Dr Liam Wotherspoon

BE (Hons), PhD

Associate Professor

In: Civil and Environmental Engineering » Faculty of Engineering

Biography

Liam is a Senior Lecturer in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at the University of Auckland. Liam did both his BE and PhD at the University of Auckland. Prior to his appointment to the department he was a Post-doctoral Fellow at the Institute of Earth Science and Engineering.

His research focuses on both structural and geotechnical aspects of earthquake engineering. Soil-foundation-structure interaction and integrated response of structures and foundations as single system (computational modelling and field testing of buildings and bridges). Seismic response of bridges (effects of seasonal freezing, liquefaction and lateral spreading effects, large scale field testing and forced vibration). Resilience of ports (hazard assessment, fragility modelling of components and facilities). Site characterisation (liquefaction studies, strong motion station characterisation). Foundation response (computational modelling, large scale field testing). Heavily involved in post-earthquake reconnaissance investigations during the 2010-2011 Canterbury, New Zealand earthquake sequence.

Qualifications

PhD (Civil Engineering) The University of Auckland
BE (Hons) The University of Auckland

Research | Current

Integrated structure foundation response
Seismic response of bridges
Resilience of port facilities
Large scale field testing
Geotechnical site investigation

Research groups

The University of Auckland Centre for Earthquake Engineering Research (UACEER)
Geotechnical Engineering
Structural Engineering

Teaching | Current

CIVIL 421 - Foundation Engineering
CIVIL 322 - Geomechanics 2

Distinctions/Honours

Martin P. Kom Award for Design and Research to Advance Precast/Prestressed Concrete (Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute) (2013)

GCG Fellowship (2012)

IPENZ Fulton-Downer Gold Medal – The President’s Award (co-recipient) (2011)

Areas of expertise

Soil-foundation-structure interaction and integrated response of structures and foundations
Seismic response of bridges
Resilience of ports
Geotechnical site characterisation

Committees/Professional groups/Services

Professional affiliations

Management Committee - New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering (NZSEE)
Member - New Zealand Geotechnical Society (NZGS)
Member - Institute of Professional Engineers New Zealand (IPENZ)
Member - Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI)

Selected publications and creative works (Research Outputs)

Wood, C. M., Cox, B. R., Green, R. A., Wotherspoon, L. M., Bradley, B. A., & Cubrinovski, M. (2017). Vs-based evaluation of select liquefaction case histories from the 2010-2011 canterbury earthquake sequence. Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, 143 (9).10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0001754
Giovinazzi, S., Austin, A., Ruiter, R., Foster, C., Nayyerloo, M., Nair, N. K., & Wotherspoon, L. (2017). Resilience and fragility of the telecommunication network to seismic events: Evidence after the Kaikoura (New Zealand) earthquake. Bulletin of the New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering, 50 (2), 318-328.
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/2292/35330
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Andrew Austin, Nirmal Nair
Kaiser, A., Balfour, N., Fry, B., Holden, C., Litchfield, N., Gersten-berger, M., ... Ristau, J. (2017). The 2016 Kaikoura, New Zealand, earthquake: Preliminary seismological report. Seismological Research Letters, 88 (3), 727-739. 10.1785/0220170018
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Ken Elwood
Davies, A. J., Sadashiva, V., Aghababaei, M., Barnhill, D., Costello, S. B., Fanslow, B., ... Mackie, J. (2017). Transport infrastructures performance and management in the South Island of New Zealand during the first 100 days following the 2016 Mw7.8 Kaikōura earthquake. Bulletin of the New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering, 50 (2), 271-299. Related URL.
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Mohammad Aghababaei, Seosamh Costello, Prakash Ranjitkar
Wotherspoon, L., Orense, R., Green, R., Bradley, B., Cox, B., & Wood, C. (2015). Assessment of liquefaction evaluation procedures and severity index frameworks at Christchurch strong motion stations. Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering, 79 (Part B), 335-346. 10.1016/j.soildyn.2015.03.022
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/2292/32393
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Rolando Orense
Green, R. A., Cubrinovski, M., Cox, B., Wood, C., Wotherspoon, L., Bradley, B., & Maurer, B. (2014). Select Liquefaction Case Histories from the 2010–2011 Canterbury Earthquake Sequence. Earthquake Spectra, 30 (1), 131-153. 10.1193/030713EQS066M
Cubrinovski, M., Haskell, J., Winkley, A., Robinson, K., & Wotherspoon, L. (2014). Performance of Bridges in Liquefied Deposits during the 2010–2011 Christchurch (New Zealand) Earthquakes. Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities, 28 (1), 24-39. 10.1061/(ASCE)CF.1943-5509.0000402
Wotherspoon, L. M., Pender, M. J., & Orense, R. P. (2012). Relationship between observed liquefaction at Kaiapoi following the 2010 Darfield earthquake and former channels of the Waimakariri River. Engineering Geology, 125, 45-55. 10.1016/j.enggeo.2011.11.001
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/2292/10299
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Michael Pender, Rolando Orense