About

Shideh Dashti is a Professor and Associate Chair for Administration in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder. Her research focuses on resilient infrastructure with an emphasis on sustainability and equity, particularly in the context of geotechnical engineering and geomechanics. Her work involves physical modeling, seismic soil-structure interaction, underground structure response in urban environments, and the consequences of soil liquefaction and seismic hazards on infrastructure. She is actively involved in advancing understanding of soil liquefaction mitigation, seismic response of structures, and the impact of compound hydrologic-seismic hazards on earthen infrastructure. Professor Dashti holds a PhD and MS from the University of California at Berkeley and a BS from Cornell University. She has received numerous honors and distinctions, including the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute Distinguished Lecture Award, the Walter L. Huber Civil Engineering Research Prize from ASCE, and the NSF Early CAREER Award. She is engaged with professional societies such as ASCE, EERI, ISSMGE, and BSSC, contributing to seismic safety standards and research initiatives. Her work integrates experimental, numerical, and probabilistic approaches to improve infrastructure resilience against natural hazards, with a particular interest in urban seismic response, liquefaction mitigation, and environmental justice.

Research topics

• Engineering
• Soil science
• Geology
• Structural engineering
• Sociology
• Social Science
• Political Science
• Geotechnical engineering
• Public relations
• Physics

Selected publications

• Design and Integration of a Pneumatic Rainfall System with Seismic Shaking in a Geotechnical Centrifuge

  2026-03-05

  articleSenior authorCorresponding

  In this paper, we present the design considerations and integration of a pneumatic rainfall system with seismic shaking in a centrifuge facility at the University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder), aimed at modeling the response of geotechnical infrastructure under simultaneous or consecutive hydrologic–seismic extremes. This system is designed to support physical studies of coupled changes in pore water pressure and ground deformation in variably-saturated soils. We employ atomized spray nozzles fed by dual gas–water lines, mounted on an adjustable support frame attached to the centrifuge platform. The adopted pneumatic design, including the selected nozzle type and connection configuration, enables simulation of rainfall with fine droplets (~20–100 µm), controlled rainfall intensities (up to 50 mm/h), and relatively uniform coverage across the model surface. The system is also designed to accommodate simultaneous or consecutive seismic shaking events of up to 0.5 g (prototype scale) at 70 g of centrifugal acceleration. In this paper, we describe the system requirements, design features, calibration plans, and future implementation steps.

  PublisherDOI

• Structural Design Alternatives that may Reduce Seismic Retrofitting Costs , in A Quantitative and Qualitative Evaluation of Seismic Retrofits According to the Los Angeles Non-Ductile Reinforced Concrete Buildings Ordinance

  Open MIND · 2026-04-26

  datasetOpen accessSenior author

  This project contains the models, data, and qualitative documentation and approvals for the dissertation, "A Quantitative and Qualitative Evaluation of Seismic Retrofits According to the Los Angeles Non-Ductile Reinforced Concrete Buildings Ordinance". This research focused on the progression of the Los Angeles non-ductile concrete retrofitting ordinance, in terms of quantitative performance metrics such as repair cost and recovery time, but also qualitatively on the perceptions of those impacted by the ordinance. This project contains STKO, DeepSoil, and SP3 model descriptions (1. Seismic Performance of Non-Ductile Concrete Moment Frames Constructed to Older Building Standards), the IRB approved documentation (2. Perceived Enablers and Barriers of the Los Angeles Non-Ductile Concrete Ordinance), and the survey results and SP3 model descriptions (3. Alternatives for Reducing Direct and Indirect Costs to Seismically Retrofit Residential Non-Ductile Concrete Buildings). 1) Seismic Performance of Non-Ductile Concrete Moment Frames Constructed to Older Building Standards: This project provides numerical STKO models that were used to obtain the demand parameters which were uploaded in SP3 to obtain the repair cost and recovery time assessments. In turn, the SP3 model inputs are described in relevant csv files. Additionally, we investigated the differences in site class and site response analyses. We did this with DeepSoil equivalent-linear models that propagated the ground motions from the bedrock to the surface. These ground motions were input at the fixed-base of the 3D STKO models, processed, and the demand parameters were input into the same SP3 models. 2) Perceived Enablers and Barriers of the Los Angeles Non-Ductile Concrete Ordinance: Due to the IRB protocols, were are unable to share the qualitative data from our interviews. However, we have included the IRB files and information for archival contexts. 3) Alternatives for Reducing Direct and Indirect Costs to Seismically Retrofit Residential Non-Ductile Concrete Buildings: In this portion of the study, we used mixed qualitative and quantitative methods with a survey and SP3 models. We present the survey results decoupled from personal information. The SP3 model inputs are described in relevant csv files.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Seismic Performance of Nonductile Concrete Moment Frames Constructed to Older Building Standards

