Press Clips
First earthquake, then fire: UC San Diego researchers test steel building
KPBS | July 17, 2025
Smoke billowed out of a steel-framed building off Pomerado Road Thursday morning. It was part of research by UC San Diego and California Polytechnic State University on how fire spreads through earthquake-damaged steel buildings. Full Story
Shake and Bake: Scientists study earthquakes and burning buildings in Scripps Ranch
NBC San Diego | July 17, 2025
UC San Diego?s shake table was used by Cal Poly SLO researchers Thursday to start a fire to examine how it would act burning specific materials during a quake, reports NBC 7?s Joe Little. Full Story
Smoke from experimental fire in Scripps Ranch will be visible over I-15 and I-805 today
San Diego Union Tribune | July 17, 2025
C San Diego will set part of a 10-story building in Scripps Ranch on fire at 10 a.m. Thursday to help researchers find better ways to make such structures more fire resistant. The university said the fire, which will occur on the ninth floor, is likely to produce smoke that will be visible along Interstates 15 and 805. Full Story
Researchers simulate earthquakes on 10-storey building in California
Reuters | June 24, 2025
Researchers from UC San Diego on Monday (June 23) carried out tests on a 10-storey building with its own built-in earthquake, to test its structural integrity. The building is positioned on machinery that can precisely emulate seismic activity, the only outdoor facility of its kind in the world, and the only simulator capable of testing a building of this height. Full Story
Researchers at UCSD test a 10-story building on earthquake simulator
USA Today | June 24, 2025
Researchers at UC San Diego simulated a 6.9 earthquake to see if this 10-story building would hold its integrity. Full Story
UC San Diego tests building safety on ?one of a kind' earthquake simulator
KPBS News | June 23, 2025
A team of researchers from the University of California, San Diego and Johns Hopkins University tested a 10-story, cold-framed steel building for seismic safety on Monday morning. The 10-story building?s skeleton is made from cold-formed sheets of construction-grade steel that are then shaped at room temperature to make individual structural components ? studs and floor joists, for example. Full Story
An earthquake shake table gives recycled steel a chance to test its metal
KPBS News | June 23, 2025
Structural engineers at UC San Diego were waiting to see how a tall building, made from recycled steel, would react in a 6.9 magnitude earthquake. The earthquake shake table was ready to go as the test building towered above it. In about half an hour, the table would start moving, and Ben Schafer was ready to see how the 10-story tower would take it. Full Story
UC San Diego earthquake simulator tests 10-story steel-framed building
San Diego Union Tribune | June 23, 2025
A team of researchers from the University of California San Diego and Johns Hopkins University is testing a 10-story, cold-framed steel building for seismic safety. Full Story
UC San Diego researchers run a simulation of a magnitude 7.8 earthquake on 10-story building
CBS News 8 | June 23, 2025
UC San Diego researchers are running an earthquake test. This team is testing out a 10-story building in two simulations, using California earthquakes as reference. Full Story
WATCH: UCSD puts 10-story building through earthquake simulation
Fox 5 | June 23, 2025
Researchers at UC San Diego on Monday put a 10-story, cold-formed steel building to the test, simulating how the structure would move in the midst of a major earthquake. Full Story