Physical and Computational Sciences
and Engineering

March 2006 Mission
Kenneth Daratha
V.S. Manoranjan
Sinisa Mesarovic
M. Grant Norton
WenZhan Sony

May 2005 Mission
J. Daniel Dolan
Peter Engels
Robert R. Lewis
Cole C. McDaniel

Dr. J. Daniel Dolan received his Ph.D. from the University of British Columbia in civil engineering in 1989. His dissertation work was the first to test light-frame shear walls under realistic earthquake loading (shake table tests with inertial mass). Upon completion of his Ph.D., he conducted research and taught at Virginia Tech. He joined the Washington State University civil engineering faculty in the fall of 2002. Dr. Dolan is recognized internationally as a leader in the response of light-frame buildings to dynamic loads. He continues to conduct research in the area of low-rise building performance, and is in the process of developing an interdisciplinary research center to address the multi-faceted problems associated with buildings that have dissimilar materials.

Civil and Environmental Engineering
J. Daniel Dolan
Improving Performance of Low-Rise Buildings

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Dr. J. Daniel Dolan has lead interdisciplinary research teams (in architecture, building construction, mechanical engineering, etc.) to improve the overall performance of low-rise construction, or buildings less than ten stories high. The concept of developing a holistic design/construction for low-rise buildings addresses the design/construction process in a manner similar to designing an airliner, where optimization of components is done with respect to the overall performance of the structure rather than in a vacuum considering just the product itself. Historically, designers have simplified the building system to the point that finishes and other parts of the building are ignored. To insure building performance and safety, analysis and design tools are being developed to account for the interaction of different materials and systems.

Dr. Dolan’s research results have influenced regulatory building and design codes in the United States, Canada, and Europe. Design methodologies for shear walls, connections, and annoying vibration have been implemented by designers in model building codes in these countries.

Currently, Dr. Dolan is developing a computer model that will simulate hurricane forces on low-rise buildings in real-time. This model will be used to investigate the localized forces imposed on a building around corners and at the roofline. Preliminary results indicate that buildings can be strengthened by changing the location of some of the connections already present, strengthening them without affecting the cost.

Dr. Dolan has published widely on various performance issues related to low-rise buildings subjected to dynamic loads. Currently he is leading an effort to update the FEMA document “A Home Builder’s Guide to Seismic Resistant Construction.” He also continues to work with colleagues at Washington State and other universities to improve the performance of low-rise buildings.

Contact Information
J. Daniel Dolan, Ph.D.
Professor
Civil and Environmental Engineering

Washington State University
PO Box 642910
Pullman, WA 99164-2910

Telephone: 509-335-7849
E-Mail: jddolan@wsu.edu