Education
- Ph.D. in Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, United States (2014)
- Dissertation Title: Probabilistic Evaluation of Seismic Levee Performance using Field Performance Data
- M.S. in Civil & Environmental Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, South Korea (2009)
- Thesis Title: Development of Probabilistic Site Effect of Korean Peninsula according to Probabilistic Hazard Analysis
- B.S. in Civil & Environmental Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, South Korea (2007)
Employment
- Postdoctoral Scholar in Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, United States (2014-present)
- Next-Generation of Liquefaction Assessment (NGL): Constructing an open-source global database for liquefaction and developing models
- Graduate Student Researcher in Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, United States (2010-2014)
- Development of system-level fragility considering spatial variation of damage observations
- Estimation of reliable site periods utilizing horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio
- Prediction of shear-wave velocity correlated with penetration resistance and vertical effective stress considering geomorphology
- Characterization of seismic levee behavior using filed performance data
- Reconnaissance support for major earthquake events
- Graduate Student Researcher in Civil & Environmental Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, South Korea (2007-2009)
- Probabilistic development of site effects for PSHA in Korea
- Validation of frequency-dependent equivalent linear analysis
- Numerical simulation of standing column well ground heat pump system
- Development of spatially variable seismic wave for tunnel performance
Research Interest
- System-level infrastructure vulnerability solution; Empirical/numerical evaluation of liquefaction; Ground motion characteristics;Non-invasive method investigating site conditions
Teaching Experience
Teaching Assistant at UCLA (2010-2014)
- Design of Foundations and Earth Structures (8.4/9.0)
Solely responsible for discussion sessions / office hours. Developed course assignment and graded mid-term and final.
- Earthquake Ground Motion Characterization (graduate course)
Solely responsible for discussion sessions.
- Soil Mechanics
Responsible for office hours.
Teaching Assistant at Hanyang University (2008)
Teaching Interest
- Characterization of Ground Motion; Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering; Engineering Reliability; Geospatial Information in Geotechnical Engineering; Soil Mechanics; Foundation Engineering
Peer-reviewed Journal Publications
- Kwak, D.Y., Brandenberg, S.J., Stewart, J.P., and Mikami, A. (2016). Seismic Levee System Fragility Considering Spatial Correlation of Demands and Component Fragilities, Earthq. Spectra, accepted.
- Kwak, D.Y., Stewart, J.P., Brandenberg, S.J., and Mikami, A. (2015). Characterization of seismic levee fragility using field performance data, Earthq. Spectra, 32(1), 193-215.
- Kwak, D.Y., Brandenberg, S.J., Mikami, A., and Stewart, J.P. (2015). Prediction equations for estimating shear wave velocity from combined geotechnical and geomorphic indices based on Japanese data set, Bull. Seism. Soc. Amer., 105, 1919-1930
- Boroschek, R.L., Contreras, V., Kwak, D.Y., and Stewart, J.P. (2012). Strong ground motion attributes of the 2010 MW 8.8 Maule, Chile, earthquake, Earthq. Spectra, 28(S1), S19-S38.
- Park, D., Kwak, D.Y., Jeong, C.G., and Park, T. (2012). Development of probabilistic seismic site coefficients of Korea, Soil Dyn. Earthq. Eng., 43(9), 247-260.
- Park, D., Sagong, M., Kwak, D.Y., and Jeong, C.G. (2009). Simulation of tunnel response under spatially varying ground motion, Soil Dyn. Earthq. Eng., 29(11-12), 1417-1424.
Non-peer-reviewed Publications
- Keaton, J.R., Ajmera, B., Upadhyaya, S., Tiwari, B., Turner, B., Kwak, D.Y., Brandenberg, S.J. (2015). December 2014 storm damage below recently burned slopes, Los Angeles, Orange, and Ventura counties, California, GEER Association Report No. GEER-042.
- Kwak, D.Y. (2014). Probabilistic Evaluation of Seismic Levee Performance using Field Performance Data, Ph.D. Dissertation, UCLA.
- Stewart, J.P., Kwak, D.Y., Brandenberg, S.J., and Mikami, A. (2013). Characterization of seismic fragility of levees using field performance data, Project Report for California Department of Water Resources, UCLA, 142p.
- Stewart, J.P., et al. (2010). Preliminary report on seismological and geotechnical engineering aspects of the April 4 2010 Mw 7.2 El Mayor-Cucapah (Mexico) earthquake, GEER Association Report No. GEER-023.
Conference Proceedings
- Kwak, D.Y. (Presenter), Stewart, J.P., and Brandenberg, S.J. (2015). “Spatial correlation of seismic damage for levee systems,” Proc. 6th Int. Conf. Earthq. Geotech. Eng., Nov 1-4, 2015, Christchurch, New Zealand.
- Stewart, J.P., et al. (2015). “PEER-NGL Project: Open source global database and model development for the next-generation of liquefaction assessment procedures,” Proc. 6th Int. Conf. Earthq. Geotech. Eng., Nov 1-4, 2015, Christchurch, New Zealand.
- Kwak, D.Y. (Presenter), Brandenberg, S.J., Mikami, A., Balakrishnan, A., and Stewart, J.P. (2014). “Applicability of levee fragility functions developed from Japanese data to California’s Central Valley,” Proc. 34th Annual USSD Conf., United States Society on Dams, San Francisco, CA, Daniel L. Wade (ed.), 1131-1144.
- Kwak, D.Y., Brandenberg, S.J., Stewart, J.P., and Mikami, A. (2012). “Groundwater level evaluation for river flood control levees and its effect on seismic performance,” Proc. 15th World Conf. on Earthquake Eng., Sept 24-28, 2012, Lisbon, Portugal. Paper No. 2452.
