COSMOS 2008 Technical Session: Selection and Scaling of Ground Motions for Site Response Analysis and Geotechnical Evaluations

The Consortium of Organization for Strong Motion Observation Systems (COSMOS) will be holding its Annual Meeting and Technical Session at the Hilton Oakland Airport Hotel in Oakland, California, on Friday, November 21st . This year's Technical Session is again being co-sponsored by the Pacific Earthquake Engineering Center (PEER) and the California Geological Survey (CGS). Registration for the Technical Session will begin at 7:30 am (with coffee and pastries). The Technical Session will begin promptly at 8:30 am and with a lunch break at 11:30 am. The COSMOS Annual meeting will start at noon and adjourn by 1:00 pm. The Technical Session will then reconvene and end at 5:00 pm. As in previous years, it will then be followed by a no-host cocktail hour and poster session.

The theme of the 2007 technical session is: "Selection and Scaling of Ground Motions for Site Response Analysis and Geotechnical Evaluations". This theme builds upon on the successful COSMOS Technical Sessions of the past four years.

In the morning part of the program, Norm Abrahamson will first present a summary of findings from the previous technical session on the selection and scaling procedures for current building code and performance based earthquake engineering along with suggestions for improvement. Next, C. B. Crouse will make a presentation on Site-Specific Response Analysis and its link to Structural Analysis, Design and Code Requirements. Po Lam with then discuss Time History Selection for the Design and Analysis of the L.A. Port Marginal Wharf Facilities. After the morning break, Woody Savage and Tony Shakal will next provide an update on the New Center for Engineering Strong Motion Data and an update will be provided on the new COSMOS initiatives. In the afternoon session, Jennie Watson-Lamprey will provide an Introduction to Research on Time Series Selection for Geotechnical Projects. Thaleia Travasarou will next discuss BART Tube Project Time Series Selection Concerns and the Final Resolution. Then, Jeff Howard will present the DSOD Approach to Developing Design Ground Motions for Earth Dams and Christine Goulet will discuss Ground Motion Parameters that Control Ground Response Analysis Results. Finally Adda Athanasopoulos-Zekkos will discuss Variability of Levee Response Due to Time History Selection. As in past years, the presenters will also serve on a panel that will discuss (along with session participants) concerns and issues associated with Selection and Scaling of Ground Motions for Site Response Analysis and Geotechnical Evaluations and suggestions for their improvement in future codes and guidelines.

Registration fees are $120 for COSMOS and PEER members and $160 for nonmembers which includes both lunch and refreshments. There is also a special reduced student rate. For complete program and registration details for the COSMOS Annual Meeting and Technical Session, visit the COSMOS website at www.cosmos-eq.org.