Earthquake Engineering Education in Schools of Architecture: Developments during the Last Ten Years Including Rule-of-Thumb Software

A major 2006 survey of US schools of architecture identified significant problems in the way earthquake engineering design was integrated into and taught in their curricula. More than 10 years later, this paper reviews several of the significant problems raised, and reports on new developments in three areas. First, after acknowledging the pivotal role of the design studio in architectural education, two models of teaching earthquake engineering by linking seismic design to design studio projects are reported. The success of the models is attributed to both short and intense tutoring sessions by external professional engineers, coupled with the use of seismic design rule-of-thumb software. The second area of progress has been the remedying of shortcomings in seismic design content and appropriate teaching resources. Finally, the paper focuses on the development and use of rule-of-thumb software. This empowers students to design and size the seismic-resistant structure their design projects require. Results from student surveys in several countries suggest the software is appropriate for its users and it contributes positively to the seismic design education of architects. The paper concludes that an effective approach to teaching seismic design in a school of architecture necessitates a certain minimum content being conveyed to the students, followed by application of this material to one or more of their studio design projects. The inherent structural complexity of these projects requires tutorial advice from professional engineers that can be limited and should then be taken to another level of detail by the use of rule-of-thumb software.