  Earthquake Engineering & Structural Dynamics · 2026-02-25

  article

  ABSTRACT Recognizing the poor performance, including the threat to safety, posed by weak, irregular, and poorly‐detailed reinforced concrete buildings, several jurisdictions in the United States have implemented or are considering implementing seismic retrofitting ordinances to improve the performance of older concrete buildings. These ordinances commonly use a benchmark year, typically 1980, to differentiate between older and modern buildings as high‐priority candidates for retrofit. However, there is a large variation in performance among nonductile concrete buildings of varying ages, and the implications of these benchmark years and their appropriateness for building performance improvement and seismic risk reduction have not been explored. This study investigates six building archetypes of concrete moment frames to assess the seismic performance of existing buildings ranging from older (1964–1994) to modern (2010–2022) designs. We consider four soil profiles of varying properties and depths, all classified as site Class D but with differing site conditions. Building performance assessments indicate that the older building archetypes do not meet ASCE/SEI 41‐23 safety evaluation criteria, confirming focus on pre‐1980 concrete buildings for retrofit. However, the results also show that large repair cost and recovery times, even for some post‐1980 buildings, may lead to demolition or residents choosing to permanently relocate because the performance may not align with societal goals. The results also show that inclusion of site‐specific response analysis that accounts for the entire soil profile above bedrock may be critical to evaluating retrofit priorities for buildings and can change the retrofit assessment outcome.

  PublisherDOI

• A Machine Learning Framework for Predicting Liquefaction Ejecta Severity

  2026-03-05

  articleCorresponding

  In this paper, we combine an unprecedented number of effective stress analyses (ESAs) of free-field site response in highly nonlinear and stratigraphically variable deposits with advances in machine learning (ML) to identify the key predictors and develop a probabilistic model for free-field ejecta potential. We present a numerical dataset from 19,760 dynamic nonlinear ESAs, generated through quasi-Monte Carlo sampling of input parameters. These simulations were calibrated and validated with triaxial and centrifuge experiments, as well as observation from liquefaction case histories. The ejecta potential index (EPI) is used as a proxy for assessing surface ejecta severity, due to the limitations of the finite element continuum framework in directly capturing sand ejection. A comprehensive feature selection process identifies the key input features for EPI while accounting for system-level effects. The numerical database is then used to train a Random Forest (RF) model (tree-based algorithm) for predicting EPI. Prediction accuracy is assessed using test sets from the numerical database and cone penetration tests (CPT) soundings from both Global and Christchurch liquefaction manifestation case histories, and its performance is compared to existing procedures.

  PublisherDOI

• Performance-Based Testing of Trenchless Pipeline Rehabilitation

  2026-03-05

  articleSenior authorCorresponding

  Aging cast- and wrought-iron distribution mains continue to operate beneath traffic-laden, construction-dense corridors, prompting utilities to adopt internal-replacement pipe (IRP) liners as a trenchless rehabilitation option. This paper combines three complementary investigations, a beam-on-springs finite-element (FE) study that translates traffic, adjacent excavation, and thermal loads into joint rotations and crack openings while explicitly accounting for liner stiffness; an independent analytical verification that reconciles those envelopes with prior numerical and field observations; and a full-scale laboratory program that subjects pressurized, rehabilitated specimens to the modeled displacements to establish a performance-based qualification framework for IRP systems. Comparison across the datasets shows that incorporating liner stiffness in the FE models consistently reduces predicted rotations and crack openings relative to approaches that neglect the liner contribution, and that the moderated demands align with the deformation limits at which laboratory specimens begin to lose stiffness or exhibit debonding. The integrated results yield deformation targets and test protocols that translate field-scale predictions into repeatable laboratory loads.

