Biography
Prof. Luigi Di Sarno
Prof. Luigi Di Sarno
University of Liverpool, UK
Title: Earthquake Resilience of Critical Infrastructure: Current Practice and Research Needs
Abstract: 
Seismic analysis and design of critical infrastructure have recently changed their paradigms. Performance-based seismic design approaches are currently employed worldwide for new structures and infrastructure; they are also implemented in several international codes of practice, nevertheless they still require further numerical and experimental investigations. The principles of such design approaches are based on acceptable risk metrics, but the latter are often relying on limited datasets; thus there is an urgent need for future research. Multi-hazard characterization is essential when dealing with critical infrastructure. Additionally, structural and non-structural components, as well as building contents, should be reliably accounted for in the holistic assessment of critical systems to enhance the community resilience against natural hazards. The keynote lecture will provide a detailed examination of the current seismic design practice for critical infrastructure; it will also shed lights on future experimental and numerical research needs.
Biography: 
Dr. Luigi Di Sarno is Senior Lecturer in Structural Design in the School of Engineering at the University of Liverpool, UK, and he has been Visiting Professor at the Mid-America Earthquake Center, headquartered at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA, since 2002. He is Honorary Member Staff at the College of Engineering, University of Bristol, UK, since 2011. Other visiting appointments include Imperial College of London, UK, University of Bogazici, Turkey, University of Toronto, Canada, University of California at Los Angeles, USA and INTEC, Dominican Republic. He is recognized as a global leader in the field of earthquake engineering and structural retrofitting of existing structures. He is the Founder and Research Leader of the multi-disciplinary group Resilient and Sustainable Infrastructures (RSI) headquartered at the University of Liverpool, UK. His research interests include: (i) seismic analysis, design and retrofitting of critical structures and infrastructures, especially with base isolation and supplemental damping, (ii) analysis and design of tall buildings subjected to extreme loads and (iii) advanced experimental testing and numerical simulation. He currently is PI and Co-I of multi-million EU-funded research projects dealing with the seismic design, assessment and retrofitting of buildings (FUTURE, HITFRAMES), non-structural components (SEREME, RELUIS), advanced hybrid tests for seismic soil-structure interaction (COSMO, SHATTENFEE), seismic response of natural gas pipelines (EXCHANGE RISK) and resilience of petrochemical plants (XP-RESILIENCE).

Dr. Di Sarno has authored more than 250 research publications, including refereed journals, conference papers, research reports, book chapters and field investigation reports. He has co-authored with A.S. Elnashai the book: Fundamentals of Earthquake Engineering, edited by Wiley & Sons. The latter book has also been amended and published as second edition.

Dr. Di Sarno acts as a technical reviewer of several international journals dealing with structural analysis and design, seismic assessment and vulnerability. He is part of the editorial board of international journals dealing with structural engineering.