- Kwak, D.Y. (Presenter) (2012). “2011-2012 UCLA KGSA activities and more,” US-Korea Conference on Science, Technology, and Entrepreneurship, Los Angeles, CA.
- Kwak, D.Y. (Presenter), Mikami, A., Brandenberg, S.J., and Stewart, J.P. (2012). “Ground motion estimation for evaluation of levee performance in past earthquakes,” 9th International Conference on Urban Earthquake Engineering / 4th Asia Conference on Earthquake Engineering, Tokyo, Japan.
- Kwak, D.Y. (Presenter) (2011). “Case history for seismic levee performance,” The 22nd Annual Technology & Career Development Conference, Korean-American Scientists and Engineers Association South-Western Region, Los Angeles, CA.
- Kwak, D.Y., Park, D., and Kim, H.K. (2011). "Probabilistic seismic site coefficients of Korea,” 14th Asian Regional Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, Hong Kong, China.
- Kwak, D.Y., Park, D., Chang, J.H., Na, S.M., and Park, S. (2010). “Parametric study for evaluation of design parameters of standing column well,” World Geothermal Congress, Bali, Indonesia.
- Park, D., Kwak, D.Y., Kim, G.G., Park, S.S., and Na, S.M. (2010). "Numerical simulation of standing column well", World Geothermal Congress, Bali, Indonesia.
- Park, D., Kwak, D.Y., Cho, C.K., and Chun, B.S. (2009). "Evaluation of liquefaction potential of port structures with earthquake magnitude adjustment," Journal of Coastal Research, ICS2009, Portugal, SI56, 1035-1039.
- Kwak, D.Y., Jeong, C.G., Park, D., and Park, S.S. (2008). “Comparison of frequency dependent equivalent linear analysis methods," 14th World Conference on Earthquake Engineering, Beijing, China.
- Kwak, D.Y. (Poster Presenter), Ahn, J.K., Park, D., and Hashash, Y.M.A. (2008). “Influence of rate dependent of soil behavior on propagated ground motion,” Geotech. Eqk. Eng. and Soil Dyn. IV, Sacramento, California.
- Park, D., Han, J.W., and Kwak, D.Y. (2008). "Tunnel response under spatially varying ground motion,” Geotech. Eqk. Eng. and Soil Dyn. IV, Sacramento, California.
Domestic (Korean) Journal Publications
- Jeong, C.G., Kwak, D.Y., Park, D., and Kim, K. (2010). “Evaluation of accuracy of modified equivalent linear method," J. Korean Geo-env. Soc., 11(6), 5-20.
- Park, D., Kim, K.K., Kwak, D.Y., Chang, J.H., and Na, S.M. (2010). "Numerical simulation of standing column well ground heat pump system part II: Parametric study for evaluation of the performance of standing column well,” J. Korean Geotech. Soc., 26(2), 45-54.
- Park, D., Kim, K.K., Kwak, D.Y., Chang, J.H., and Park, S.S. (2010). "Numerical simulation of standing column well ground heat pump system part 1: Validation of the numerical model,” J. Korean Geotech. Soc., 26(2), 33-43.
- Kwak, D.Y., Jeong, C.G., Lee, H., and Park, D. (2009). “Development of new probabilistic seismic hazard analysis and seismic coefficients of Korea part II: Derivation of probabilistic site coefficients," J. Korean Geo-env. Soc., 10(7), 111-115.
- Park, D., Kwak, D.Y., and Jeong, C.G. (2009). “Development of new probabilistic seismic hazard analysis and seismic coefficients of Korea part I: Application and verification of a novel probabilistic seismic hazard analysis procedure," J. Korean Geo-env. Soc., 10(7), 103-109.
- Kwak, D.Y., Jeong, C.G., Park, D., and Lee, H.S. (2009). “Development of probabilistic seismic coefficients of Korea," J. Korean Geotech. Soc., 25(10), 87-97.
- Park, D. and Kwak, D.Y. (2009). "Evaluation of liquefaction potential with simplified method and effective-stress site response analysis,” J. Korean Geotech. Soc., 25(3), 75-82.
- Jeong, C.G., Kwak, D.Y., and Park, D. (2008). “Verification of frequency-dependent equivalent linear method," J. Korean Geotech. Soc., 24(12), 113-120.
Invited Presentation
- Kwak, D.Y. (2015). NGL: Next-Generation Liquefaction Assessment Project, B.K. 21 Seminar, Hanyang University, Seoul.
- Kwak, D.Y. (2014). Evaluation of Levee Performance against Seismic Event, B.K. 21 Seminar, Hanyang University, Seoul.
Academic Service
- Reviewer for Earthquake Spectra; Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America; Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering; Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment; International Journal of Geo-Engineering; Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering
Awards & Fellowship
- Travel Grant for 9th CUEE / 4th ACEE in Tokyo, Japan (2012)
- Department Fellowship at UCLA Civil & Environmental Engineering (2009)
- Department Fellowship at Hanyang Univ. Civil & Environmental Engineering (2008)
Affiliations & Association
- Member for Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI); Seismological Society of America (SSA); Korean-American Scientists and Engineers Association (KSEA)
- 2011-2012 President, Korean Graduate Student Association (KGSA) in UCLA
Skills
- Language: English, Korean (native), Japanese (intermediate)
- Computer: Matlab, R, PHP, KML, HTML, Javascript, Python (intermediate), Windows, OS X, Linux (intermediate)