FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
U.S. Media Advisory: UC San Diego Earthquake Simulator Tests 10-story Steel-framed Building
June 23, 2025 | 9:30am PT
What:
A team of researchers from the University of California San Diego and Johns Hopkins University is testing a 10-story, cold-framed steel building for seismic safety.
The researchers will run two earthquake motions, including the 1989 6.9 magnitude Loma Prieta earthquake.
When:
June 23, 2025
The intended schedule is the following:
- 9:00AM table warm-up
- 9:30AM visitors arrive
- 10:00AM test sequence begins
- White Noise (low amplitude random base excitation in two directions)
- 2023 Kahramanmaras, Turkiye Earthquake (XYZ) (scaled to Service-Level, 43yr return period event)
- 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake (XY) (Gilroy Array #3 record, scaled to Design-Level, 475yr return period event)
- White Noise (low amplitude random base excitation in two directions)
- 10:30AM (approx, test sequence concludes)
- 10:45-11:00AM Building safety inspection by core research team
- 11-12:30PM Research team inspections, while visitors may go off-site for lunch, or eat on-site: NO access to building or shake table by visitors
- 1:00PM-site closure (3PM) visitors may accompany a core research team to have access to the shake table and the building
If you plan to attend, please completed the intent form.
Drone video and video from cameras inside the building will be posted here
Where:
Englekirk Structural Engineering Center, 10201 Pomerado Road San Diego, CA 92131
Who:
Tara Hutchinson, professor in the UC San Diego Department of Structural Engineering, project co-lead
Ben Schafer, professor in the Department of Civil and Systems Engineering at Johns Hopkins University, project co-lead
Joel Conte, professor in the UC San Diego Department of Structural Engineering, one of the lead researchers on the UC San Diego earthquake simulator
Media Contact:
Ioana Patringenaru cell: (619)-253-4474
Media contact on June 23:
Daniel Kane (858) 926-8664
More information:
Press release preview of the tests
Shake table media day ground rules:
- No drones: we will be providing drone footage from the site drones
- Media crews will not be allowed inside the building
- Closed toe shoes
- We will provide hard hats, but you can bring your own
- Carpool if you can
- Long sleeves and long pants recommended, the site is similar to a construction site
- Sunscreen strongly recommended
