Brady Cox
Geotech
Professor
Contact Information
Office Location: EL 268Phone: 435-797-0992
Email: brady.cox@usu.edu
Additional Information:
Biography
Dr. Cox is a Professor in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at Utah State University (USU). Prior to joining USU, he served on the faculty of The University of Texas for eight years and The University of Arkansas for six years. Dr. Cox specializes in geotechnical engineering, with emphasis on issues related to seismic design and in-situ site characterization for major construction projects. His research efforts combine experimental field testing with computational analyses and high-performance computing for subsurface imaging purposes. He has led teams deployed to collect seismic site characterization data at ground motion recording stations, soil liquefaction sites, and structural failures following significant earthquakes in the U.S. and around the world (e.g., Ecuador, Haiti, Japan, New Zealand, Peru, Turkey). He has also participated in numerous dynamic site characterization projects for the seismic design of critical facilities (e.g., nuclear power plants, U.S. DOE laboratory sites, bridges, tunnels) in the U.S. and abroad. Dr. Cox is a recipient of the prestigious Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award from the U.S. National Science Foundation and the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientist and Engineers (PECASE), which he received in a ceremony at the White House from President Barack Obama. He has authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications and has taught eight different courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels at three different universities. He grew up the son of a tough and hard-working coal miner in Helper, Utah. His personal life is influenced by five important women (his wife and four daughters). He loves all outdoor activities, and currently spends quite a bit of time training for endurance sports, having recently completed an Ironman Triathlon and 50-mile ultra-marathon.
Teaching Interests
Foundation Design, Soil Mechanics, Soil and Rock Dynamics, Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering, In-Situ Site Characterization, Earth Retaining Structures, Computer Methods.
Research Interests
Geotechnical earthquake engineering (1D/2D/3D ground response analyses, soil liquefaction triggering, topographic amplification, etc.), subsurface imaging and material characterization (active- and passive-source surface wave testing [MASW and MAM], horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio methods [HVSR], downhole, crosshole, etc.), high-performance computing, quantifying subsurface variability and uncertainties for use in engineering design of foundations and structures.
Awards
Mariam & Izzat M. Idriss Endowed Fund for Geotechnical Engineering Education Guest Scholar, 2020
University of California at Davis
ASTM Geotechnical Testing Journal Award for Outstanding Article on the Practice of Geotechnical Testing, 2019
ASTM
Erskine Visiting Fellow, 2017
University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
International Society of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE) Young Researcher Award , 2017
Technical Committee-203 on Earthquakes
Shamsher Prakash International Geotechnical Engineering Research Award, 2015
Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES) Outstanding Contributor Award – Most Influential , 2014
Geotechnical Research Project
John L. Imhoff Award for Research, College of Engineering, 2012
University of Arkansas
National Science Foundation (NSF) Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award, 2012
Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, 2012
Hogentogler Award for ASTM Geotechnical Testing Journal “paper of outstanding merit”, 2010
Outstanding Researcher in Civil Engineering, 2010
University of Arkansas
George H. Mitchell Award for Excellence in Graduate Research, 2005
University of Texas
Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI) Graduate Fellow, 2004
Eagle Scout, 1993
Boy Scouts of America
Publications | Journal Articles
Academic Journal
- Abbas, A., Vantassel, J.P, Cox, B.R, Kumar, K., Crocker, J., (2023). A Frequency-Velocity CNN for Developing Near-Surface 2D Vs Images from Linear-Array, Active-Source Wavefield Measurements. Computers and Geotechnics
- Yust, M., Cox, B.R, (2023). Delta Vs: A Method for Detecting Significant Layer Boundaries in Surface-wave Inversion Results. ASCE Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
