ASCE GSP 286

Abstract

Scope: Preface Modeling, analysis, and design are tasks that engineers almost always have to perform in the face of uncertainties. The late Professor Wilson H. Tang (1943-2012) was one of the world’s early pioneers and a prominent leader in the field of engineering uncertainties and reliability analysis. He was a great researcher and a great teacher, and his ability to explain difficult or abstract concepts to students and colleagues was one of his greatest gifts to the profession. Although recognized for his outstanding contributions in developing probabilistic methods for geotechnical engineering applications, Professor Tang’s work extended well beyond the geotechnical realm, encompassing problems in civil engineering, codified design in structural engineering, risk assessment in hydraulic systems, probabilistic modeling of geotechnical systems, and the reliability of transportation systems. To commemorate and honor Professor Tang’s lifetime contributions, this Geotechnical Special Publication (GSP) was initiated and completed by his former students, colleagues and friends, and published by the American Society of Civil Engineers. This GSP contains the abstracts of 7 representative papers of Professor Tang and 17 invited contemporary contributions. These papers are categorized into seven topics: (1) site exploration; (2) uncertainty characterization and model calibration; (3) reliability methods; (4) reliability of foundations; (5) Bayesian updating; (6) risk assessment; and (7) monitoring and quality assurance. In each topic, an abstract of one of Professor Tang’s papers is first presented, followed with invited contemporary contributions. These abstracts and new contributions represent the classic work of Professor Tang and the most relevant new developments in each topic area. The editors wish to acknowledge tremendous efforts of the invitees for their contributions. Following the ASCE-GI publishing standards and requirements, their submissions were accepted following a rigorous review process. Criteria for acceptance required at least two positive reviews from two to three anonymous peer reviewers. Discussions of the new papers included in this GSP can be submitted to the ASCE Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering. All papers included in this GSP are eligible for ASCE-GI awards. The editors also wish to acknowledge the tremendous efforts of our reviewers in reviewing these articles, without which this GSP could not have been published. The reviewers of this GSP are listed and acknowledged as follows In organizing this special publication, emphasis was placed on connecting the theory of geotechnical risk analysis to its practical applications, a trait frequently exhibited in Professor Tang’s publications. The editors expect that this special publication, focusing on practical geotechnical applications of probabilistic methods and authored by a group of distinguished scholars will be both stimulating and inspiring to their readers, and serve as a classic reference on the subject of geotechnical safety, reliability and risk assessment