  PublisherDOI

• Seismic Performance of Non-Ductile Concrete Moment Frames in Terms of Site Class and Site Response Analyses, in A Quantitative and Qualitative Evaluation of Seismic Retrofits According to the Los Angeles Non-Ductile Reinforced Concrete Buildings Ordinance

  Open MIND · 2026-04-26

  datasetOpen accessSenior author

  This project contains the models, data, and qualitative documentation and approvals for the dissertation, "A Quantitative and Qualitative Evaluation of Seismic Retrofits According to the Los Angeles Non-Ductile Reinforced Concrete Buildings Ordinance". This research focused on the progression of the Los Angeles non-ductile concrete retrofitting ordinance, in terms of quantitative performance metrics such as repair cost and recovery time, but also qualitatively on the perceptions of those impacted by the ordinance. This project contains STKO, DeepSoil, and SP3 model descriptions (1. Seismic Performance of Non-Ductile Concrete Moment Frames Constructed to Older Building Standards), the IRB approved documentation (2. Perceived Enablers and Barriers of the Los Angeles Non-Ductile Concrete Ordinance), and the survey results and SP3 model descriptions (3. Alternatives for Reducing Direct and Indirect Costs to Seismically Retrofit Residential Non-Ductile Concrete Buildings). 1) Seismic Performance of Non-Ductile Concrete Moment Frames Constructed to Older Building Standards: This project provides numerical STKO models that were used to obtain the demand parameters which were uploaded in SP3 to obtain the repair cost and recovery time assessments. In turn, the SP3 model inputs are described in relevant csv files. Additionally, we investigated the differences in site class and site response analyses. We did this with DeepSoil equivalent-linear models that propagated the ground motions from the bedrock to the surface. These ground motions were input at the fixed-base of the 3D STKO models, processed, and the demand parameters were input into the same SP3 models. 2) Perceived Enablers and Barriers of the Los Angeles Non-Ductile Concrete Ordinance: Due to the IRB protocols, were are unable to share the qualitative data from our interviews. However, we have included the IRB files and information for archival contexts. 3) Alternatives for Reducing Direct and Indirect Costs to Seismically Retrofit Residential Non-Ductile Concrete Buildings: In this portion of the study, we used mixed qualitative and quantitative methods with a survey and SP3 models. We present the survey results decoupled from personal information. The SP3 model inputs are described in relevant csv files.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Perceptions of the Los Angeles Non-Ductile Concrete Ordinance, in A Quantitative and Qualitative Evaluation of Seismic Retrofits According to the Los Angeles Non-Ductile Reinforced Concrete Buildings Ordinance

  Open MIND · 2026-04-26

  datasetOpen accessSenior author

  This project contains the models, data, and qualitative documentation and approvals for the dissertation, "A Quantitative and Qualitative Evaluation of Seismic Retrofits According to the Los Angeles Non-Ductile Reinforced Concrete Buildings Ordinance". This research focused on the progression of the Los Angeles non-ductile concrete retrofitting ordinance, in terms of quantitative performance metrics such as repair cost and recovery time, but also qualitatively on the perceptions of those impacted by the ordinance. This project contains STKO, DeepSoil, and SP3 model descriptions (1. Seismic Performance of Non-Ductile Concrete Moment Frames Constructed to Older Building Standards), the IRB approved documentation (2. Perceived Enablers and Barriers of the Los Angeles Non-Ductile Concrete Ordinance), and the survey results and SP3 model descriptions (3. Alternatives for Reducing Direct and Indirect Costs to Seismically Retrofit Residential Non-Ductile Concrete Buildings). 1) Seismic Performance of Non-Ductile Concrete Moment Frames Constructed to Older Building Standards: This project provides numerical STKO models that were used to obtain the demand parameters which were uploaded in SP3 to obtain the repair cost and recovery time assessments. In turn, the SP3 model inputs are described in relevant csv files. Additionally, we investigated the differences in site class and site response analyses. We did this with DeepSoil equivalent-linear models that propagated the ground motions from the bedrock to the surface. These ground motions were input at the fixed-base of the 3D STKO models, processed, and the demand parameters were input into the same SP3 models. 2) Perceived Enablers and Barriers of the Los Angeles Non-Ductile Concrete Ordinance: Due to the IRB protocols, were are unable to share the qualitative data from our interviews. However, we have included the IRB files and information for archival contexts. 3) Alternatives for Reducing Direct and Indirect Costs to Seismically Retrofit Residential Non-Ductile Concrete Buildings: In this portion of the study, we used mixed qualitative and quantitative methods with a survey and SP3 models. We present the survey results decoupled from personal information. The SP3 model inputs are described in relevant csv files.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Next Generation Probabilistic Liquefaction Model Building at the Regional Scale

