About

Reginald DesRoches is the eighth president of Rice University, serving as the chief executive officer of the university, which has over 8,600 students, eight schools, and more than 900 faculty. He is also a professor of civil and environmental engineering, as well as mechanical engineering. DesRoches previously served as Rice's Howard Hughes Provost and William and Stephanie Sick Dean of Engineering, where he led significant growth in research programs, launched new academic and online programs, and expanded the undergraduate student body. His research interests focus on the design of resilient infrastructure systems under extreme loads and the application of smart materials. He has been recognized for his impact and innovation in the field, including election to the National Academy of Engineering and fellowships in prominent engineering societies. DesRoches has played a key role in national efforts to improve infrastructure resilience, notably leading a team to study the impact of the 2010 Haiti earthquake and participating in congressional briefings on infrastructure issues. His academic career includes leadership roles at Georgia Tech, where he served as chair of the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and as dean of Rice’s George R. Brown School of Engineering. He holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, an M.S. in Civil Engineering, and a Ph.D. in Structural Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley.

Research topics

• Computer Science
• Artificial Intelligence
• Construction engineering
• Geography
• Systems engineering
• Data science
• Risk analysis (engineering)
• Engineering

Selected publications

• On the development of zipper frames by pushover testing

  2026-02-04

  book-chapterSenior author

  This paper presents the results from an experimental program on the behavior of special inverted-V braced frames with suspended zipper struts subjected to pushover loading. The model tested was a one-third-scale frame designed on the basis of a procedure proposed by the authors. The frame was designed to carry similar loading as the 3-story frames designed for the Los Angeles area for the SAC project. The displacement histories applied to the floor levels by three actuators were obtained from nonlinear pushover analyses of the model subjected to an invariant lateral force profile with the model pushed to the target roof drift ratio of 3.58% and then pulled to the roof drift ratio of —2.59%. The experimental results validated the partial-height zipper mechanism envisioned in the design procedure. Once the lower story braces begin to buckle, the suspended zipper will act as a tension hat truss to mobilize the other braces to buckle. The top-story braces were designed strong enough to prevent the overall collapse mechanism. The reduced-scale suspended zipper frame exhibited great strength and ductility and remained stable when the target roof drift was reached.

  PublisherDOI

• A numerical study on the seismic retrofit of Haitian reinforced concrete building frames

  Earthquake Spectra · 2025-01-14

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Many countries with moderate and high seismic risk have upgraded their building design standards and have developed techniques to strengthen their seismically deficient buildings. However, very limited research has been conducted on the seismic evaluation and retrofit of Haiti’s existing buildings. In an effort toward filling this gap, after reviewing the reinforced concrete (RC) building construction practices in Haiti, this article numerically evaluates the seismic performances of four different non‐ductile RC building frames typical of Haiti and five different techniques to retrofit those. Specifically, the selected RC building frames are of one to three stories and of residential and non‐residential functions. The examined retrofit techniques include using RC shear walls, using steel braces, using buckling‐restrained braces (BRBs), using prestressed high‐strength steel cables, and RC jacketing. To examine the damage of the columns and the beam‐to‐column joints of the original frame archetypes, their detailed three‐dimensional finite element models are initially developed and analyzed via the software LS‐DYNA. Subsequently, each frame is retrofitted through three of the above‐mentioned techniques. A suite of 11 ground motions is selected and scaled to evaluate the effectiveness of the retrofits by performing time‐history analysis on calibrated models on OpenSees. The analysis indicated that these techniques can efficiently retrofit the prototypes of Haitian structures. All the retrofits significantly reduce the interstory drift demand, and the RC jacket significantly increases the moment and shear capacity of the columns.

  PublisherDOI

• Empirical Fragility Analysis of Haitian Reinforced Concrete and Masonry Buildings

  Buildings · 2024-03-14 · 7 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  This study develops empirical fragility curves for concrete and masonry buildings in Haiti, utilizing data from the 2021 earthquake. A dataset of 3527 buildings from the StEER database, encompassing a diverse range of building types, is used. These buildings types include reinforced concrete structures with masonry infills, confined masonry buildings, reinforced masonry bearing walls, and unreinforced masonry bearing walls. Shakemaps from the USGS are utilized to assess the earthquake’s intensity at each building, with the peak ground acceleration (PGA) as the intensity measure. Damage is classified into five distinct states: no damage, minor, moderate, severe, and partial or total collapse. For each of these states, the corresponding probabilities of exceedance are calculated, and log-normal cumulative distribution functions were fitted to those data to produce empirical fragility curves. The results show a notable similarity in performance among the four types, each having high probability of failure even under low-intensity earthquakes. Total fragility curves (including all four building types) are developed subsequently and they are convolved to the probabilistic seismic hazard map of Haiti to assess the seismic risk. This includes estimating the annual probability of partial/total collapse and the probability of partial/total collapse in the event of 475-year and 2475-year earthquakes. The results indicate a significant risk, with up to 64% probability of collapse in certain areas for the 2475-year earthquake and a probability of collapse of 15% for a 475-year earthquake. These findings underscore the critical vulnerability of Haiti’s buildings to seismic events and the urgent need for their retrofit.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Multinode Gradient Inelastic Force-Based Beam-Column Element Formulation

