PEER Research Project Highlight: "A Critical Examination of Material Strain Limits for Performance-Based Seismic Design of Modern Pier and Wharf Structures"

October 5, 2021

The impact of a PEER funded research project "A Critical Examination of Material Strain Limits for Performance-Based Seismic Design of Modern Pier and Wharf Structures" is highlighted below. The project Principal Investigator (PI) is Machel L. Morrison, Assistant Professor of Structural Engineering, UC San Diego. The Co-PI is  Jose Restrepo, Professor of Structural Engineering, UC San Diego.  The Research Team includes Sergio Suarez, Graduate Student Researcher, and Theresa Richards, Graduate Student Researcher, UC San Diego.

Download the Research Project Highlight which includes the abstract (PDF)

Research Impact

To better understand contemporary engineering practices, the research team will be guided by an industry advisory group consisting of Omar Jaradat, Ph.D, P.E., Arul Arulmoli, Ph.D., P.E., G.E., and Carlos Ospina, Ph.D., P.E.. The outcomes of this investigation will be utilized to inform the structural engineering design community regarding the adequacy of the current strain limits stipulated in ASCE/COPRI 61-14 for performance-based design of steel pipe-pile foundations. Furthermore, the numerical results will be used to assess the Life Safety performance level strain limit proposed by Harn et al. (2019). Ultimately, recommendations will be provided for improvements to the strain limits in ASCE/COPRI 61. The models developed throughout this research effort will be made available to practicing engineers and researchers with the aim to broaden the body of knowledge regarding pipe-pile foundation systems.