Structural Engineering Research at the Multidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering Research (MCEER)

The Multidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering Research (MCEER) was established by the National Science Foundation (NSF) in 1986 as the National Center for Earthquake Engineering Research (NCEER). In 1997, NCEER became MCEER as one of the three NSF sponsored earthquake engineering research centers. The other two centers are: Mid America Earthquake Center and Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center. Since 1989 MCEER has been fostering systems integrated research by multidisciplinary team efforts with special emphasis given to the application of emerging technologies in earthquake hazard mitigation and emergency response. A selected number of civil infrastructure systems (CIS) and critical facilities (which should function during and after earthquakes) have been targeted for which seismic retrofit strategies are being developed by MCEER research teams. The targeted CIS are electric power, water and gas networks, bridges and highway systems. The critical facilities are hospitals. MCEER researchers working in teams include the following areas of expertise: structural engineering, geotechnical engineering, engineering seismology, risk and reliability, high performance structural materials, structural control, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, computer engineering, public policy, economics, urban and regional sciences, architecture and sociology.