  Journal of Structural Engineering · 2023-12-12 · 3 citations

  articleSenior author

  In the presence of softening section constitutive relations, classical beam theories predict erroneous strain singularities, and the corresponding force/flexibility-based (FB) beam-column element formulations result in strain localization and loss of response objectivity, i.e., divergence, rather than convergence, with progressive mesh refinements. To address this challenge, various FB element formulations have been proposed in the literature. One of these formulations is the so-called “gradient inelastic” (GI) FB formulation, which is a two-node element formulation that eliminates the strain localization and achieves response objectivity through strain gradient nonlocality relations. Although a single two-node GI element can effectively simulate an entire beam or column, simulating such a member via multiple two-node GI elements in series (e.g., to apply intermediate point loads, to more accurately capture geometric nonlinearities, or to represent cross-section variation) would not lead to accurate response predictions. This is because, in a model with multiple two-node GI elements in series, the nonlocality relations are not enforced at the intermediate/connection nodes between adjacent elements. Instead, end member boundary conditions (BCs) are enforced at those connection nodes because the two-node GI formulation has been designed to simulate an entire member. To tackle this shortcoming, this paper proposes an innovative multinode GI FB element formulation. To enforce the nonlocality relations at the connection nodes, two different sets of mathematically admissible section strain compatibility conditions (CCs) are adopted. The multinode formulations using both sets of CCs are evaluated through several simulation examples, including beams and columns subjected to various loads. The evaluations demonstrate the ability of both element formulations to produce objective softening responses, while one set of CCs is found to more closely predict the responses of previously tested RC beams under midspan loading.

  PublisherDOI

• Application of machine learning in seismic fragility assessment of bridges with SMA-restrained rocking columns

  Structures · 2023-03-01 · 21 citations

  articleSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• Application of Machine Learning in Seismic Fragility Assessment of Bridges with SMA-Restrained Rocking Columns

  arXiv (Cornell University) · 2022-12-14 · 1 citations

  preprintOpen accessSenior author

  This paper evaluates the seismic fragility of a two-span reinforced concrete (RC) bridge with shape memory alloy (SMA)-restrained rocking (SRR) columns through machine learning (ML) techniques. SRR columns incorporate a combination of replaceable superelastic NiTi (SMA) links and mild steel energy-dissipating links to achieve self-centering and energy dissipation, respectively, while their rocking joints are protected against compressive concrete damage through steel jacketing. To produce seismic fragility functions, initially, multi-parameter probabilistic seismic demand models (PSDMs) are generated for various engineering demand parameters through five different ML techniques (including neural network) and considering various sources of uncertainty, and the most accurate PSDMs are selected. The selected PSDMs are then interpreted using four different methods to investigate the effects of two key SRR column design parameters (self-centering coefficient and SMA link initial strain) and ambient temperature on the seismic performance of SRR columns. Subsequently, using neural networks, the PSDMs developed earlier, and appropriate capacity models, multi-parameter fragility functions are developed for various bridge damage states. After examining the effects of the two SRR column design parameters on the seismic fragility of the bridge, its seismic fragility is compared with those of the same bridge with monolithic RC and posttensioned (PT) rocking columns. It is shown that, in general, increasing the initial strain of the SMA links and decreasing the self-centering coefficient as possible (i.e., without compromising the self-centering) reduce the overall bridge damage. In addition, even considering the ambient temperature's uncertainty, SRR columns are proven, at least, as effective as PT columns in mitigating the seismic damage of the bridges of monolithic RC columns.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Structures That Can Be Made with Carbon Nanotube Fibers but Not with Other Materials

  Journal of Engineering Mechanics · 2022-10-10 · 10 citations

  article1st author

  As already indicated by Galileo, the laws of rescaling for load-bearing structures do not follow the simple geometric proportion because the structural weight increases more than the structural capacity and can equally lead to an effective loss of stiffness. Developing the theory originally proposed by Stüssi, the structural capacity of various materials are compared on the basis of performance indexes, such as specific strength and specific stiffness. This highlights how the structural weight increases as a function of the service load for various static schemes, dictating a theoretical limit for the structural size. Worked examples are presented in the fields of civil, marine, and aerospace engineering. Solution-spun carbon nanotube fibers appear promising because they are sustainable green materials whose capacity is superior to the best steels and comparable with the state-of-the-art carbon and Kevlar fibers. It is expected that the continuous improvement of the production techniques can bring their performances close to the theoretical limit of the constituent carbon nanotubes (CNTs), allowing the construction of superstructures not even imaginable today with the currently available materials.

