About the author  ⁄ Kevin O’Connell, S.E.

Kevin O’Connell, S.E., is an Associate Principal with Simpson Gumpertz & Heger, Inc. in Los Angeles. He is the immediate past president of the Structural Engineers Association of Southern California and is a member of the Mayor’s Earthquake Technical Task Force for the City of Los Angeles. He can be reached at kdoconnell@sgh.com.

Los Angeles is no stranger to earthquakes and, like other cities in California, has experienced extensive damage in previous seismic events, which has led to significant advancements in earthquake engineering. Some might say that L.A. has been the epicenter of seismic code development since the 1933 Long Beach Earthquake. Because of its long history with seismic events and their aftermath, Los Angeles has embarked in a leadership role to create a long-term program to educate the public, help building owners to seismically strengthen their buildings, and improve overall community resiliency after the next earthquake.

Read More →
STRUCTURE magazine