Keywords: seismic engineering education, building safety, seismic-resistant structures, laboratory facilities, shaking table, real seismic conditions.

One of the problems facing civil engineers in the design process of seismically resistant structures is minimizing the undesirable consequences of earthquakes. Future civil engineers should understand the dynamic response of structures to earthquakes. Therefore this topic is integrated into the educational program, which includes series of laboratory works.

Kukreti and Wallace [3] proposed to teach dynamic behaviour of structures using small-scale models investigated at structural dynamics laboratory. Kukreti and Baseheart [4] have further developed this idea in order to demonstrate earthquake effects on building structures. Dyke [1] has reported about the experiences in integrating research and education at the University Consortium on Instructional Shaking Tables. Series of earthquake engineering experiments were integrated into a civil engineering undergraduate curriculum.

It was decided in the college to teach an obligatory course in design of seismic resistant structures. Teaching of other disciplines has been also adapted. Tuition of the dynamic part of Mechanics was oriented to provide a possibility for applying the obtained knowledge in further studying of buildings' behaviour during earthquakes. The laboratory works in the frame of the course are realized in the laboratory for structural dynamics allowing using elements of structures in order to study their dynamic parameters. The main emphasis is learning the simple oscillation processes of progressive motion and rotation. Systems with accumulation of elastic and gravitation energy are studied. It corresponds to behaviour of simple fixed based structures and base isolated ones during earthquake motions.

Teaching Structural Dynamics was focused on behaviour of real structural schemes subjected to ground motions. It allows getting real response of structural elements and understanding various factors, required for proper seismic design.

Series of new illustrative structural dynamics experiments were developed and integrated into the course "Design of Seismic Resistant Structures". It extends understanding and intuition of the undergraduate students regarding the dynamic nature of structures. It also provides experience in using modern engineering tools including sensors, dampers, and other equipment for "hands-on" experiments.

The course includes the following topics: "Definition of an Earthquake", "Vibrations of SDOF Structures under Earthquakes", "The Response Spectra", "General Principles of Structural Seismic Resistance", "Earthquake Conditions and Parameters", "Principles of Equivalent Static Analysis", "Principles of Modal Dynamic Analysis", "Geometrical Properties of Vertical and Horizontal Diaphragms", "Design of Reinforced Concrete Frames" and "Modern Methods Improving Structural Response to Earthquakes".

Each of the topics is accompanied by a practical exercise, and after some of the topics students solve a homework based on the requirements of the Seismic Code [2]. In the second half of the semester they get a task for a final course project. During the last year, all students work on the final diploma project. The design process in the diploma project is like in a case of a normal building design for seismic regions. It yields understanding of the main concepts in structural seismic design, e.g. preferring regular structural systems, seismic isolation, using appropriate foundation types, etc.

Teaching according to the proposed program yields deeper understanding of structural physical nature and helps the students to get better "feeling" of the building, making them more familiar with modern design techniques in earthquake engineering.

1

S.J. Dyke "Experiences in Integrating Research and Education after the Engineering Education Scholars Workshop," Proceedings of the ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference, Pittsburgh, PA, November 5-8, 1997. doi:10.1109/FIE.1997.632668

2

IS 413 "Design Provisions for Earthquake Resistance of Structures", The Standards Institution of Israel, 1995 (in Hebrew).

3

A.R. Kukreti, B.J. Wallace "Teaching Dynamic Behaviour of Structures Using Small-Scale Structural Dynamics Laboratory," Proceedings of the 31st Midwest Section ASEE Conference, Tulsa, Oklahoma, April 10-12, 1996.

4

A.R. Kukreti, T.M. Baseheart "Development of Small-Scale Models for K-12 and Undergraduate Students to Demonstrate Earthquake Effects on Building Structures and Aseismic Design Procedures", Proceedings of the ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, 2002.

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