  PublisherDOI

• Seismic design and numerical assessment of shape memory alloy-restrained rocking precast concrete bridge columns

  Advances in Structural Engineering · 2022-06-12 · 14 citations

  articleSenior author

  This paper introduces a class of shape memory alloy (SMA)-restrained rocking (SRR) bridge columns and numerically evaluates their response under lateral loading. SRR columns are low-damage precast concrete columns that are connected to their adjacent substructure components through two series of unbonded links, namely, SMA links and energy dissipation (ED) links. The SMA links, which are prestressed and made of superelastic Nitinol, provide the rocking joints with self-centering and dissipate a moderate amount of energy. The ED links, which are made of mild steel and are replaceable, supplement the hysteretic energy dissipation provided by the SMA links. The rocking joints are protected against concrete damage via steel jacketing and end steel plates. Following the introduction of three SRR column design variations, a displacement-based procedure is proposed for their effective seismic design. Nonlinear 3D finite element models are then developed to investigate the performance of the proposed columns under monotonic and cyclic lateral loading. Finally, a parametric study is conducted to examine the effective ranges of two major design parameters of SRR columns. The findings illustrate that the proposed SRR columns are capable of meeting their targeted performance objectives, i.e., avoiding damage under the displacement demands induced by a 2475-year seismic event, as well as providing significant self-centering and hysteretic damping.

  PublisherDOI

• Numerical modeling of repaired reinforced concrete bridge columns

  Engineering Structures · 2022-01-05 · 7 citations

  articleSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• SMA-Based Multi-Ring Self-Centering Damping Devices for Seismic Retrofit of Structures

  Conference proceedings from the International Conference on Shape Memory and Superelastic Technologies · 2022-05-13

  article

  Abstract One of the effective methods to retrofit seismically vulnerable building structures is the use of supplemental energy dissipation devices. Such devices may decrease the seismic displacement and acceleration demands of the retrofitted structures, thereby mitigating damage to both structural and non-structural components. Due to the unique mechanical properties of superelastic (SE) Nitinol, such as high strength, significant elasticity, substantial energy absorption, and excellent fatigue resistance, various forms/shapes of SE Nitinol have been used to develop self-centering damping devices. SE Nitinol rings are particularly effective because they offer large ductility, can resist compression without buckling, allow multi-directional loading, and are cost-effective. Recently, an innovative class of self-centering damping devices incorporating SE Nitinol rings, termed SMA-based multi-ring (SBMR) devices, has been developed and numerically evaluated by the authors. Each SBMR damping device consist of at least one SE Nitinol ring and at least one supplemental energy dissipating (ED) ring. The rings are concentrically and tightly positioned inside one another such that they deform together. The ED rings are made of metals with high hysteretic damping capacity, such as mild steel or shape memory (SM) Nitinol. Under diametric deformation, both the SE and ED rings absorb energy, whereas the SE ring(s) are primarily intended to provide self-centering. Due to their shape, the SBMR devices may be installed in building frames through a variety of approaches, among which cross bracing is particularly efficient. This presentation evaluates the performance of SBMR devices through an extensive experimental study. This presentation discusses an extensive experimental study on four SBMR damping devices with different ring configurations. The initial test results for two single SM and SE Nitinol rings along with a double-ring device demonstrated the stability of the hysteretic responses of the proposed devices and their effectiveness in providing a balanced combination of damping and self-centering capabilities.

  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• CAREER: Visual Pattern Recognition Models for Remote Sensing of Civil Infrastructure

  NSF · $402k · 2010–2013

• NEESR-CR - Innovative Seismic Retrofits for Resilient Reinforced Concrete Buildings

  NSF · $1.2M · 2010–2015

• Collaborative Research: Machine Vision Enhanced Post Earthquake Inspection and Rapid Loss Estimation

  NSF · $185k · 2010–2014

• Collaborative Research: Risk Informed Decision Making for Maintenance of Deteriorating Distribution Poles Under Extreme Wind Hazards

  NSF · $270k · 2013–2017

Frequent coauthors

• Jamie E. Padgett

  Rice University

  85 shared

• Jason McCormick

  54 shared

• Canek Phillips

  Rice University

  50 shared

• Samara Boyle

  University of New Orleans

  50 shared

• Yvette Pearson

  University of Dallas

  50 shared

• Wei Wayne Li

  50 shared

• Stephen Mattingly

  The University of Texas at Arlington

  50 shared

• Hanadi S. Rifai

  50 shared

Education

• Ph.D. Civil Engineering, Civil Engineering

  University of California, Berkeley

  1997

Awards & honors

• Elected to National Academy of Engineering (2020)
• EERI Distinguished Lecturer (2018)
• Fellow of the Structural Engineering Institute (2016)
• Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineering (2015)
• ASCE Charles Martin Duke Lifeline Earthquake Engineering Awa…