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Events for October 13, 2009
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Science Education for the 21st Century
Tue, Oct 13, 2009 @ 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Viterbi School of Engineering Student Affairs
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Prof. Carl Wieman, a Nobel Prize winner in Physics with a passion for science education will deliver a lecture at USC on Tuesday, October 13th. Prof. Wieman received the Oersted Medal in 2007, the highest honor given by the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT). Given previously to science luminaries that include Carl Sagan, Richard Feynman, and Hans Bethe, the award recognizes "notable contributions to the teaching of physics." He is leading the Carl Wieman Science Education Initiative, an innovative program to reshape science education at the University of British Columbia. He received the Carnegie Foundation's U.S. University Professor of the Year Award in 2004.
Location: Ethel Percy Andrus Gerontology Center (GER) - Auditorium
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Tracy Charles
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Characterization of EnvironmentalVariability in Identified Dynamic Properties of a Soil-Foundation-S
Tue, Oct 13, 2009 @ 03:00 PM - 05:00 PM
Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Ali Asghari, Ph.D. Student, Oral Defense
Abstract:
For more than thirty years, researchers have attempted to establish effective local and global methods for monitoring civil, aerospace and mechanical structures. The unpredictable nature of soil and the nonlinear behavior of civil structures, however, make monitoring rather complex. In fact, the combined soil-structure system can be influenced by environmental factors on daily to annual time scales. Identification of structural damage using vibration-based methodologies in the presence of such influences requires some data normalization to reduce uncertainties and variations introduced by environmental factors.
To better understand the correlation between environmental variations and the dynamics of soil-structure interaction, semi-continuous monitoring of a large-scale field test structure has been conducted. The analysis uses data from sensors placed at several locations on the NEES Soil Foundation Structure Interaction (SFSI) Test Structure, which is located on very well-characterized soil in southern California, as well as sensor arrays monitoring the soil response under the foundation. A network of sensors was designed and positioned to record temperature at various locations on the structure; some pertinent soil properties are also monitored.
The observations of measured environmental data and the identified structural system parameters demonstrated strong correlation between variations in the environmental features and in the dynamic properties of the structure; for example daily shifts in the structure's fundamental frequencies are as much as10% due to temperature change or seasonal shifts due to ground water table variation under the foundation. An example is given, based on novelty detection, of how "unusual" dynamic behavior can be indicated for the SFSI test structure in the presence of environmental variations.
To explain the effect of the soil saturation on the rocking frequency of SFSI systems, a predictive model based on Wolf's Cone Model approach was developed. The results from parametric study validated the observations from both the SFSI test structure and the scaled model of decreased natural frequency for dry soil. Further, the study shows that the opposite effect—that is, higher natural frequency with soil saturation—occurs for structures with different characteristics relative to the soil.
A 1/14 scale model of the SFSI test structure was constructed to validate the observed effect of the water level under the foundation on the rocking frequency of SFSI systems in a controlled laboratory environment. These experiments showed a similar correlation between the identified rocking frequency of the scaled prototype and the rise and fall of the water level under the foundation.
This work shows that understanding the environmental variability of an identified model is critical to developing methodologies for cleansing data and reducing uncertainty to allow more robust health monitoring in real civil structures.Location: Kaprielian Hall (KAP) - 209
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Evangeline Reyes
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1st Event w/ Big E/Smalls! And Last Med School Nite!
Tue, Oct 13, 2009 @ 06:30 PM - 07:30 PM
Viterbi School of Engineering Student Organizations
Student Activity
Come out to our 1st Big E/Smalls event of the semester! Meet your mentor/mentee, hang out, and grab some hot chocolate. Didn't sign up, but still want to get involved? Come out and we'll pair you up!Also, don't miss out on our last med school event w/ Don Osbourne. Tired of med school stuff? Don't worry. Don Osbourne's an expert on getting into any kind of grad school.As always, dinner is provided.So come out for med school night. Meet your mentor/fellow mentees. Hang out and have fun!
Location: James H. Zumberge Hall Of Science (ZHS) - 252
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Associated Students of Biomedical Engineering
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Microsoft Corporation
Tue, Oct 13, 2009 @ 06:30 PM - 08:00 PM
Viterbi School of Engineering Career Connections
Workshops & Infosessions
Join representatives of this company as they share general company information and available opportunities.
Location: Mark Taper Hall Of Humanities (THH) - Auditorium 201
Audiences: All Engineering Students
Contact: RTH 218 Viterbi Career Services
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Philadelphia Admission Reception
Tue, Oct 13, 2009 @ 07:00 PM - 09:00 PM
Viterbi School of Engineering Undergraduate Admission
Receptions & Special Events
Hosted by the Admission Office, the reception will include a general discussion about the University. You will also be able to ask questions about your areas of academic interest, explore co-curricular options and learn more about life and opportunities at USC. A representative from our Admission and Student Affairs staff, will be there on behalf of the Viterbi School of Engineering along with other representatives from the University.RSVP online at http://www.usc.edu/admevents
Location: Marriott Philadelphia West<br>111 Crawford Avenue<br>West Conshohocken, PA 19428
Audiences: Prospective Freshmen and their families
Contact: Viterbi Admission