  2026-03-05

  articleCorresponding

  Understanding the seismic soil liquefaction hazard on a regional scale is critical to assessing the resilience and reliability of infrastructure, lifelines, and communities. Previous work has primarily focused on the hazard analysis procedures—how one combines models for ground shaking, soil/groundwater conditions with existing liquefaction models for susceptibility, triggering, and manifestations. However, these existing liquefaction models are typically developed without allowing for consideration of additional spatial dependence in manifestation patterns beyond what can be explained by the limited case history predictor variables. In this paper, we present a methodology and process for building probabilistic liquefaction manifestation models that explicitly incorporate spatial correlation using cone penetration test case histories curated by recent research efforts. We show that a model with the spatial correlation component performs significantly better than an otherwise identical model without the spatial component. This suggests that future regional modeling or hazard analysis efforts that rely on datasets with densely spaced field tests should consider accounting for this residual correlation.

  PublisherDOI

• Methods for addressing preferential sampling in semi-empirical liquefaction modeling

  Open MIND · 2026-01-01

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Supplemental material to accompany the manuscript submitted to the Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Next‐Generation Probabilistic Liquefaction Model Building at the Regional Scale

  Earthquake Spectra · 2026-02-01

  articleOpen accessCorresponding

  Free‐field liquefaction manifestations (i.e., ejecta, ground cracking, or settlement occurring away from buildings or slopes) can have a significant impact on infrastructure systems and lifelines on a regional scale. Prior cone penetration test (CPT)‐based regional hazard analysis procedures generally rely on applying existing manifestation models, which are not directly developed with regional data. In this paper, we present a methodology for building probabilistic liquefaction free‐field manifestation models that: i) uses modern CPT database(s) with thousands of case histories; ii) predicts the probability of surface manifestation of a given severity (instead of just “yes” or “no” manifestation); and iii) incorporates a spatial correlation component to account for densely spaced case histories. We also demonstrate how cross validation and proper scoring rules can be used to evaluate the probabilistic predictions of competing models (e.g., comparing different ground motion intensity measures). We show that a model with the spatial correlation component performs significantly better than an otherwise identical model without the spatial component () and thus should be considered when developing regional models. We also highlight opportunities for future research directions based on some surprising trends observed in this work.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Recent grants

• NEESR: Seismic Response of Shallow Underground Structures in Dense Urban Environments

  NSF · $705k · 2011–2016

• Performance of Buildings on Liquefiable Soils: Evaluation and Mitigation

  NSF · $363k · 2014–2018

• CAREER: Toward a New Paradigm in Evaluating and Mitigating Urban Liquefaction

  NSF · $532k · 2015–2022

Frequent coauthors

• Abbie B. Liel

  University of Colorado Boulder

  65 shared

• Brad P. Wham

  University of Colorado System

  42 shared

• Yu‐Wei Hwang

  National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University

  31 shared

• Caroline Bessette

  University of Colorado Boulder

  21 shared

• Zach Bullock

  California Institute of Technology

  21 shared

• Jonathan D. Bray

  University of California, Berkeley

  20 shared

• Keith Porter

  Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh

  18 shared

• Lianne Brito

  University of Colorado Boulder

  16 shared

Education

• B.S.

  Cornell University

  2004

• M.S.

  University of California at Berkeley

  2005

• Ph.D.

  University of California at Berkeley

  2009

Awards & honors

• 2025 Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI) Distin…
• 2024 Campus Sustainability Award, CU Boulder
• 2021 Walter L. Huber Civil Engineering Research Price, ASCE
• 2020 Provost Faculty Achievement Award, CU Boulder
• 2018 Arthur Casagrande Professional Development Award, ASCE