Adda  Athanasopoulos-Zekkos

Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering

421 Davis Hall

University of California, Berkeley

Tel:510-642-3489

E-mail: [email protected]

Feasibility Study of High-Performance Cut-off Walls for Levees in Seismic Regions: Dynamic Wall Analyses and Ductile Slurry Development.

The objective of this program is to develop a novel type of "slurry" cut-off wall for levees that possesses multiple risk mitigation applications,including seepage resistance, high seismic resistance, constructability, and sustainable fabrication. This interdisciplinary project is expected to bring about new approaches that addresses the performance of broad geotechnical infrastructure systems such as levees and…
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Effects of pile-driving induced vibrations on nearby structures and other assets.

This project is focused on better characterizing pile-driving induced vibrations and understanding their attenuation. Emphasis is given on quantifying the effect of soil type, hammer and pile combination and number of cycles on the soil settlement. This is achieved by a combination of field testing measurements and 3D finite element numerical analyses, to develop vibration…
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Seismic isolation of earth retaining structures using EPS-Geofoam compressible inclusions.

The objective of this project is to study the effectiveness of an EPS geofoam compressible inclusion as a seismic isolator against seismic lateral pressures. Twocentrifuge testshave been performed on small scale physical models of retaining structures with and without EPS compressible inclusions, generating the first centrifuge data that highlight the seismic isolation capabilities of the…
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Ground motion selection and modification criteria for the seismic design of earthen levees and other geotechnical infrastructure.

In this research project, ground motion intensity measures that are critical for predicting levee response have been established. The variability of levee response in terms of soil liquefaction triggering and seismic slope stability has been investigated and regressions have been developed to serve as guidelines for selection of ground motions for levee embankments. (more…)
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Development of a GIS-based tool and methodology to evaluate the seismic risk in regions protected against flooding by earthen levee systems.

This project focuses on developing a decision-making methodology that helps users prioritize mitigation efforts and predict levee system performance for selected seismic event scenarios.The proposed methodology will track uncertainties associated with (1) levee geometry, soil stratigraphy and soil properties, (2) the interpolation method, and (3) the calculation of the joint probability of failure due to…
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Professor Athanasopoulos-Zekkos earns Middlebrooks Award

Assistant Professor Adda Athanasopoulos-Zekkos recently received the 2015 Middlebrooks Award from ASCE Geo-Institute. Athanasopoulos-Zekkos and Raymond B. Seed, PhD, earned the award with their paper, "Simplified Methodology for Consideration of Two-Dimensional Dynamic Response of Levees in Liquefaction-Triggering Evaluation in the Journal of Geotechnical" and Geoenvironmental Engineering. (more…)
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GeoWall team selected as national finalist

The U-M GeoWall team participated in the 2015 National GeoWall competition and was selected as one of the 20 national finalists. The team will travel to San Antonio in March 2015 to compete in the national finals. Notably, this is the first time in the department history that a team representing U-M has made it…
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Athanasopoulos-Zekkos Earns the Arthur Casagrande Professional Development Award

Adda M. Athanasopoulos-Zekkos, Ph.D., A.M.ASCE, is the recipient of the Arthur Casagrande Professional Development Award for her contributions in the seismic risk assessment of levee protection systems against flooding. Assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Michigan, Athanasopoulous-Zekkos' studies of earthen levees have taken 3 important directions: risk assessment based on…
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Professor Athanasopoulos-Zekkos featured in MDOT Research Spotlight

Assistant Professor Adda Athanasopoulos-Zekkos is the principal investigator of a project that was featured in a Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) Research Spotlight. The story, titled, "Minimizing the effects of pile driving vibrations", describes piles, which are steel or concrete shafts that are driven into the ground during construction using large mechanical hammers. These piles…
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Professor Athanasopoulos-Zekkos receives NSF CAREER award

Assistant Professor Adda Athanasopoulos-Zekkos has received the NSF CAREER award, NSF's most prestigious award in support of junior faculty. These awards are given to those who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education and the integration of education and research. (more…)
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