Who: Ivan Wong, Lettis Consultants International
When: Thursday April 18 10:30 AM (City Campus) or 3:30 PM (Scott Campus)
Where: NH W213B (City Campus), PKI 207 (Scott Campus)
Title: The latest and greatest in earthquake sciences and the implications to seismic design in the central U.S.
Abstract:
The advancement in our understanding of earthquake hazards has been, in a large sense, a step-wise process with each step being a significant large earthquake. In the past three decades, the steps have been high because of improved technologies in instrumentation and simply because the earth has been willing to divulge its secrets at places most convenient for us to make visual observations, i.e., the earth’s surface. Beginning with the 1989 moment magnitude (M) 6.9 Loma Prieta, California, earthquake there have been a string of notable events worldwide from which much has been learned. These events have provided us lessons in earthquake fault rupture behavior, strong ground shaking, surface fault rupture, liquefaction, and tsunami inundation and they have been significant in advancing our understanding and ability to predict the impacts of these earthquake hazards. Although none of these earthquakes has occurred within the central and eastern U.S., many of the lessons are applicable and have implications to seismic design. Two important occurrences of seismicity that have occurred in the central and eastern U.S. and are relevant to seismic design are the 2011 M 5.8 Mineral, Virginia earthquake and the surge in induced seismicity associated with wastewater injection in Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas.
Bio:
Ivan G. Wong (M. EERI 1978) has been named a 2024 EERI Honorary Member in recognition of his significant contributions to earthquake engineering and seismology. Honorary membership of the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute is awarded to recognize members who have made sustained and outstanding contributions to the field of earthquake engineering and/or to EERI and the pursuit of its objectives. Wong is a Senior Principal Seismologist at Lettis Consultants International and an internationally renowned expert with nearly 50 years of experience. He has directed and participated in seismic hazard assessments and seismic design of more than 700 critical facilities. He has profoundly impacted research and practice for earthquake hazard reduction involving seismic geology, seismicity, seismotectonics, earthquake ground motions, seismic design criteria, probabilistic and scenario hazard maps, and seismic risk studies.