Volume 5, Number 2, September 2007

4TH U.S. - JAPAN WORKSHOP ON SOIL - STRUCTURE INTERACTION
The 4th U.S.-Japan Workshop on Soil-Structure Interaction was held during 28 - 30 March 2007 in Tsukuba,
Japan. The meting was hosted by the Building Research Institute (BRI) of Japan and was organized by Drs.
Izuru Okawa and Masanori Iiba from BRI, Dr. Mehmet Celebi from U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), andProfessor Maria Todorovska from the University of Southern California (USC). This sequel of Workshops
started in 1998.
Fifty-five individuals participated in this meeting from four countries: Japan (39), U.S. (12), Greece (3), andChina (1). Thirty nine technical papers were presented, including four special presentations, and three briefreports on the Noto Hanto Earthquake of 25 March 2007 (M=6.9), which occurred three days before theworkshop. Special presentations were made by Professor Kausel, who presented his perspective on thepast and future of research on soil-structure interaction, Professor Tokimatsu on soil-structure interaction
behavior in large shaking table experiments, conducted on the E-Defence shaking table, Professor Fukuwa
made a presentation on educational tools for soil and structural dynamics he developed and demonstrated
some of these tools, and Dr. Celebi - on the variations of the fundamental frequency of undamagedbuildings. The other technical presentations were on a variety of topics, including: methods for linear andnonlinear numerical simulations of seismic response of soil-foundation-structure systems, laboratory(centrifuge and shake table) and field experiments, performance of foundations during past earthquakes,
interpretation of seismic response data, practical methods for soil-structure interaction analyses, andregulatory guidance for assessing the effects of soil-structure interaction on nuclear power plant facilities.
The proceedings of this workshop, the technical papers, and the workshop summary andrecommendations will be published on a CD Rom, which is being prepared.
The financial support from the Building Research Institute of Japan – the sponsor of this workshop, and thetravel grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation are gratefully acknowledged.
Contact: Dr. Izuru Okawa, Senior Research Fellow, Department of Structural Engineering, Building
Research Institute, okawa@kenken.go.jp

Group Photo. Participants at the 4th U.S.-Japan Workshop on Soil-Structure Interaction

THE 4TH U.S. - JAPAN WORKSHOP ON ADVANCED RESEARCH ON DAMS
The 4th U.S.-Japan Workshop on Advanced Research on Dams was held under the sponsorship of the U.S.
Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) and the Public Works Research Institute ofJapan (PWRI) under the auspices of the UJNR Panel on Wind and Seismic Effects’ Task Committee on
Dams conducted at the PWRI in Tsukuba, Japan, on 17 May 2007. The Japan Commission on Large
Dams and the Japan Dam Engineering Center co-sponsor this Workshop.
The Workshop provided a valuable forum for exchanging technical information related to non-linear
response analyses and shaking table tests for concrete dams. The workshop was attended by 3 U.S.
participants and 25 Japanese participants. Seven technical papers were presented, including one keynote
presentation by Professor Victor E. Saouma, University of Colorado, Boulder.
Workshop participants recognized the importance of continued exchange of research personnel, technicaldata and information, and the joint use of available research facilities in both countries, such as the Network
for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES) and the 3-D Full-Scale Earthquake Testing Facility(E-Defense). The participants agreed to the need to develop new methods to effectively transfer technology
working in collaboration with other engineering societies with similar interests.
Six dam earthquake engineering topics were identified for the further cooperative research programs:
a. Non-linear response analysis of concrete dams (joints, dynamic tensile strength);b. Earthquake ground motions;c. Criteria for seismic analysis progression with explicit modeling guidelines;
d. Risk assessment of dams and dam systems;e. Dam-foundation interaction; andf.
Validation of numerical procedures.
The proceedings of this workshop, the technical papers, and the workshop resolutions are being preparedfor publication.
Contact: Dr. Yoshikazu Yamaguchi, Team Leader, Dam Structural Research Team, HydraulicEngineering Research Group, Public Works Research Institute, yamaguti@pwri.go.jp.

Group Photo. Participants at the 4th U.S.-Japan Workshop on Advanced Research on Dams