Haselton Structural Research Group

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Professor Haselton's research is in the general area of performance-based structural earthquake engineering. His primary research focuses on assessing the collapse safety of buildings in earthquakes; this involves issues of ground motion selection and scaling, nonlinear structural modeling and collapse simulation, as well as the treatment of uncertainties (in both the ground motion and the structural modeling).

Professor Haselton is interested in bringing these three sub-disciplines of research together (ground motions, structural modeling, and probability/uncertainty) for the common goal of answering the question of how safe buildings are in earthquakes. His past research in this area has focused on modern reinforced concrete frames, but he is also interested in other types of modern building systems (concrete shear walls, etc.) as well as older non-ductile concrete frame buildings. Additionally, past research has focused on site-specific performance assessments, but Professor Haselton is interested in extending such studies to look at regional collapse performance of full cities when subjected to earthquake motions.

Professor Haselton brings this research into the classroom through teaching the upper division Earthquake and Wind Engineering and Steel Design courses. Additionally, Professor Haselton involves undergraduate students in his research projects when it is possible, in order to give them research experience and to help prepare them for graduate studies in structural earthquake engineering.