Harnessing ambient seismic noise for advanced seismic hazard analysis

Accurately predicting variations in ground motion characteristics is essential for reliable seismic hazard analysis and the design of resilient infrastructure. Traditional site response assessments rely on earthquake recordings or controlled field experiments, but these approaches are constrained by the infrequency of seismic events and the limited coverage of monitoring networks. Dr. Kami Mohammadi’s research offers a transformative alternative: leveraging ambient vibrations – naturally occurring seismic noise generated by environmental and human activities – as a cost-effective and readily available resource for seismic hazard analysis.

In collaboration with Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Dr. Mohammadi’s work focuses on using ambient noise data and 3D physics-based seismic wave propagation modeling to address the challenges of seismic hazard assessment in data-scarce regions. By investigating the physical and statistical relationships between wavefields generated by earthquakes and those from ambient sources, this research aims to establish a robust foundation for site response analysis, particularly in areas with limited strong motion data.

“Spectral amplifications from ambient vibrations can reveal critical site characteristics,” explains Dr. Mohammadi. “Our goal is to link ambient vibrations to earthquake-induced wavefields, enabling more accurate seismic hazard assessments across diverse geological regions.”

The study builds on preliminary findings that demonstrate how ambient noise data can capture fundamental site characteristics, paving the way for a deeper understanding of wave scattering mechanisms. By developing physics-based and data-informed models, this research seeks to bridge the knowledge gap between ambient noise and earthquake wavefields, making seismic hazard analysis more precise and cost-effective even with sparse earthquake data.

The implications of this work extend far beyond LANL, offering a more accessible, accurate, and cost-effective approach to seismic hazard assessment. This advancement not only enhances our ability to predict and mitigate the impacts of seismic events but also supports infrastructure planning and earthquake preparedness on a global scale.

Geotechnical Engineering at the University of Utah

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Blending Visionary Research with Student Success in Structural Engineering

Dr. Chris Pantelides has served as a structural engineering professor at the University of Utah for 33 years. In that time, he has built a state-of-the-art structural engineering lab in the Layton Engineering Building, received numerous honors and distinctions from leading engineering societies, and graduated 20 Ph.D. students. Additionally, Pantelides has consistently been a leader in driving groundbreaking research in structural engineering, seismic retrofit with fiber reinforced polymer composites, accelerated bridge construction, and mass timber construction.

Notably, Pantelides’ research is focused on building a better future by increasing the resilience and sustainability of future infrastructure, reducing environment impacts of construction, and improving user safety in an increasingly climate-impacted world.

Yet above all his achievements, Pantelides is deeply committed to mentoring his graduate students, dedicating extensive time to guiding them through hands-on research in the structure’s lab. This commitment recently culminated in four co-authored publications with different Ph.D. students in four prestigious journals, all since July 2024:

Recent Co-authored Publications

• Journal of Structural Engineering
  • “Nonlinear Models of Multistory Timber Frames with Timber Buckling-Restrained Braces” with former Ph.D. student Dr. Emily Williamson. This study develops a seismic-resistant mass timber model, using the OpenSees framework to simulate an eight-story braced frame under earthquake loads, advancing mass timber as a primary building material in structural engineering. Read more.
• Journal of Bridge Engineering
  • “Seismic Performance of Self-Centering Post-Tensioned Concrete Columns Reinforced with Steel–GFRP Bars and GFRP Spirals” with Ph.D. student Duc Q. Tran. This research introduces a hybrid bridge column reinforcement using steel and glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars to enhance seismic resilience and longevity, especially in corrosive environments. Read more.
• Engineering Structures
  • “Hybrid Bridge Bent Using Stretch Length Anchors with Post-Tensioning and Shear Key Alternatives” with Suman Neupane, current Ph.D. student. This paper presents self-centering bridge bents using post-tensioning and stretch length anchors, which improve seismic performance by reducing residual drift and maxim
    

    Chris Pantelides in his office with a piece of mass timber.

    izing energy dissipation. Read more.

