2024 Fazlur R. Khan
Distinguished Lecture Series

Honoring a legacy in structural engineering and architecture  


Distinguished Lecturers    

A Der Kiureghian

A Der Kiureghian

A Der Kiureghian
ARMEN DER KIUREGHIAN
Taisei Professor of Civil Engineering Emeritus
University of California, Berkeley

President Emeritus
American University of Armenia (affiliate of University of California)

 

AHSAN KAREEM
Robert M. Moran Professor,
NatHaz Modeling Laboratory,
University of Notre Dame,
Notre Dame, IN

  MARK G. STEWART
Distinguished Professor of Civil Engineering School of Civil and Environmental Engineering University of Technology Sydney New South Wales, 2007, Australia
Challenges in Future Development of Structural Reliability Methods   Swaying Skyscrapers: Unveiling the Dance Between Wind and Tall Buildings Through the Ages   Risk-Based Thinking for Extreme Events: What Do Terrorism and Climate Change Have in Common?



 

ARMEN DER KIUREGHIAN

Taisei Professor of Civil Engineering Emeritus
University of California, Berkeley

President Emeritus
American University of Armenia
(affiliate of University of California)

Challenges in Future Development of Structural Reliability Methods
click here to view video

Friday, February 2, 2024– 4:30 pm EST

Overview:

A variety of methods for assessment of structural reliability and for reliability-based optimal design have been developed in the past fifty years. Among methods in current use are first- and second-order reliability methods (FORM and SORM), various efficient simulation methods, and surrogate-modeling methods. After a short review of these methods, this lecture will focus on the existing challenges in applying these methods to complex real-world problems characterized by nonlinearity, stochastic dynamics, multi-phase interactions, and having high computational demand. The lecture will hopefully provide motivation to young researchers to pursue research and development in addressing some of these challenges.

MORE DETAILS available on Armen Der Kiureghian's presentation. (PDF)


 

AHSAN KAREEM

Robert M. Moran Professor,
NatHaz Modeling Laboratory,
University of Notre Dame,
Notre Dame, IN

Swaying Skyscrapers: Unveiling the Dance Between Wind and Tall Buildings Through the Ages
click here to view video

Wednesday, March 6, 2024– 4:30 pm EST

Overview:

The seminar will focus on addressing the three elements of tall buildings' life cycle from design, and construction to performance evaluation. It summarizes the history of wind effects on tall buildings from the design of the World Trade Center Towers to the present-day skyscrapers and beyond. From earlier studies at the National Physical Laboratory in the UK involving the World Trade Center Towers, it was realized that it was essential to model the inflow that was reflective of the atmospheric boundary layer rather than a uniform flow in an aeronautical tunnel. At that juncture, the dynamic response was evaluated using base-pivoted aeroelastic models while a search for a more expeditious means of assessing wind loads was in progress, which led to the development of various force balances. In this context, a general overview of the basic techniques for the quantification of wind loads and their dynamic effects using analytical, experimental, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and model-based and data-driven simulation schemes, database-enabled platforms, code and standards-based procedures and lessons from full-scale monitoring will be presented in a historical perspective. The issue of human sensitivity to motion will be described from its early day experiments by Fazlur Rahman Khan to current motion simulators. This will be followed by a synopsis of the emerging frontiers in CFD from isolated buildings to cityscapes, mesoscale to micro-scale, shape and topological optimization, the vulnerability of glass cladding in extreme winds, the role of organic damping and damping devices for the mitigation of building motion.

MORE DETAILS available on Ahsan Kareem's presentation. (PDF)


 

MARK G. STEWART

Distinguished Professor of Civil Engineering,
School of Civil and Environmental Engineering,
University of Technology Sydney,
New South Wales, 2007, Australia

Risk-Based Thinking for Extreme Events: What Do Terrorism and Climate Change Have in Common?

Thursday, May 2, 2024– 4:30 pm EDT

Lecture will be live streamed (must REGISTER HERE for live stream link)

Overview:

Terrorism and climate change debates are often characterised by worst-case thinking, cost neglect, probability neglect, and avoidance of the notion of acceptable risk. This is not unexpected when dealing with extreme events. However, it can result in a frightened public, costly policy outcomes, and wasteful expenditures. The presentation will describe how risk-based approaches are well suited to infrastructure decision-making in these uncertain environments. The concepts will be illustrated with current research of risk-based assessment of climate adaptation engineering strategies including designing new houses in Australia subject to cyclones and extreme wind events. It will be shown that small improvements to house designs at a one-off cost of several thousand dollars per house can reduce damage risks by 80-90% and achieve billions of dollars of net benefit for community resilience – this helps offset some the predicted adverse effects of climate change for a very modest cost. The presentation will also highlight that there is much to be optimistic about the future, and in the ability of risk-based thinking to meet many challenges.

MORE DETAILS available on Mark G. Stewart's presentation. (PDF)


1 PDH will be awarded to eligible attendees for each lecture


2024 Fazlur R. Khan Distinguished Lecture Series Poster
(PDF)

 

The Fazlur R. Khan Distinguished Lecture Series has been initiated and organized by Dan M. Frangopol, the first holder of Lehigh's Fazlur Rahman Khan Endowed Chair of Structural Engineering and Architecture.

Sears or Willis Tower

Willis (formerly Sears) Tower

The Fazlur R. Khan Distinguished Lecture Series honors Dr. Khan’s legacy of excellence in structural engineering and architecture.