Associate Professor

Department of Structural Engineering
Jacobs School of Engineering
University of California, San Diego
9500 Gilman Drive, MC 0085
La Jolla, CA 92093-0085

Office: SERF 206
Phone: (858) 534-7436 ·  Fax: (858) 822-2260 
Email: tara@ucsd.edu

Education:

• Ph.D. in Civil (Structural & Geotechnical) Engineering, UC Davis (2001)
• M.S. in Civil (Structural) Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (1995)
• B.S. in Civil Engineering, San Jose State University (1994)

Appointments:

• 2006 – present, Associate Professor, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, California
• 2001 – 2006, Assistant Professor, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, California

Research Activities:

• Performance evaluation of structural and nonstructural components and systems using model and full-scale testing
• Seismic performance of shallow and deep (pile) foundations supported on stable and unstable ground conditions
• Design and evaluation of foundation rehabilitation strategies
• Visualization methods in structural engineering
• Development of image-based methods for detection, monitoring (tracking) and classification of damage

Recent Publications:

• Hutchinson, T. C., Ray Chaudhuri, S., Kuester, F., and Auduong, S. (2005). Light-based motion tracking of equipment subjected to earthquake motions. Journal of Computing in Civil Engineering, ASCE, 19(3): 292–303.
• Hutchinson, T. C., Chai, Y.-H., and Boulanger, R. W. (2005). Simulation of full-scale cyclic lateral load tests on piles. Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, ASCE, 131(9): 1172–1175.
• Gajan, S., Thomas, J., Kutter, B. L., Hutchinson, T. C., and Martin, G. (2005). Centrifuge modeling of nonlinear cyclic load-deformation behavior of shallow foundations. Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering, 25:773–783.
• Ray Chaudhuri, S. and Hutchinson, T. C. (2005). Characterizing frictional behavior for use in predicting the seismic response of unattached equipment. Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering, 25:591–604.
• Kuester, F., Phair, M. E., and Hutchinson, T. C. (2005). Image centric finite element simulation. Computers and Graphics, Elsevier Press, 29:379–392.
• Wang, T. and Hutchinson, T. C. (2005). Gas leakage rate through reinforced concrete shear walls: numerical study. Journal of Nuclear Engineering and Design, Elsevier Press, 235:2246–2260.
• Hutchinson, T. C., Kuester, F., Hsieh, T.-J., and Chadwick, R. (2005). A hybrid reality environment and its application to the study of earthquake engineering. Virtual Reality Journal, Springer Verlag Press. December.
• Hutchinson, T. C. and Chen, Z. (2005). Optimized estimated ground truth for object-based urban damage estimation using satellite images. Earthquake Spectra, Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI), 21(S1): S239-S254.
• Harden, C. W., Hutchinson, T. C., and Moore, M. (2006). Investigation into the effects of foundation uplift on simplified seismic design procedures. Earthquake Spectra, Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI). 22(3): 663-692.
• Hutchinson, T. C. and Chen, Z. (2006). Improved image analysis for evaluating concrete damage. Journal of Computing in Civil Engineering, ASCE. 20(3): 210-216.
• Ray Chaudhuri, S. and Hutchinson, T. C. (2006). Fragility of bench-mounted equipment considering uncertain parameters. Journal of Structural Engineering, ASCE. 132(6): 884-898.
• Hutchinson, T. C. and Ray Chaudhuri, S. (2006). Simplified expression for seismic fragility estimation of sliding-dominated equipment and contents. Earthquake Spectra, Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI). 22(3): 709-732.
• Hutchinson, T. C., Kuester, F., Doerr, K.-U., and Lim, D. H. (2006). Optimal hardware and software design of an image-based system for capturing dynamic movements. IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement. 55(1): 164-175.
• Chen, Z.-Q. and Hutchinson, T.C. (2006). Urban Damage Estimation Using Statistical Processing of Satellite Images. Journal of Computing in Civil Engineering, ASCE. In Press.
• Hutchinson, T. C. and Wang, T. (2006). Sensitivity of flow rate prediction through low aspect ratio RC shear walls due to variable mesh selection. Journal of Nuclear Engineering and Design, Elsevier Press. 236(10): 1029-1038.

Professional Memberships:

• Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI))
• American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
• American Concrete Institute (ACI)
• Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
• Consortium of Universities for Research in Earthquake Engineering (CUREE, Board member, 2005-pres)

Awards:

• Faribors Maseeh Teaching Award (UC Irvine: Spring 2006)
• Excellence in Undergraduate Education Award (UC Irvine: Spring 2006)
• NSF Career Award (Spring 2004)
• Chancellors Award for Excellence in Fostering Undergraduate Research (UC Irvine: Spring 2004)
• NSF Japan Society for the Promotion of Science - Short-Term Fellowship Recipient (Summer 2003)
• ASCE Exceed (Excellence in Civil Engineering Education) Fellowships (Summer 2002 and 2003)
• EERI/FEMA Fellowship Recipient (2000-2001)
• GAANN Fellowship (UC Davis: 1998-1999)
• Wylie Fellowship (University of Michigan: 1994-1995)

Licenses:

Registered Professional Engineer (California, Civil)

Teaching Interests

• Soil Mechanics
• Structural Design II (Reinforced Concrete)
• Finite Element Methods in SE (UG and G)
• Foundation Engineering (UG and G)
• Soil Dynamics
• Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering
• Matrix Analysis (G)