Civil Infrastructure Research CenterDepartment of Civil Engineering and Surveying

University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez

General Information

The Civil Infrastructure Research Center was established in 1991, under the sponsorship of a National Science Foundation/EPSCOR Program.

CIRC serves as the umbrella organization for almost all research within Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez.

General Information

Our strengths in civil infrastructure engineering are:

the assessment repair and rehabilitation of existing civil infrastructure systemsthe development of new systemsthe consequences of natural and technological hazards on infrastructurethe environmental impact of systems.

General Information

Past and current research at CIRC refers to:buildings and industrial facilitiessewersbridgespavementstransportationdamswater networks

General Information

Future areas of research are promoted at the center:

homeland securitysustainable developmentconstruction cluster

Strategic Alliances

Mission

The Center was reorganized in 1999 with the participation of 25 faculty and researchers, and its current mission is “to create, transfer and disseminate basic and applied knowledge in civil engineering related to civil infrastructure that is necessary for the development of Puerto Rico, the Caribbean and the Americas.

Mission (Cont.)

The Center will emphasize a multidisciplinary and integrated scope in the development of projects related to the:

conceptualizationplanningdesignconstructionoperationadministration and maintenance of civil infrastructure.

Mission (Cont.)

We will reach our goal through research and education with the interaction of professors, students, and professionals, from the industry and the government, within our geographical location, size, multiculturalism, environment, and economy.”

Research Sponsors

Primary sponsors of research projects during the last five years are the:

Insurance Commissioner of Puerto RicoFederal Emergency Management AgencyPR Department of TransportationFederal Highway AuthorityNational Science Foundation.

Administrative Structure and Staff

The Center has a director, Dr. Luis A. Godoy, appointed in 2004, and an Internal Advisory Committee, formed by six researchers:

Dr. Felipe AcostaProf. Ricardo LópezDr. Francisco MaldonadoDr. Ingrid Padilla Dr. Miguel PandoDr. Didier Valdés

Administrative Structure and Staff

At present, more than 20 researchers work in different projects run by the Center, including Drs. F. Acosta, A. Cáceres, L. Godoy, J. Guevara, J. Lluch, R. López, F. Maldonado, J. Martínez, I. Padilla, I. Pagán, M. Pando, R. Ramos, A. Saffar, I. Santiago, L. Suárez, F. Toledo, D. Valdés, J. Virella, D. Wendichansky, R. Zapata.

Principal Achievements

During 2001, CIRC researchers completed the three-year $1,118,000 research cluster on “New Guidelines for Evaluation and Mitigation of Damage caused by Natural Hazards on Constructed Facilities”, sponsored by FEMA. In 2002, CIRC researchers started a five-year $1,564,195 research program on “Determination of the Vulnerability to Natural Hazards of Structures”, sponsored by the Insurance Commissioner of Puerto Rico.Research and Development initiatives in the Department reach about $3 million/year.

National and International Network

Under the leadership of I. Pagán-Trinidad, CIRC has been active in the creation of LACCEI, the Latin American and Caribbean Consortium of Engineering Institutions, which is now an established institution linking universities from Latin America, the Caribbean, North America, and Spain. CIRC researchers, under the leadership of R. López, are part of the Mid America Earthquake Center, sponsored by National Science Foundation.

National and International Network

L. Godoy and L. Suárez edit a scientific and technical peer-reviewed publication called “International Journal on Natural Disasters, Accidents and Civil Infrastructure”, which is published twice a year.The journal publishes papers in Spanish and Portuguese, and is distributed to 600 institutions or researchers in The Americas and Spain.

On-going Projects, Environmental

Physical Transport of Explosives Chemicals in SoilsSponsor: DODAmount: $235,001Researcher: Dr. Ingrid PadillaAssessment of Potential Odor Problems on McCook Reservoir, Chicago, ILSponsor: EPAAmount $70,713Researcher: Dr. Ingrid Padilla, Dr. Ivonne Santiago

On-going Projects, Environmental

Evaluation of Advance Oxidation Processes for Degradation of MTBESponsor: EPAAmount: $30,000Researcher: Dr. Ingrid PadillaDynamic Detection of DNAPL in Subsurface Environments using Cross-Well RadarSponsor: NSF-ERC CenSSISAmount: $165,000Researcher: Dr. Ingrid Padilla

Insurance Commissioner

Determinación de la Vulnerabilidad de Estructuras Sometidas a Desastres Naturales: AdministraciónSponsor: PR Insurance Company

Amount: $143,257

Researcher: Dr. Ricardo López

Insurance Commissioner (Cont.)

