2013 T.H. Wu Distinguished Lecture

From reliability to systems engineering: The evolution of risk analysis and assessment in civil works

Dr. Gregory B. Baecher
Glenn L. Martin Institute Professor of Engineering
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
University of Maryland

http://ceg.osu.edu/sites/ceg.osu.edu/files/uploads/baecher_flyer_2013.pd...

The late 20th C. saw the introduction of a variety of new analytical methods for evaluating risks posed by and to heavy civil infrastructure. The distinguishing feature of this evolving set of new methodologies was that they brought probabilistic thinking to bear in grappling with uncertainty and risk, and employed new techniques in operational research, statistics, and physics-based failure modeling, the development of which had been accelerated by the exigencies of WWII. Now, 50 years later, it is time to catalog the revolutionary insights gained by this ‘new approach.’ Many of these insights today are thought to be no more than common wisdom by younger engineers, but this was not the case when first they began to appear. It is also time to benchmark the ongoing—even accelerating—pace of risk analysis applications in civil engineering and natural hazards practice. A number of examples will be provided from practice.

Professor Baecher is Glenn L Martin Institute Professor of Engineering at the University of Maryland. He holds a BSCE from UC Berkeley, and ScM and PhD Degrees from MIT. Dr. Baecher’s principal area of work addresses the reliability of civil infrastructure and project risk management, especially in geotechnical and water resources engineering. He is co-author with J.T. Christian of, Reliability and Statistics in Geotechnical Engineering (Wiley 2003), with D.M.D. Hartford of, Risk and Uncertainty in Dam Safety (Thos. Telford 2004), with K. Frolov of, Protection of Civil Infrastructure from Acts of Terrorism (Springer 2006), and with N.A. Makhutov, of Comparative Analysis of Technological and Intelligent Terrorism Impacts on Complex Technical Systems (IOS Press 2012).

This lecture is free, and preregistration is encouraged.
Reserve your space by contacting Carol Scott at scott.30@osu.edu – (614) 292-3533.
One (1) PDH credit will be offered for attending the entire lecture and a certificate will be provided

Scott Laboratory is located at: http://www.osu.edu/map/building.php?building=148
Parking is available at Tuttle Park Place Garage: http://www.osu.edu/map/building.php?building=088