Faculty, alumni, and graduate students from the UIS School of Civil Engineering are already on the ground assessing homes and buildings affected by the August 10 earthquake. The mission, composed of 25 volunteer engineers, is supporting the specialized inspections being conducted in Pereira.
UIS engineers in Pereira have already begun inspecting and assessing the structures affected by the August 10 earthquake as part of the mission deployed by the Industrial University of Santander, through its School of Civil Engineering, to provide specialized expertise in response to the emergency.
The Expert Mission consists of 25 professionals: four tenured faculty members from the School of Civil Engineering, three adjunct professors, three students in research programs, and 15 volunteers who are graduates of the UIS Specialization and Master’s programs in Structures.
The team is in Pereira conducting inspections of structures that require a detailed technical evaluation, as part of the actions being carried out by local authorities in the aftermath of the earthquake. “We are here in the city of Pereira as the UIS Group, supporting these post-earthquake efforts and contributing to the evaluation of the structures,” explained Professor Álvaro Viviescas, who noted that the group was formed in response to the city’s request for assistance.
From Quick Inspections to Specialized Assessments
One of the UIS’s contributions on the ground is to support what are known as “Level 2” or “detailed” inspections, which are conducted after the initial emergency assessments. According to Viviescas, the city’s initial response consisted of rapid “Level 1” inspections, which aim to establish initial habitability conditions and determine potential levels of collapse risk.
Now, UIS specialists are participating in a second phase, focused on structures that require a more detailed assessment. “We are currently conducting what are known as Level 2 or detailed inspections, which are carried out by specialists and focus on the most critical structures,” explained the professor.
During the first day of work, the teams were directed to downtown Pereira, where there is a concentration of buildings for which decisions must be made regarding their habitability, restoration, or eventual demolition.
These determinations are essential not only for the safety of the structures but also to allow people to resume their daily activities, including access to their homes, commercial establishments, and other spaces used on a daily basis.
A Strategy for Expanding Inspection Capacity
The mission is also developing a methodology that combines the experience of more seasoned professionals with the participation of engineers who have less professional experience. “We are supporting the teams so that there is a rapid learning curve between the more senior engineers and those who have been in the field for a shorter time,” said Viviescas.
On the first day, the professionals worked in groups of four engineers. The strategy calls for these teams to gradually split up to expand coverage and meet the high demand for inspections in the city.
The plan for the coming days is to form teams consisting of one UIS engineer paired with a local engineer from Pereira who is in their final year of study or a recent graduate, with the goal of increasing coverage capacity while simultaneously transferring knowledge and experience in the structural assessment process.
According to preliminary figures shared by local authorities, between 400 and 600 buildings may be at risk of collapse; therefore, the mission is focusing its efforts on those structures that require specialized assessments.
Training That Builds Responsiveness
The UIS’s presence in Pereira also highlights the value of the specialized training received by professionals enrolled in its graduate programs. The 15 volunteer alumni participating in the mission hold specializations or master’s degrees in structural engineering—programs that have enabled them to develop the skills needed to analyze the behavior of buildings and assess their condition under various types of loads.
For Professor Orlando Arroyo, this experience has an impact that extends beyond the current emergency. “The work carried out by the volunteer graduates of the university’s specialization and master’s programs in structural engineering has helped build capacity,” he stated.
According to the professor, having trained professionals with experience in assessment work ensures that, in the event of a future emergency in Bucaramanga or other regions, there is a pre-established technical capacity to respond.
In this way, the mission not only provides professionals to address the emergency currently facing Pereira but also demonstrates the contribution that UIS’s graduate programs make to building professional capacity for risk management and responding to extreme events.
UIS Experts: Specialized Knowledge at the Service of the Region
The team brings together professionals with experience in civil engineering, structural engineering, seismic engineering, and construction engineering, as well as expertise in structural modeling, structural dynamics, structural monitoring, seismic risk assessment, material behavior, and post-earthquake assessment.
Among the professors on the team is Álvaro Viviescas Jaimes, a civil engineer who graduated cum laude and holds a Ph.D. in Structural Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia. He is a tenured professor at the UIS, coordinator of graduate programs related to civil and structural engineering, and director of the Research Group on Construction Materials and Structures (INME).
Also part of the mission is Orlando Daniel Arroyo Amell, a civil engineer with a Ph.D. in Engineering Sciences, who has experience in nonlinear building modeling, seismic risk assessment of cities, and the response of nonstructural components.
Professor Laura Andrea Vargas Carvajal, a civil engineer (Cum Laude), holds a Ph.D. in Engineering Sciences and a Master’s degree in Structural Engineering. She brings expertise in the seismic behavior of masonry structures, reinforcement strategies, and dynamic characterization through environmental vibration testing. She has also participated in post-earthquake assessment initiatives.
The team also includes José Miguel Benjumea Royero, who holds a Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering and has experience in the analysis, design, and testing of concrete structures and bridge engineering.
Joining them are professionals such as María Alejandra Oliveros Caicedo, a full professor in the field of structures and a structural designer and developer, and Gustavo Andrés Ospina Idárraga, a civil engineer with a master’s and a Ph.D. in structural engineering and experience in structural dynamics, structural health monitoring, numerical modeling, and system identification.
A mission making headway in the field
The UIS expert mission will remain in Pereira on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, in accordance with the schedule established for the fieldwork. Before beginning the inspections, the team held a preparatory session to coordinate logistics with local entities. Based on this coordination, the professionals were assigned according to their different areas of expertise and the needs identified in the field.
Now, out on the streets of Pereira, UIS engineers are moving forward with the assessment of the structures that have sustained the most damage and require specialized evaluation.
The goal is to provide rigorous technical information that will help compile an inventory of the inspected buildings and inform decisions regarding their habitability, restoration, or repair, always prioritizing people’s safety.
The presence of faculty, alumni, and graduate students from the School of Civil Engineering at the Industrial University of Santander demonstrates how education, research, and professional experience can come together to respond to an emergency.
In Pereira, UIS expertise is already on the ground: 25 engineers who are now putting their training and experience to work to assess the structures affected by the earthquake and support the communities in need of assistance.
