Interview with Giuseppe Lomiento- Civil Engineering

Summary

Dr. Giuseppe Lomiento is an associate professor of civil engineering specializing in structural engineering, particularly the design of buildings and bridges to withstand earthquakes. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Italy before moving to California to study at UC San Diego.

His research connects civil and mechanical engineering. He studies devices such as dampers, which dissipate energy, and isolators, which can improve how structures perform during earthquakes.

Main research areas

Seismic isolation and energy dissipation

Conventional construction is generally designed to prevent buildings and bridges from collapsing, but it may not prevent significant damage. Isolation and energy-dissipation devices can offer greater protection, potentially reducing damage and helping communities resume operations after an earthquake.

Before these devices can be used in buildings and bridges, they must be experimentally tested and shown to be effective. A key research need is to qualify more device designs for seismic applications.

Earthquake-resistant mass timber construction

Steel and concrete have high embodied carbon, so researchers are exploring mass timber as a more sustainable option for larger buildings. However, mass-timber systems were not originally developed for earthquake-prone regions, creating a need for seismic-resistant connections and structural systems.

One challenge is to connect timber components using as little steel as possible while still meeting seismic safety requirements. Research in this relatively new area includes proposing and analyzing systems through computer models and, where possible, experimental testing. Much of the work remains at an early or conceptual stage.

Speakers featured

• Interviewer: Unnamed in the subtitles.
• Dr. Giuseppe Lomiento: Associate professor of civil engineering; identified by the video title as Giuseppe Lomiento.