Dr. Sissy Nikolaou (left) receiving a golden apple from Geotechnical Group Chair Robert Talby at the end of the lecture.

In her presentation, Dr. Nikolaou discussed how Performance-Based Design (PBD) can be used to provide more rational and economical design in geotechnical earthquake engineering. At the outset, she briefly discussed the current system for seismic design and outlined the history of geotechnical earthquake engineering practice to explain how the design approach has evolved over several decades.

Dr. Nikolaou explained how PBD can be useful in New York City, due to the combination of soft soil subsurface, located directly over hard rock, making large amplifications likely due to moderate design earthquakes. She discussed topographic effects that make large amplifications possible in local sites. She cited the example of foundations for the recently completed stadium at Citi Field under challenging geotechnical conditions. She emphasized the importance of taking into account the demand and capacity of structures in the design process. Using examples from recent earthquakes (e.g., one in Chile last year) she stressed the importance for comprehensive methodologies in cases that involve complex soil-structure interaction.

Summary and photo by Anirban De.