Education

Research Description

Dr. Cabas's research interests include the assessment of seismic hazards, performance-based design in geotechnical engineering, the prediction of the response of soils and foundation systems to seismic loading and dynamic soil-foundation-structure interaction. Her research focuses particularly on the advancement of the current understanding of the impact that local soil conditions have on ground motions, improving the assessment of site-specific seismic hazards, and elucidating the correlation between ground motion parameters and structural response and damage.

Honors and Awards

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Grants

Improving the Assessment of Site-Specific Seismic Hazards Through the Lens of Novel Attenuation Models

US Dept. of Interior (DOI)(5/15/19 - 5/14/20)

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Improving the Assessment of Site-Specific Seismic Hazards Through the Lens of Novel Attenuation Models

Sponsor: US Dept. of Interior (DOI)

Start Date: 5/15/19

End Date: 5/14/20

Abstract

The main objective of this study is to improve current definitions of host and target site-specific attenuation in partially nonergodic probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA). Site-specific attenuation is often defined by means of the spectral decay parameter kappa, but ther is currently no consistent/compatible attenuation models for the host a target regions. The main challenge is the lack of data in low to moderate seismicity regions (i.e., target regions), which does not allow the use of the acceleration spectrum methodology to compute kappa (as it is often use for the host regions). Additionally, a novel model for kappa values is proposed, so that the contributions from the attenuation experienced in the rock mass and the overlying soil profile can be treated separately. This decomposition could prove very useful in partially nonergodic PSHA. Finally, our current understanding of kappa from a geotechnical engineering perspective will be improved by further decomposing the kappa value corresponding to the soil profile into material damping and scattering contributions.

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Building a Stronger and Diverse Professional Network to Support the Growth of the Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering Research Group at North Carolina State University

National Science Foundation (NSF)(9/07/17 - 4/30/18)

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Building a Stronger and Diverse Professional Network to Support the Growth of the Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering Research Group at North Carolina State University

Sponsor: National Science Foundation (NSF)

Start Date: 9/07/17

End Date: 4/30/18

Abstract

The overarching goal of this project is not only to enhance the project leader’s professional network and potential for new collaborations, but also to broaden the research program at North Carolina State University (NCSU). The proposed project will have two stages. First, a three-day visit of the project leader to the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin), and a subsequent visit of Professor Ellen Rathje to NCSU. During the first stage, discussions on the project leader’s National Science Foundation (NSF)CAREER proposal will take place, as well as a laboratory tour to provide guidance on the purchase of a resonant column and torsional shear device. Networking opportunities with Dr. Rathje’s research group and other faculty members at UT Austin will also be included in this first stage. Professor Rathje’s visit to NCSU will foster more collaboration opportunities as follow-up discussions on research projects develop. She will be able to provide feedback on the progress of graduate student members in the geotechnical earthquake engineering research group at NCSU, and will participate as the guest speaker at a graduate seminar. Additionally, Prof. Rathje will also interact with the geotechnical engineering female faculty at NCSU at a special networking event.

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Assessment of the Contribution of Input Motion Selection Procedures to Uncertainty in Ground Motion Intensity Measures

US Geological Survey (USGS)(1/01/18 - 12/31/18)

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Assessment of the Contribution of Input Motion Selection Procedures to Uncertainty in Ground Motion Intensity Measures

Sponsor: US Geological Survey (USGS)

Start Date: 1/01/18

End Date: 12/31/18

Abstract

The importance of properly characterizing ground-motion intensity measures for seismic hazard assessment is unequivocally large. However, only a few studies have investigated the degree to which the uncertainty resulting from traditional input motion selection protocols introduces errors in the estimation of ground-motion intensity measures at the surface. This study will compare current practices for input motion selection, identify shortcomings in these practices, and investigate their impact on the uncertainty in ground-motion intensity measures. Moreover, recommendations for improvements to existing input motion selection procedures will be proposed. Comprehensive ground response analyses at two representative sites, one in the western United States (WUS: California) and one in the central and eastern United States (CEUS: Boston, Massachusetts), will be performed. These two sites not only represent different geological and geotechnical conditions, but different levels of seismicity: the WUS site is in a region of high seismicity in which a small number of faults dominates the hazard, and the CEUS site is in a region of moderate seismicity in which the sources of hazard are much more diffuse.

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