Tuesday, June 6, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin
Professor Mahdi Taiebat was invited by the University del Norte and the Colombian Association of Earthquake Engineering to deliver a keynote presentation at the 8th Colombian Conference on Earthquake Engineering, held in Barranquilla, Colombia, from May 31 to June 2. His presentation was titled “Elasto-plastic constitutive modeling of sands and clays for applications in Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering.”
Dr. Taiebat’s talk addressed the importance of understanding and modeling the relation between stress and strain in geomaterials, or more specifically constitutive modeling, which determines how soil deforms during various loading scenarios such as earthquake events. He discussed various aspects of numerical modeling and its application in geotechnical earthquake engineering, with reference to modeling, verification, validation, and prediction for engineering applications. Development of the knowledge and reliable modeling frameworks for proper simulations of the effects of earthquakes on soil structures such as buildings, bridges, dams, and tunnels is is one of the paramount steps for effective seismic engineering in Colombia, Canada, and around the world.
Photo courtesy of University del Norte, Colombia.