- Hallal, M.M, Cox, B.R, (2023). What Spatial Area Influences Seismic Site Response: Insights Gained from Multi-Azimuthal 2D Ground Response Analyses at the Treasure Island Downhole Array. ASCE Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
- Molnar, S., Sirohey, A., Bard, P.Y, Castellaro, S., Cornou, C., Cox, B.R, (2022). A Review of the Microtremor Horizontal-to-Vertical Spectral Ratio (MHVSR) Method. Journal of Seismology
- Li, M., Rathje, E., Cox, B.R, Yust, M., (2022). A Texas-Specific Vs30 Map Incorporating Geology and Vs30 Observations. Earthquake Spectra, 38:1
- Hallal, M.M, Cox, B.R, Vantassel, J.P, (2022). Comparison of State-of-the-Art Approaches Used to Account for Spatial Variability in 1D Ground Response Analyses. ASCE Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
- Vantassel, J.P, Cox, B.R, Hubbard, P.G, Yust, M., (2022). Extracting High-Resolution, Multi-Mode Surface Wave Dispersion Data from Distributed Acoustic Sensing Measurements using the Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves. Journal of Applied Geophysics
- Hallal, M.M, Cox, B.R, Foti, S., Rodriguez-Marek, A., Rathje, E., (2022). Improved Implementation of Travel Time Randomization for Incorporating Vs Uncertainty in Seismic Ground Response. Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering
- Gucunski, N., Cox, B.R, Menq, F.Y, Moon, F., DeVitis, J., (2022). Investigation of DSSI Effects on the Dynamic Response of an Overpass Bridge through the Use of Mobile Shakers and Numerical Simulations. ASCE Journal of Bridge Engineering
- Hubbard, P.G, Vantassel, J.P, Cox, B.R, Rector, J.W, Yust, M., Soga, K., (2022). Quantifying the Surface Strain Field Induced by Active Sources with Distributed Acoustic Sensing: Theory and Practice. Sensors
- Seylabi, E., Hallal, M.M, Cox, B.R, (2022). Site Characterization at Treasure Island and Delaney Park Downhole Arrays by Hetrogeneous Data Assimilation. Earthquake Spectra
- Vantassel, J.P, Cox, B.R, (2022). SWprocess: A Workflow for Developing Robust Estimates of Surface Wave Dispersion Uncertainty. Journal of Seismology
- Vantassel, J.P, Kumar, K., Cox, B.R, (2022). Using Convolution Neural Networks to Develop Starting Models for Near-Surface 2D Full Waveform Inversion. Geophysics Journal International
- Vantassel, J.P, Cox, B.R, (2021). A Procedure for Developing Uncertainty-Consistent Vs Profiles from Inversion of Surface Wave Dispersion Data. Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering, 145
- Hallal, M.M, Cox, B.R, (2021). An H/V Geostatistical Approach for Building Pseudo-3D Vs Models to Account for Spatial Variability in Ground Response Analyses I: Model Development. Earthquake Spectra, 37:3
- Hallal, M.M, Cox, B.R, (2021). An H/V Geostatistical Approach for Building Pseudo-3D Vs Models to Account for Spatial Variability in Ground Response Analyses II: Application to 1D Analyses at Two Downhole Array Sites. Earthquake Spectra, 37:3
- Cheng, T., Hallal, M.M, Vantassel, J.P, Cox, B.R, (2021). Estimating Unbiased Statistics for Fundamental Site Frequency using Spatially Distributed HVSR Measurements and Voronoi Tessellation. ASCE Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, 147:8
- Vantassel, J.P, Cox, B., (2021). SWinvert: A workflow for performing rigorous surface wave inversions. Geophysical Journal International, 224:2, doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/gji/ggaa426
- Cheng, T., Cox, B., Vantassel, J.P, Manuel, L., (2020). A statistical approach to account for azimuthal variability in single-station HVSR measurements. Geophysical Journal International, 223:2, 1040-1053. doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/gji/ggaa342
- Cox, B., Chang, T., Vantassel, J.P, Manuel, L., (2020). A statistical representation and frequency-domain window-rejection algorithm for single-station HVSR measurements. Geophysical Journal International, 221:3, 2170-2183. doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/gji/ggaa119
- Thomson, E.M, Bradley, B.A, Lee, R.L, Wotherspoon, L.M, Wood, C.M, Cox, B., (2020). Generalised parametric functions and spatial correlations for seismic velocities in the Canterbury, New Zealand region from surface-wave-based site characterisation. Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering, 128, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soildyn.2019.105834
- Stokoe, K.H, Cox, B., Clayton, P., Menq, F., (2020). NHERI@UTexas Experimental Facility with Large-Scale Mobile Shakers for Field Studies. Frontiers in Built Environment, 6:article 575973, doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fbuil.2020.575973
