EERI YMC Webinar: Structure-Soil-Structure and Tsunami-Structure Interaction

EERI YMC Webinar: Structure-Soil-Structure and Tsunami-Structure Interaction

🎙 Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI) 👥 118K 📅 December 11, 2025 ⏱ 64 min 👁 338 📄 expert opinion 🧭 2026-08-16
Available in: English (current) Français

Keywords

structure-soil-structure interactiontsunami-structure interactiontsunami scourseismic demandurban resilience

Summary

The webinar, organized by EERI’s Younger Members Committee, features two presentations on earthquake and tsunami engineering. Dr. Felipe Vicencio discusses structure-soil-structure interaction (SSSI), presenting a low-fidelity nonlinear model calibrated with finite element simulations and experimental data. He demonstrates that SSSI can amplify or reduce seismic demands on neighboring buildings by 20-40% on average, with up to 150-200% in certain cases. Key parameters include height ratio, frequency ratio, aspect ratio, soil stiffness, and building spacing. He also outlines a framework for urban-scale seismic resilience assessment. Dr. Rafael Aránguiz focuses on tsunami-structure interaction, particularly tsunami scour around structures. He reviews tsunami hazards, loads, and design standards, highlighting scour as a critical failure mechanism. He presents research on scour depth prediction and its implications for infrastructure design. The webinar concludes with a Q&A session, emphasizing the importance of considering these interactions in engineering practice.

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Critical Evaluation

Value of the Information & Strength of the Argument

The webinar provides valuable insights into two specialized areas of earthquake and tsunami engineering. Dr. Vicencio’s presentation offers a clear explanation of SSSI, supported by rigorous numerical and experimental validation. He presents quantitative results showing significant amplification effects, which are crucial for seismic design in urban areas. The argumentation is solid, with references to his own published papers and ongoing research. Dr. Aránguiz’s presentation on tsunami scour is equally valuable, highlighting a often-overlooked failure mechanism. He supports his points with examples from past tsunamis and references to design standards. Both speakers effectively communicate complex topics, making the webinar useful for both researchers and practitioners.

Scientific Rigor, Source Quality, Title Accuracy

The scientific rigor is high, with both speakers referencing their own peer-reviewed publications and established design codes (e.g., ASCE 7-22). The sources cited are credible and directly related to the content. The title accurately reflects the webinar’s scope, covering both structure-soil-structure and tsunami-structure interaction. The presentation is well-structured, with clear methodologies and results. No comments were provided for analysis.

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Title / Content Match

The title accurately reflects the content, covering both structure-soil-structure and tsunami-structure interaction as presented by the two speakers.

Quality & Reliability

8/10

The webinar features two PhD researchers presenting their own peer-reviewed work, with detailed methodology and references to published papers. The content is technical and appears reliable, though it is a webinar presentation rather than a formal peer-reviewed publication.

Key Moments

Cited Sources

  • Seismic structure-soil-structure interaction between inelastic structures — Referenced by Dr. Vicencio as the paper detailing the low-fidelity model formulation.
  • ASCE 7-22 Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures — Referenced by Dr. Aránguiz as the standard for tsunami loads and effects.

Concurring Sources

  • Seismic structure-soil-structure interaction between inelastic structures — Referenced by Dr. Vicencio as the paper detailing the low-fidelity model formulation.

Contribution & Novelties

The webinar presents original research on structure-soil-structure interaction (SSSI) and tsunami scour, offering new insights into these complex phenomena. Dr. Vicencio’s low-fidelity model provides a computationally efficient method to assess SSSI effects, which is a significant advancement for urban-scale seismic analysis. Dr. Aránguiz’s work on tsunami scour highlights a critical but often neglected failure mechanism, contributing to improved design guidelines. The presentations also outline future research directions, including urban resilience frameworks and probabilistic tsunami hazard assessment.

Pour aller plus loin :

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Radar Profile

The radar profile shows high scores across all dimensions, indicating a well-rounded and reliable presentation. The webinar excels in providing detailed technical information and credible sources, with a strong focus on practical applications.

Reliability 8/10