• ACI Structural Journal
  • “Seismic Performance of Corroded Precast Reinforced Concrete Columns with Intentional Debonding” with Ph.D. student Sayal Shrestha. This study examines corrosion’s impact on the seismic resilience of reinforced concrete bridge columns, providing insights crucial for bridge construction in seismic regions. Read more.

From innovative hybrid materials and self-centering bridge designs to new modeling techniques for mass timber structures, the work produced by Dr. Pantelides and his students will contribute to safer, more durable construction in seismic regions, paving the way for accelerated construction practices and environmentally friendly building solutions.

Beyond his role as a mentor, Dr. Pantelides is a recognized leader in structural earthquake engineering, particularly for advancing mass timber construction. In July 2024, he shared his expertise at the World Conference on Earthquake Engineering in Milan, Italy, presenting two papers that underscore his commitment to both student development and the future of structural engineering. Through his leadership, Dr. Pantelides not only drives innovation in structural engineering but also inspires and empowers the next generation of engineers to never stop creating a more resilient future.

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Civil and Environmental Engineering faculty expands research into commercial-scale carbon storage across Utah to tackle climate change and revitalize local economies

Pictured above: The Utah Iron mine looking over one of the future CarbonSAFE sites.

What if Utah could lead the charge in addressing climate change by capturing millions of tons of carbon emissions? What if we could boost local economies and transform rural communities in the process? Thanks to a transformative $35 million in new grants from the Department of Energy (DOE), University of Utah researchers are bringing this vision to life.

Three major grants secured by faculty in Price Engineering’s Civil and Environmental Engineering (CvEEN) Department will contribute to the DOE’s carbon emission reduction initiative, an effort focused on managing carbon emissions in Utah and throughout the United States.

The three principal investigators—Drs. Ting Xiao, Nathan Moodie, and Eric Edelman—are members of the Carbon Science and Engineering Research group at the University of Utah’s Energy & Geoscience Institute (EGI). These DOE grants will enable them to deepen their understand of carbon emissions’ effects on local communities and accelerate the development of commercial-scale CO₂ storage solutions, positioning Utah as a leader in sustainable industry and economic transformation.

Beyond reducing atmospheric carbon and promoting a healthier environment, these projects will create high-skilled jobs across geoscience, engineering, environmental management, and data analysis. Engaging local communities—particularly in regions historically reliant on fossil fuels—ensures that they can take part in these emerging sustainable career paths.

By establishing Utah as a hub for carbon management infrastructure, each project will attract further investments from sustainability-focused industries. Regional companies, such as Fervo Energy and Utah Iron, have already committed to using these facilities, forming a network of industries united by their reliance on carbon capture and storage for greener operations. This momentum promises long-term economic benefits and could bring environmentally conscious businesses to the area.

Overview of the Projects

Two years ago, Dr. Ting Xiao, with the EGI and CvEEN teams, received a $10 million grant from the Department of Energy (DOE) to assess the feasibility of a large-scale CO₂ storage complex in the Uinta Basin as part of CarbonSAFE Phase II. By examining geological, social, environmental, and economic factors, this initial research laid the groundwork for the team’s plan to safely sequester up to 50 million metric tons of CO₂ over 30 years. The team has now received three more grants to extend the scope of this project and explore carbon sequestration in two new regions within the state:

• Expanding the Uinta-Piceance Basin Project: Recently, Dr. Xiao secured an additional $5 million DOE grant to build a collaborative carbon management strategy across eastern Utah and western Colorado. This funding will support equitable, environmentally responsible carbon management efforts, including regulatory guidance, data analysis, and an educational program to prepare the future carbon capture workforce.
• Basin and Range Project in Southwest Utah: Dr. Nathan Moodie $10 million from the DOE for his Phase II CarbonSAFE project. His work will assess the feasibility of CO₂ storage in Utah’s Basin and Range region, with industry partners Fervo Energy and Utah Iron contributing direct air capture hubs and green iron processing facilities to the effort. This project supports the goal of establishing the first “green” iron plant in the U.S.
• Rocky Mountain Project in Central Utah: Dr. Eric Edelman is leading the Rocky Mountain CarbonSAFE project with $11 million in funding to establish a CO₂ sequestration hub in central Utah. This initiative involves gathering geological and geophysical data for the region and drilling a characterization well to evaluate the long-term CO₂ storage potential and associated risks. Emphasizing community engagement and new opportunities, the project aims to support sustainable economic growth in the region while significantly reducing carbon emissions.