- Cox, B., Stolte, A.C, Stokoe II, K.H, Wotherspoon, L.M, (2019). A direct-push crosshole test method for the in-situ evaluation fo high-resolution P- and S-wave velocity. ASTM Geotechnical Testing Journal, 42:5, 1101-1132. doi: https://doi.org/10.1520/GTJ2017038
- Stolte, A.C, Cox, B., (2019). Feasibility of in-situ evaluation of soil void ratio in clean sands using high resolution measurements of Vp and Vs from DPCH testing. AIMS Geosciences, 5:4, 723-749. doi: doi: 10.3934/geosci.2019.4.723
- Passeri, F., Foti, S., Cox, B., Rodriguez-Marek, A., (2019). Influence of epistemic uncertainty in shear wave velocity on seismic ground response analyses. Earthquake Spectra, 35:2, 1-26. doi: https://doi.org/10.1193/011018EQS005M
- Stolte, A.C, Cox, B., (2019). Towards consideration of epistemic uncertainty in shear wave velocity measurements obtained via SCPT. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cgj-2018-0689
- Teague, D.P, Cox, B., Bradley, B., Wotherspoon, L., (2018). Development of deep shear wave velocity profiles with estimates of uncertainty in the complex inter-bedded geology of Christchurch, New Zealand. Earthquake Spectra, 32, 639-672. doi: https://doi.org/10.1193/041117EQS069M
- Bradley, B.A, Wotherspoon, L.M, Kaiser, A.E, Cox, B., Jeong, S., (2018). Influence of site effets on observed ground motions in the Wellington region from the Mw7.8 Kaikoura, New Zealand earthquake. Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, 108:3B, 1722-1735. doi: https://doi.org/10.1785/0120170286
- Vantassel, J., Cox, B., Wortherspoon, L., Stolte, A., (2018). Mapping depth to bedrock, shear stiffness, and fundamental site period at CentrePort, Wellington using surface wave methods: Implications for local seismic site amplification. Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, 108:3B, 1709-1721. doi: https://doi.org/10.1785/0120170287
- Teague, D.P, Cox, B., Rathje, E.R, (2018). Measured vs predicted site response at the Garner Valley Downhole Array considering shear wave velocity uncertainty from borehole and surface wave methods. Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering, 113:10, 339-355. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soildyn.2018.05.031
- Stolte, A.C, Cox, B., Lee, R.C, (2017). An experimental topographic amplification study at Los Alamos National Laboratory using ambient vibrations. Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, 107:3, 1386-1401. doi: doi: 10.1785/0120160269
- Foti, S., Hollender, F., Garofalo, F., Albarello, D., Asten, M., Bard, P.Y, Comina, C., Cornou, C., Cox, B., Di Giulio, G., Forbriger, T., Hayashi, K., Lunedei, E., Martin, A., Mercerat, D., Ohrnberger, M., Poggi, V., Renalier, , Sicilia, D., Socco, L.V, (2017). Guidelines for the good practice of surface wave analysis-A product of the InterPACIFIC project. Bulletin of Earthquake Engineering, 16, 2367-2420. doi: doi:10.1007/s10518-017-0206-7
- Amoroso, S., Milana, G., Rollins, K.M, Comina, C., Minarelli, L., Manuel, M.R, Monao, P., Franceschini, M., Anzidei, M., Lusvardi, C., Cantore, L., Carpena, A., Casadei, S., Cinti, F.R, Civico, R., Cox, B., De Martini, P.M, Di Diulio, G., Di Naccio, D., Di Stefano, G., Facciorusso, J., Famiani, D., Fiorelli, F., Fontana, D., Foti, S., Madiai, C., Marangoni, V., Marangoni, V., Marchetti, D., Marchetti, S.L, Martelli, L., Mariotti, M., Muscolino, E., Pancaldi, D., Passeri, F., Pesci, A., Romeo, G., Sapia, V., Smedile, A., Stefani, M., Tarabusi, G., Teza, G., Vassallo, M., Villani, F., (2017). The first Italian blast-induced liquefaction test (Mirabello, Emilia-Romagna, Italy): description of the experiment and preliminary results. Annals of Geophysics, 60:5, doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4401/ag-7415
- Wood, C.M, Cox, B., Green, R.A, Wotherspoon, L., Bradley, B., 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, doi: https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0001754
- Griffiths, S.C, Cox, B., Rathje, E.M, (2016). Challenges associated with site response analyses for soft soils subjected to high-intensity input ground motions. Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering, 85:1, 1-10. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.soildyn.2016.03.008 *
- Wood, C.M, Cox, B., (2016). Comparision of field data processing methods for evaluation of topographic effects. Earthquake Spectra, 32:4, 2127-2147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1193/111515EQS170M
- Garoalo, F., Foti, S., Hollender, F., Bard, P.Y, Cornou, C., Cox, B., Ohrnberger, M., Sicilia, D., Asten, M., Di Giulio, G., Forbriger, T., Guiller, B., Hayashi, K., Martin, A., Matsushima, S., Mercerat, D., Poggi, V., Yamanaka, H., (2016). InterPACIFIC project: Comparison of invasive and non-invasive methods for seismic site characterization part I: Intra-comparison of surface wave methods. Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering, 82:1, 222-240. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.soildyn.2015.12.010
