Large-Scale Experiments to Advance Knowledge on the Behavior of Steel Seismic Collectors toward Improved Design Procedures
Dr. Robert Fleischman

About the Webinar

This National Science Foundation (NSF) Natural Hazards Engineering (NHE) project is using two NHERI Experimental Facilities to advance knowledge on collectors in steel composite floor and roof systems, a poorly understood yet failure critical element in buildings. The research involves: (a) advanced computational simulation; (b) large-scale collector connection testing at NHERI Lehigh, and (c) unique shake table testing of a two-story collector sensitive structure at NHERI@UCSD. Impact from this work on infrastructure resiliency is seen through new design standards for critical loads and seismic detailing of steel composite collectors.

Presenter

Dr. Robert Fleischman | University Distinguished Professor, Civil and Architectural Engineering & Mechanics, University of Arizona

Dr. Robert B. Fleischman is a University Distinguished Professor in the Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering & Mechanics at the University of Arizona (UA). He formerly held the Delbert R. Lewis Associate Professorship at UA. Dr. Fleischman received his B.S. from Carnegie-Mellon University and his M.S. and Ph.D. from Lehigh University. Dr. Fleischman has industry experience at Turner Construction (New York, NY), Thornton-Tomasetti/C-B-M (Chicago, IL) and Rutherford & Chekene (San Francisco, CA), and is a member of several national committees.

Dr. Fleischman’s research area is seismic resistant design of precast/prestressed concrete and steel structures with recent focus on the development of new low-damage seismic-resistant building systems and floor diaphragms and collectors. He has served as Principal Investigator (PI) on over $5M of external funded research, and has 100+ journal publications/conference papers. His research has integrated computational simulation with physical experiments, including over 30 large-scale structural tests and three large-scale shake table tests. The findings of one project, the development of a new design methodology for precast concrete floor diaphragms, has been included in the ASCE 7-16 Load Standards and Part 3 of the 2015 National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) Recommended Provisions for Seismic Design for New Buildings.

Dr. Fleischman has won several national awards for his research on precast floor systems including the 2016 American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Charles Pankow Award for Innovation, the National Science Foundation (NSF) 2014 NEES Outstanding Contributor Award, and the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI) 2014 Leslie D. Martin Award of Merit, the 2009 and 2004 Martin P. Korn Awards, the 2006 Charles C. Zollman Award, and 2004 George D. Nasser Award. Dr. Fleischman has led earthquake reconnaissance teams to Haiti and New Zealand, and was named a 2018-19 U.S. Fulbright Global Scholar. Dr. Fleischman has also won departmental teaching awards at the University of Arizona eight times in the past two decades.