Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering

Broadway Multi-Use High-Rise Building, Salt Lake City, Utah

Morteza led the efforts in performing a site-specific seismic evaluation for this 30-story mixed-use building following a performance-based approach. The seismic evaluation included a ground motion hazard analysis including probabilistic seismic hazard analysis and deterministic seismic hazard analysis for bedrock, time history analysis to provide the site response input ground motions, equivalent-linear and nonlinear site response analyses, development of site specific risk-targeted maximum considered earthquake and design response spectrum, soil-structure-interaction analysis, and time history analysis to provide acceleration time series for the structural analysis.

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Etiwanda Avenue Grade Separation Project, Rancho Cucamonga, California

The proposed Etiwanda Avenue Grade Separation aims to provide uninterrupted flow of vehicular and railroad traffic at the intersection of Etiwanda Avenue and the SCRRA and BNSF railroad lines. The final proposed design includes two approach embankments and 10 bents. I led the engineering efforts in assessing the settlement, axial and lateral pile design, and seismic evaluation of the proposed bridge. A seismic Finite Element Analysis was performed (PLAXIS) to evaluate the inertia soil-structure-interaction impacts of the embankments on the seismic response of the underlying 12-foot Etiwanda feeder.

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Primary Children Hospital, Lehi, Utah

Morteza performed site-specific seismic evaluation for this children’s hospital in Utah. The seismic evaluation included ground motion hazard analysis, time history analysis, and site-response analysis. The ground motion hazard analysis followed a code-based approach comprising of probabilistic seismic hazard analysis and deterministic seismic hazard analysis. Equivalent-linear and nonlinear site response analyses were performed under a set of bedrock motions to evaluate surface ground motions given the outputs of ground motion hazard analysis.

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University of Utah Health Science Library Seismic Retrofit, Salt Lake City, Utah

Lead geo-seismic engineer for performing a Basic Safety Earthquake (BSE) ground motion study for retrofit (upgrade) analysis of the existing Health Science Library building on the University of Utah campus in Salt Lake City. A site-specific ground motion study was performed for four different seismic levels per ASCE 41-17 (BSE-2N, BSE-1N, BSE-2E, and BSE-1E) in which ground motions from the nearby causative faults in Utah were considered deterministically and probabilistically. Nonlinear site response analysis was then conducted to capture the response of the local soils in the calculation of the ground surface response spectra.

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University of Utah Discovery Building, Salt Lake City, Utah

Lead geo-seismic engineer tasked to perform site response analysis for a new five story medical/office building at the University of Utah Campus in Salt Lake City. Initially, site-specific risk-targeted maximum considered earthquake (MCER) and design response spectra were developed at the base level. Ground motion time histories were then selected based on the controlling earthquake scenario and were scaled to the base MCER spectrum. Scaled ground motions were used as input ground motions in a nonlinear site response analysis of the site soil profile to obtain the site-specific site-response-incorporated ground surface design response spectra.

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University of Utah PRICE Building, Salt Lake City, Utah

Lead geo-seismic engineer for the proposed three-story Interdisciplinary Computing Building on the University of Utah campus in Salt Lake City. Atlas planned and executed a site investigation program to identify the subsurface conditions including geophysical services to measure the shear wave velocity (Vs,30), and geotechnical borings and laboratory testing to identify the geotechnical characteristics for site response analysis. A site-specific ground motion hazard analysis incorporating the local site conditions was performed which resulted in a lower seismic design than the generic mapped values leading to a more cost-effective structural design.

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UNICO 205 East 200 South Center, Salt Lake City, Utah

Lead geo-seismic engineer for a five-level Type III wood-framed structure over three levels of concrete podium in Salt Lake City. Atlas planned and executed a subsurface exploration program including soil borings, CPT and SCPT soundings to identify soil conditions at the site and use the data collected in the ground motion study. The geotechnical earthquake engineering team then performed a site-specific ground motion hazard analysis consisting of probabilistic and deterministic seismic hazard analyses to develop 5%-damped, risk targeted maximum considered earthquake (MCER) response spectrum at the base level. Nonlinear site response analysis was conducted to model the site conditions to obtain the site-specific site-response-incorporated ground surface design response spectrum. Ground motion time histories for the site response analysis were selected based on the controlling earthquake scenario and were scaled to the base MCER spectrum.

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Foster City Levee Bridge, Foster City, California

Morteza led the efforts in performing a site-specific seismic evaluation for this bridge as part of the Foster City Levee Improvement Project. The seismic evaluation followed the Caltrans guidelines and included development of the target response spectrum, ground motion selection and scaling, spectral matching of the selected motions, equivalent-linear and nonlinear site response analyses, and development of the final ground motion spectrum.

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Veterans Affairs Long Beach Medical Center, Long Beach, California

I performed the seismic analyses in support of partial demolition/reconstruction and renovation of a number of buildings in this VA hospital in Long Beach, California. The ground motion study included (1) a site-specific ground motion hazard analysis per ASCE 7-16 for the features proposed to be constructed in the new phase and (2) a seismic analysis per ASCE 41-17 (Publication for the Seismic Evaluation and Retrofit of Existing Buildings) for the parts subject to renovation, resulting in seismic parameters for different hazard levels (i.e., BSE-2N, BSE-1N, BSE-2E and BSE-1E).