- Garofalo, F., Foti, S., Hollender, F., Bard, P.Y, Cornou, C., Cox, B., Dechamp, A., Ohrnberger, M., Sicilia, D., Teague, D., Vergniault, C., (2016). InterPACIFIC project: Comparison of invasive and non-invasive methods for seismic site characterization part II: Inter-comparison between surface wave and borehole methods. Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering, 82:1, 241-254. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.soildyn.2015.12.009
- Cox, B., Teague, D.P, (2016). Layering ratios: A systematic approach to the inversion of surface wave data in the absence of a-priori information. Geophysical Journal International, 207, 422-438. doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/gji/ggw282
- Griffiths, S.C, Cox, B., Rathje, E.M, Teague, D.P, (2016). Mapping dispersion misfit and uncertainty in vs profiles to variability in site response estimates. Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, 142:11, doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0001553
- Teague, D.P, Cox, B., (2016). Site response implications associated with using non-unique vs profiles from surface wave inversion in comparison with other commonly used methods of accounting for vs uncertainty. Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering, 91:1, 87-103. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soildyn.2016.07.028
- Griffiths, S.C, Cox, B., Rathje, E.M, Teague, D.P, (2016). Surface wave dispersion approach for evaluating statistical models that account for shear-wave velocity uncertainty. Journal of Geotechnical andGeoenvironmental Engineering, 142:11, doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0001552
- Wotherspoon, L.M, Orense, R.P, Green, R.A, Bradley, B.A, Cox, B., Wood, C.M, (2015). Assessment of liquefaction evaluation procedures and severity index frameworks at Christchurch Strong Motion Stations. Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering, 79b:1, 335-346. doi: http://doi:10.1016/j.soildyn.2015.03.022
- McGann, C.R, Bradley, B.A, Wotherspoon, L.M, Cox, B., (2015). Comparison of a Christchurch-specific CPT-Vs correlation and vs derived from surface wave analysis for strong motion station velocity characterisation. Bulletin of the New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering, 48:2, 81-91.
- Wood, C.M, Cox, B., (2015). Experimental dataset of mining-induced siesmicity for studies of full-scale topographic effects. Earthquake Spectra, 31:1, 541-564. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1193/020314EQS026
- Wotherspoon, L.M, Orense, R.P, Bradley, B.A, Cox, B., Wood, C.M, Green, R.A, (2015). Soil profile characterisation of Christchurch Central Business District Strong Motion Stations. Bulletin of the New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering, 48:3, 147-157.
- Wortherspoon, L., Orense, R., Jacka, M., Green, R., Cox, B., Wood, , (2014). Seismic performance of improved ground sites during the 2010-2011 Canterbury earthquake sequence. Earthquake Spectra, 30:1, 111-129.
- Green, R., Cubinovski, M., Cox, B., Wood, , Wotherspoon, L., Bradley, B., Maurer, B., (2014). Select liquefaction case histories from the 2010-2011 Canterbury earthquake sequence. Earthquake Spectra, 30:1, 131-153.
- Cox, B., Boulanger, R.W, Tokimatsu, K., Wood, C.M, Abe, A., Ashford, S., Donahue, J., Ishihara, K., Kayen, R., Kokusho, T., Mason, B., Moss, R., Stewart, J., Stewart, J., Tohyama, K., Zekkos, D., (2013). Liquefaction at strong motion stations and in Urayasu city during the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. Earthquake Spectra, 29:S1, 55-80.
- McCartney, J.S, Cox, B., Wood, C.M, El Tawati, A., (2013). Performance evaluation of flexible pavements using a new field cyclic plate load test. ASTM Geotechnical Testing Journal, 36:2, 206-215.
- McCartney, J.S, Cox, B., (2013). Role of strain magnitude on the deformation response of geosynthetic-reinforced soil layers. Geosynthetics International, 20:3, 174-190.
- Cox, B., Wood, C.M, (2012). Frozen and unfrozen shear wave velocity seismic microzonation of Fairbanks, Alaska. Journal of Cold Regions Engineering, 26:3, 118-145.
- Rathje, E.M, Bachhuber, J., Dulberg, R., Cox, B., Kottke, A., Wood, C.M, Green, R.A, Olson, S., Wells, D., Rix, G., (2011). Damage patters in Port-au-Price from the 2010 Haiti earthquake and their relationship to geologic conditions. Eaerthquake Spectra, 27:S1, S117-S136.
