Oregon State University professor Scott Ashford travels to Chile next week on a mission of inquiry. The head of the School of Civil and Construction Engineering, Ashford is one of about 30 members of a scientific team sponsored by the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute and its "Learning from Earthquakes Program."
Underwritten by the National Science Foundation, the scientists will try to bring back lessons for application and academic research from the massive 8.8 earthquake on Feb. 27 - which was caused by geologic forces that closely resemble those expected to cause a major earthquake in the future on the Cascadia Subduction Zone in the Pacific Northwest.
Ashford is a leading international expert on earthquake ground shaking, liquefaction, landslides and lateral spreading, as well as construction techniques that can be used to help resist these forces.
