Faculty Profiles

Chia-Ming Uang

Professor Uang is a well-known expert in the seismic design, rehabilitation, and testing of large-scale steel, composite and woodframe structures, including buildings and bridges. He studies code-design issues and actively participates in code committees to ensure that structures perform well and withstand forces during earthquakes. In response to the discovery of brittle fracture of welded connections in many multistory steel buildings after the 1994 Northridge, California earthquake, Uang has studied a variety of steel moment connections in order to enhance the seismic safety of this class of buildings. He is now researching buckling-resisting braces. Uang's significant contributions to the steel industry and engineering community were recognized in 2001 by the American Society of Civil Engineers, which awarded him The Raymond C. Reese Research Prize. His recent research also includes large-scale testing, seismic and blast mitigation for steel bridges. Uang is coauthor of two textbooks on structural analysis and structural steel design.

Capsule Bio:

Chia-Ming Uang came to UCSD in 1993 after serving as an Assistant Professor at Northeastern University in Boston, MA. Prior to entering the world of academia, Uang was a structural designer in Taipei, Taiwan. He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute, the American Welding Society, and the Structural Engineers Association of California. In 1986, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002, Uang was named Teacher of the Year in structural engineering at the Jacobs School of Engineering. At the 2002 Annual Recognition Banquet, the School's chapter of the national engineering honor society, Tau Beta Pi, presented Uang with the Outstanding Engineering Professor award.

Education:

• Ph.D. Civil Engineering, University of California, Berkeley (1986)
• M.S., Civil Engineering, University of California, Berkeley (1982)
• B.S., Civil Engineering, National Taiwan University (1977)

Awards:

• Moisseiff Award, American Society of Civil Engineers, 2004
• Raymond C. Reese Research Prize, American Society of Civil Engineers, 2001
• Distinguished Teaching Award, Academic Senate, University of California, San Diego, 2004
• Outstanding Engineering Professor Award, Tau Beta Pi Honor Society, School of Engineering, University of California, San Diego, 2002
• Teacher of the Year, Department of Structural Engineering, University of California, San Diego, 1996, 1999,2000, 2001, 2002

Selected Publications:

• Leet, K. and Uang, C.M., Fundamentals of Structural Analysis, McGraw-Hill, Inc., 2004.
• Bruneau, M., Uang, C.M., and Whittaker, A.S., Ductile Design of Steel Structures, McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1997.
• Chi, B. and Uang, C.-M., “Effect of Straightening Method on Cyclic Behavior of k Area in Steel Rolled Shapes,” Engineering Journal, Vol. 41, No. 1, pp. 15-22, AISC, 2004.
• McDaniel, C., Uang, C.M., and Seible, F., “Cyclic Testing of Built-up Steel Shear Links for the New Bay Bridge,” Journal of Structural Engineering, Vol. 129, No. 6, pp. 801-809, ASCE, 2003.
• Gatto, K. and Uang, C.M., “Effects of Loading Protocol on the Cyclic Response of Woodframe Shearwalls,” Journal of Structural Engineering, Vol. 129, No. 10, pp. 1384-1393, ASCE, 2003.
• Uang, C.M. and Gatto, K., “Effects of Finish Materials and Dynamic Loading on the Cyclic Response of Woodframe Shearwalls,” Journal of Structural Engineering, Vol. 129, No. 10, pp. 1394-1402, ASCE, 2003.
• Chou, C.C and Uang, C.M., “A Procedure to Evaluate Energy Demand for Framed Structures,” Earthquake Engineering and Structural Dynamics, Vol. 32, No. 2, pp. 229-244, 2003.
• Gilton, C.S. and Uang, C.-M., “Cyclic Response and Design Recommendations of Weak-Axis RBS Moment Connections,” Journal of Structural Engineering, ASCE, Vol. 128, No. 4, pp. 452-463, 2002.
• Chi, B. and Uang, C.-M., “Cyclic Response and Design Recommendations of RBS Moment Connections with Deep Columns,” Journal of Structural Engineering, ASCE, Vol. 128, No. 4, pp. 464-473, 2002.
• Uang, C.M and Fan, C.C, “Cyclic Stability Criteria for Steel Moment Connections with Reduced Beam Section,” Journal of Structural Engineering, ASCE, Vol. 127, No. 9, 2001, pp.1021-1027.

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