structural Design

Ongoing
Objective - To develop next-generation methods and tools to better characterize coastal inundation hazards, associated loads, and response of structures, thus enabling performance-based standards for designing structures that resist coastal inundation. What is the new technical idea? Current design

Design for Tornadoes

Ongoing
Objective To advance tornado hazard mitigation through improved characterization of tornadoes and their interaction with buildings and structures, providing the technical foundation for improvements to tornado load design guidelines, standards, codes, and code adoptions. This includes research and

Hurricane Ian Study

Ongoing
Objective Conduct a research study on Hurricane Ian’s 2022 landfall in Florida to: Improve (a) coastal flood hazard characterization, including quantification of overland velocity and waves, (b) quantification of storm surge loads on buildings due to hydrostatic pressure, wave forcing, surge

Publications

Awards