- Olson, S.M, Green, R.A, Lasley, S., Martin, N., Cox, B., Rathje, E., Bachhuber, J., French, J., (2011). Documenting liquefaction and lateral spreading triggered by the 12 January 2010 Haiti earthquake. Earthquake Spectra, 27:S1, S93-S116.
- Wood, C.M, Cox, B., (2011). Dynamic site characterization of Christchurch strong motion stations. Bulletin of the New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering, 44:4, 195-204.
- Green, R.A, Olson, S.M, Cox, B., Rix, G., Rathje, E., Bachhuber, J., French, J., Lasley, S., Martin, N., (2011). Geotechnical aspects of failures at Port-au-Price seaport during the January 12, 2010 Haiti earthquake. Earthquake Spectra, 27:S1, S43-S65.
- Cox, B., Beekman, A.N, (2011). Intra-method variability in ReMi dispersion vs estimates of shallow bedrock sites. Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, 137:4, 354-362.
- Green, R.A, Allen, J., Wotherspoon, L., Cubrinovski, M., Bradley, B., Bradshaw, A., Cox, B., Algie, T., (2011). Performance of levees (stopbanks) during the 4 September 2010, Mw7.1 Darfield and 22 February 2011, Mw6.2 Christchurch, New Zealand earthquakes. Seismological Research Letters, 82:6, 939-949.
- Yong, A., Hough, S.E, Cox, B., Rathje, E.M, Bachhuber, J., Dulberg, R., Hulslander, D., Christiansen, L., Abrams, M.J, (2011). Seismic zonation of Port-au-Prince using pixel- and object-based imaging analysis methods on ASTER gDEM. Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, 77:9, 909-922.
- Cox, B., Bachhuber, J., Rathje, E., Wood, C.M, Dulberg, R., Kottke, A., Green, R.A, Olson, S., (2011). Shear wave velocity and geology-based seismic microzonation of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Earthquake Spectra, 27:S1, S67-S92.
- Wong, I., Stokoe II, K., Cox, B., Yuan, J., Knudsen, K.L, Terra, F., Okubo, P., (2011). Shear-wave velocity characterization of the USGS Hawaiian strong motion network on the island of Hawaii and development of a NEHRP site class map. Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, 101:5, 2252-2269.
- Wong, I., Stokoe II, K.H, Cox, B., Lin, Y., Menq, F., (2011). Shear-wave velocity profiling of strong motion sites that recorded the 2001 Nisqually, Washington earthquake. Earthquake Spectra, 27:1, 183-212.
- Green, R.A, Wood, C.M, Cox, B., Cubrinovski, M., Wotherspoon, L., Bradley, B., Algie, T., Allen, J., Bradshaw, A., Rix, G., (2011). Use of DCP and SASW to evaluate liqefaction potential: Predictions vs. observations during the recent New Zealand earthquakes. Seismological Research Letters, 82:6, 927-938.
- Cubrinovski, M., Green, R.A, Allen, J., Ashford, S., Bowman, E., Bradley, B., Cox, B., Hutchinson, , Kavazanjian, E., Orense, R., O'Rourke, T., Pender, M., Quigley, M., Wotherspoon, L., (2010). Geotechnical reconnaissance of the 2010 Darfield (New Zealand) earthquake. Bulletin of the New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering, 43:4, 243-320.
- Cox, B., Stokoe II, K.H, Rathje, E.M, (2009). An in-situ test method for evaluating the coupled pore pressure generation and nonlinear shear modulus of liquefiable soils. ASTM Geotechnical Testing Journal, 32:1, 11-21.
- Rodriguez/Marek, A., Alva Hurtado, J., Cox, B., Meneses, J., Montalva, G., Moreno, V., Olcese, M., Sancio, R., Wartman, J., (2007). Geotechnical aspects of teh August 15, 2007 Picso, Peru earthquake. International Journal of Natural Disasters, Accidents, and Civil Infrastructure, 7:2-3, 239-258.
- Chang, W., Rathje, E.M, Stokoe II, K.H, Cox, B., (2004). Direct evaluation of effectiveness of prefabricated vertical drains in liquefiable sand. Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering, 24:9-10, 723-731.
- Terrell, R.G, Cox, B., Stokoe II, K.H, Allen, J.J, Lewis, D., (2003). Field evaluation of the stiffness of unbound aggregate base layers in inverted flexible pavements. Transportation Research Record, Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 1837, 50-60.
An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.
Publications | Other
An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.