A Unified Vision for Sustainable Carbon Capture

Members of the CvEEN and EGI groups looking at a Navajo outcrop near Cedar City, UT.

Together, these projects represent $35 million in dedicated research toward a scalable carbon storage infrastructure in Utah. By advancing the University of Utah’s mission to combat climate change, the CarbonSAFE initiative positions the state as a leader in carbon sequestration, aligning with state and national goals for emission reductions and a sustainable energy future.

“I am proud to have served as these stellar scientists’ Ph.D. advisor and co-PI on these four grants totaling $35 million,” said Dr. Brian McPherson, director of the Carbon Science and Engineering Research group and Professor in Civil and Environmental Engineering. “Their research has the potential to create lasting environmental and economic impacts.”

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Geothermal energy offers a sustainable way to power homes and industries by harnessing the Earth’s heat. However, extracting this energy from deep, hot dry rock layers presents unique challenges, such as maintaining permeable channels—or fractures—within high-temperature, high-pressure, high-stress environments.

The fractures in geothermal reservoirs allow fluids to flow through the reservoir and carry the heat to the surface, where electricity is generated. Sand-like particles, also known as proppants, are usually injected into the fractures to keep them permeable. However, the extreme high-stress and high-temperature conditions at the deep geothermal reservoirs deform and crush the proppant particles, which means lost permeability of the fracture network.

As the demand for geothermal energy rises, these challenges pose increasing obstacles, often hindering clean energy efforts.

Hydraulic fracturing in naturally-fractured rocks for enhanced geothermal energy.

Dr. Shahrzad Roshankhah, an Assistant Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering, along with her Ph.D. student Ayat Alasadi, is tackling these challenges with her innovative modeling approach. She and her collaborators were recently awarded a $4 million research grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to develop and test “proppants”—small, sand-like particles that should keep fractures permeable while withstanding the harsh conditions found in geothermal reservoirs.

This award will fund a groundbreaking (literally) study focused on improving geothermal energy extraction with these advanced materials.

A New Type of Proppant with Dual Functionality

Proppants, traditionally used to “prop” open fractures in the unconventional oil and gas reservoirs, are critical for enhanced geothermal energy production as well. Supported by the recent DOE grant, Dr. Roshankhah and her collaborators at the University of Oklahoma, Louisianna State University, and Hotrock Energy Research will be developing a special type of tagged proppant that not only maintains fracture permeability but also provides data for monitoring reservoir conditions.

These new proppants are designed to withstand temperatures up to 250°C (482°F) and pressures as high as 70 MPa (over 10,000 psi). By tagging these particles with electromagnetic-sensitive materials, this team enables them to function as diagnostic tools, offering insights into how fluids and heat move within the reservoir. This dual functionality will equip operators with valuable data on reservoir characteristics and performance over time.

Study THCM effects on the particle crush resistance.

At the University of Utah, Dr. Roshankhah’s team leads the simulation phase of this project, using advanced numerical models to predict how these proppants will behave under high-stress, high-temperature conditions. These simulations explore the proppants’ resilience against crushing and their ability to maintain permeability—essential for the flow of fluids through fractures. By combining laboratory experiments, simulations, and field testing, the research team aims to build a comprehensive understanding of how these proppants can optimize enhanced geothermal energy systems.

The final phase of the project includes field testing by Hotrock Energy Research at Utah’s Forge site, a key research facility for geothermal technology development.

Paving the Way for Sustainable Energy Solutions

By enhancing geothermal reservoir efficiency and enabling better monitoring of reservoir conditions, Dr. Roshankhah’s research has the potential to make geothermal energy a more reliable and widely accessible renewable energy source.

Dr. Shahrzad Roshankhah

Ayat Alasadi. Ph.D. student

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