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ASCE-OC Luncheon July 2019
The Center Club
650 Town Center Dr.
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
USA
Thursday, July 18, 2019, 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM PDT
Category: Other

ASCE-GI Orange County Luncheon

Effects of Earthquakes on California's Water Distribution System

Join the Orange County Chapter of ASCE Geo-Institute for their July dinner meeting.

Presented by: Prof. Scott Brandenberg, UCLA

The ASCE Geo-Institute and Orange County Branch invites you to attend the July Luncheon featuring an overview of the Effects of Earthquakes on California's Water Distribution System as presented by Scott J. Brandenberg, Professor in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, and Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion in the Samueli Engineering School at the University of California, Los Angeles.

The presentation will describe the Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta, which serves as the hub of California's water distribution system and constitutes approximately 40% of the water supply in southern California. Unlike traditional flood control levees that are high and dry except during flood events, Delta levees constantly impound water and protect "islands" from flooding. The "islands" lie as much as 10m below sea level due to oxidation and wind erosion of the thick peat deposits. An earthquake could simultaneously breach multiple levees, resulting in inundation of the islands and intrusion of saline water from the west. Despite the importance of this problem, very little was known about the seismic deformation potential of peat soils. To better understand this problem, a research program at UCLA focused on (1) field testing of a non-liquefiable model levee on Delta peat, (2) centrifuge model testing of non-liquefiable and liquefiable levees resting on peat, (3) laboratory element testing of peat to identify seismic deformation mechanisms, (4) development of fragility functions based on the observed response of Japanese levees during past earthquakes, and (5) development of a system reliability analysis procedure that accounts for spatial correlation of capacity and demand.

About the Speaker:

As a professor at UCLA, Scott J. Brandenberg's research expertise lies primarily in geotechnical earthquake engineering, with focus on the seismic response of levee systems, response of deep foundations to liquefaction assessment. He has authored over 100 technical papers and received the 2015 Walter L. Huber Award, 2013 Shamsher Prakash Research Award, and 2010 Arthur Casagrande Professional Development Award. He earned his doctorate degree in 2005 from the University of California, Davis.

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Contact: [email protected]