2011-2012 Bulletin – PDF - SEAS Bulletin - Columbia University

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Structures: dynamics, stability, and
design of structures, structural failure
and damage detection, fluid and soil
structure interaction, ocean structures
subjected to wind-induced waves,
inelastic dynamic response of reinforced
concrete structures, earthquakeresistant
design of structures.
Geotechnical engineering: soil
behavior, constitutive modeling,
reinforced soil structures, geotechnical
earthquake engineering, liquefaction
and numerical analysis of geotechnical
systems.
Structural materials: cement-based
materials, micro- and macromodels of
fiber-reinforced cement composites,
utilization of industrial by-products
and waste materials, beneficiation of
dredged material.
Earthquake engineering: response of
structures to seismic loading, seismic
risk analysis, active and passive control
of structures subject to earthquake
excitation, seismic analysis of long-span
cable-supported bridges.
Flight structures: aeroelasticity,
aeroacoustics, active vibration and
noise control, smart structures,
noise transmission into aircraft, and
vibroacoustics of space structures.
Construction engineering and
management: contracting strategies;
alternative project delivery systems, such
as design-build, design-build-operate,
and design-build-finance-operate;
minimizing project delays and disputes;
advanced technologies to enhance
productivity and efficiency; strategic
decisions in global engineering and
construction markets.
Infrastructure delivery and
management: decision support systems
for infrastructure asset management;
assessing and managing infrastructure
assets and systems; capital budgeting
processes and decisions; innovative
financing methods; procurement
strategies and processes; data
management practices and systems;
indicators of infrastructure performance
and service.
Facilities
The offices and laboratories of the
department are in the S. W. Mudd
Building and the Engineering Terrace.
Computing
The department manages a substantial
computing facility of its own in addition
to being networked to all the systems
operated by the University. The
department facility enables its users
to perform symbolic and numeric
computation, three-dimensional
graphics, and expert systems
development. Connections to wide-area
networks allow the facility’s users to
communicate with centers throughout
the world. All faculty and student
offices and department laboratories
are hardwired to the computing facility,
which is also accessible remotely to
users. Numerous personal computers
and graphics terminals exist throughout
the department, and a PC lab is
available to students in the department
in addition to the larger school-wide
facility.
Laboratories
The Robert A. W. Carleton Strength of
Materials Laboratory is a very large facility
equipped for research into all types of
engineering materials and structural
elements. The Heffner Laboratory
for Hydrologic Research is a newly
established facility for both undergraduate
instruction and research in all aspects of
fluid mechanics and its applications. The
Eugene Mindlin Laboratory for Structural
Deterioration Research is a teaching and
research facility dedicated to all facets
of the assessment of structures and the
processes of deterioration of structural
performance. The concrete laboratory is
equipped to perform a wide spectrum of
experimental research in cement-based
materials. The Donald M. Burmister Soil
Mechanics Laboratory is used in both
undergraduate and graduate instruction
for static and dynamic testing of soils
and foundations. The 200G geotechnical
centrifuge located in the Carleton
Laboratory is used for geotechnical and
geoenvironmental research.
The Institute of Flight Structures
The Institute of Flight Structures was
established within the department
through a grant by the Daniel and
Florence Guggenheim Foundation. It
provides a base for graduate training
in aerospace and aeronautical related
applications of structural analysis and
design.
Center for Infrastructure Studies
The Center was established in the
department to provide a professional
environment for faculty and students from
a variety of disciplines to join with industry
and government to develop and apply
the technological tools and knowledge
bases needed to deal with the massive
problems of the city, state, and regional
infrastructure. The Center is active in
major infrastructure projects through a
consortium of universities and agencies.
Undergraduate Programs
The Department of Civil Engineering
and Engineering Mechanics offers
undergraduate programs in civil
engineering and engineering mechanics.
Both are intended to prepare students
with firm technical bases while nurturing
decision-making and leadership
potential.
The civil engineering program is
designed to enable the student, upon
completion of the B.S. degree program,
to enter the profession—for example, in
industry, on a construction project, in a
consulting engineering office, through
a government agency—or to begin
graduate study, or both. The program
is fully accredited by the Engineering
Accreditation Commission (EAC) of the
Accreditation Board for Engineering
and Technology (ABET) and provides
a broad traditional civil engineering
background that focuses on basic
theory and design. Technical electives
can be selected to obtain a strong
technical base in a particular field of
civil engineering or other engineering
disciplines.
The engineering mechanics program
provides a strong analytical background in
mechanics for students planning to continue
on to graduate school and to pursue
research. Admission to the engineering
mechanics program requires a grade point
average of B or better and maintenance of
performance while in the program.
engineering 2011–2012