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Hermiston Public Safety Building, Hermiston, Oregon

Lead geo-seismic engineer for the seismic hazard assessment of the proposed improvements at the Hermiston Public Safety Building. The seismic sources affecting the project site could be divided into subduction zone earthquakes (Interface), deep subcrustal earthquakes (slab or intraplate), and shallow crustal earthquakes associated with the movement of tectonic plates along the nearby faults in Deschutes-Columbia plateau and Blue Mountains regions. Regional seismic history and tectonic setting were evaluated as part of the study per the requirements of 2022 Oregon Specialty Structural Code. Probabilistic and deterministic hazard analyses were performed for different rupture scenarios, and MCER and design response spectra were developed following the guidelines of ASCE 7-16.

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Compton College Structural Upgrade of Building “Y”, Compton, California

Technical reviewer for the geo-seismic analyses for this seismic retrofit project at the Compton College in Compton. Site-specific seismic ground motion hazard analysis in general accordance with Section 2.4.2 of ASCE 41-17 was performed. Seismic evaluation included development of 5% damped general and site-specific response spectra for the BSE-2N, BSE-1N, BSE-2E, and BSE-1E seismic hazard levels.

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Garfield Elementary School Seismic Upgrades, Oakland, California

Lead geo-seismic engineer for the seismic retrofit project of the existing buildings on Garfield Elementary School campus. As part of the subsurface characterization, Atlas reviewed available data and proposed to perform a subsurface exploration plan including soil borings and SCPT soundings. Following the ASCE 41-17 guidelines, the team performed a site-specific Basic Safety Earthquake (BSE) ground motion study to obtain spectra corresponding to different seismic hazard levels to be used for performance objective evaluation by the structural engineer.

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West Side UESD Seismic Hazard Analysis, Healdsburg, California

Lead geo-seismic engineer tasked to perform a site-specific seismic hazard analysis for a new improvement in a public school. A site-specific ground motion study was performed based on ASCE 7-16 in which ground motions from the nearby causative faults were considered deterministically and probabilistically. Nonlinear site response analysis was also performed to incorporate the effects of liquefaction in the calculated design ground motion at the ground surface.

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Kaiser Permanente Medical Office Building and Parking Structure, Fresno, California

Technical reviewer for the seismic hazard evaluation supporting the design of the Kaiser Permanente Medical Office Building and parking structure in Fresno, California. The seismic analysis included site-specific ground motion hazard analysis following probabilistic and deterministic approaches, and the development of MCER and design response spectra and seismic parameters in accordance with ASCE 7-16 guidelines.

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Albert Einstein Academy Charter High School –Site Modernization, San Diego, California

Independent peer reviewer of the ground motion study performed for this high school modernization project. The ground motion study included performing a site-specific ground motion hazards analysis including probabilistic and deterministic analyses to obtain the target spectra for different hazard levels in accordance with ASCE 41-17 and selection of 11 time histories. Dr. Mirshekari worked closely with the design team to ensure that the study was meticulously reviewed, and all the concerns were thoroughly addressed. The seismic calculation package was approved by CGS in the first attempt.

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John Wayne Airport, P447 Concession Development, Santa Ana, California

I performed site-specific seismic evaluation for the proposed concession development of John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California. The seismic evaluation included ground motion hazard analysis, time history analysis, and site-response analysis. The ground motion hazard analysis followed a code-based approach comprising of probabilistic seismic hazard analysis and deterministic seismic hazard analysis. Equivalent-linear and nonlinear site response analyses were performed under a set of bedrock motions to evaluate surface ground motions given the outputs of ground motion hazard analysis.

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Lighthipe 220kV Substation Rebuild Project, Long Beach, California

The project was to provide the geotechnical evaluation in support of the seismic retrofit of the control building at Lighthipe Substation in Long Beach, California. The seismic retrofit involved installation of new foundation elements around the perimeter and within the building to enhance the axial, uplift, and shear bearing capacity of the existing foundation system. The geotechnical evaluation in this project included an axial/lateral design of the proposed pile groups and a seismic hazard evaluation including seismic ground motion hazard analyses following ASCE 7-10 and ASCE 41-13 for the new and retrofitting structural elements as well as liquefaction hazard assessment.

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Ulysses S. Grant High School Modernization, Van Nuys, California

I performed the seismic ground motion study for the Ulysses S. Grant High School Modernization project in Van Nuys, California. The ground motion study included (1) a site-specific ground motion hazard analysis per ASCE 7-16 for the features proposed to be constructed in the new phase and (2) a seismic analysis per ASCE 41-17 (Publication for the Seismic Evaluation and Retrofit of Existing Buildings) for the parts subject to renovation, resulting in seismic parameters for different hazard levels (i.e., BSE-2N, BSE-1N, BSE-2E and BSE-1E).

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