Determinación de la Vulnerabilidad de Estructuras Sometidas a Desastres Naturales: Riesgo SísmicoSponsor: PR Insurance CompanyAmount: $156,750

Researchers: Dr. José A. Martínez, Dr. Luis Suárez, Dr. Ricardo Ramos & Dr. Miguel Pando

Insurance Commissioner (Cont.)Determinación de la Vulnerabilidad de Estructuras Sometidas a Desastres Naturales: Parámetros que Afectan la Capacidad a TerremotosSponsor: PR Insurance CompanyAmount: $333,669Researchers: Dr. Ricardo López, Dr. José A. Martínez Cruzado & Dr. Ali Saffar

Insurance Commissioner (Cont.)

Determinación de la Vulnerabilidad de Estructuras Sometidas a Desastres Naturales: Daños de Vientos HuracanadosSponsor: PR Insurance CompanyAmount: $154,162Researchers: Dr. Luis Godoy, Dr. Arsenio Cáceres &

Dr. Raúl Zapata

Insurance Commissioner (Cont.)

Determinación de la Vulnerabilidad de Estructuras Sometidas a Desastres Naturales: Pérdida Máxima ProbableSponsor: PR Insurance CompanyAmount: $269,669Researchers: Dr. Luis Godoy, Dr. Ali Saffar & Dr. José F. Lluch

Insurance Commissioner (Cont.)

Determinación de la Vulnerabilidad de Estructuras Sometidas a Desastres Naturales: Vulnerabilidad de ResidenciasSponsor: PR Insurance CompanyAmount: $212,767Researchers: Dr. Daniel Wendichansky & Dr. Felipe Acosta

Insurance Commissioner (Cont.)

Determinación de la Vulnerabilidad de Estructuras Sometidas a Desastres Naturales: Daños Causados por InundacionesSponsor: PR Insurance Company

Amount: $132,333Researchers: Prof. Ismael Pagán Trinidad & Dr. Raúl Zapata

Insurance Commissioner (Cont.)

Determinación de la Vulnerabilidad de Estructuras Sometidas a Desastres Naturales: Diseño ElásticoSponsor: PR Insurance CompanyAmount: $52,523

Researcher: Dr. José O. Guevara, Dr. Ricardo López & Dr. José F. Lluch

On-going Projects, HighwaysConstruction Drawings for Cantilever and CounterfortRetaining Walls to be Used in EmergenciesSponsor: PRHWAAmount: $76,678Researcher: Dr. Daniel Wendichansky

Base de Datos de Pruebas de Carga de Fundaciones Profundas Utilizadas en Obras Viales en PRSponsor: PRHWAAmount: $34,925Researcher: Dr. Miguel Pando

On-going Projects

Probabilistic Design Factors for Fiber-Reinforced Polymers for InfrastructureApplicationsSponsor: PR-EPSCoRAmount: $165,000Researcher: Dr. Felipe J. Acosta

On-going Projects, Highways

Continuing Host Sites for the Year 2004 Summer Transportation InstituteSponsor: FHWA & South Carolina University

Amount: $41,999Researcher: Dr. Didier Valdés

Manual para Estimar PropiedadesSponsor: PRHWAAmount: $19,125Researcher: Dr. Miguel Pando

On-going Projects, Construction

Construction Specifications and Cost Estimating for PRSA Projects, PRASASponsor: AAAAmount: $47,733Researcher: Dr. José F. Lluch

Testing of lightweight concreteIntramural PracticeSponsor: International Construction Solutions Inc. Amount: $10,375Researcher: Dr. Ricardo López & Dr. Felipe Acosta

MAE Center

Multi-Hazard Application of Regional Damage SynthesisSponsor: NSFAmount: $79,436Researcher: Dr. Ali Saffar, Dr. ArsenioCáceres & Dr. Ricardo López

Contact Information

Dr. Luis A. GodoyPhone: 787-832-4040, Ext. 3465Fax 787-832-4040email: lgodoy@uprm.edu