Sergio A. Sepúlveda

Education

  • Ph.D. (Engineering Geology), University of Leeds, U.K., 2004.
  • M.S. in Engineering (Geo-engineering), University of California at Berkeley, 2001.
  • Professional Degree of Geologist, University of Chile, 1999.
  • B.Sc. Geology, University of Chile, 1997.

 

Employment History

  • Assistant Professor, Department of Geology, University of Chile, 2005 - present.
  • Consultant in engineering geology and natural hazards, 2005-present.
  • Instructor, Department of Geology, University of Chile,   2000 - 2005.
  • Teaching Assistant, University of Leeds, 2001 - 2004.
  • Laboratory Assistant, UC Berkeley Seismological Laboratory, 2001.
  • Engineering Geologist, Arcadis Geotecnica, Santiago de Chile, 1999-2000.
  • Teaching Assistant, University of Chile, 1996-2000.

 

Honours

  • Andes Foundation Scholarship for Young Researchers, 2005.
  • Roy J. Shlemon Scholarship Award for 'outstanding student research' in engineering geology at Doctorate level. Geological Society of America, Engineering Geology Division, 2002.
  • National Scholarship Program Grant for Doctoral Studies. Government of Chile, 2001-2004.
  • Fulbright Scholarship for graduate studies in USA. United States Government, 2000-2001.
  • Trask, Seed and Lysmer Fellowship for graduate studies. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of  California at Berkeley, 2000-2001.
  • Barsa scholarship, for graduate studies of latin-american students in USA, 2000-2001.
  • First place of 1998 Graduating Students Ranking of Geology, University of Chile.
  • Nominations as Outstanding Student of Geology, 1996, 1997 & 1998, University of Chile.

 

Recent Publications

  • Sepúlveda, S.A., Serey, A., Lara, M., Pavez, A., Rebolledo, S., 2010. Landslides induced by the 2007 Aysen Fjord earthquake, Chilean Patagonia. Landslides 7, 483-492.
  • Leyton, F., Ruiz, S., Sepúlveda, S.A., 2010. Reevaluación del peligro sísmico probabilístico en Chile central. Andean Geology, 37(2), 455-472.
  • Lara, M., Sepúlveda, S.A.., 2010. Landslide susceptibility and hazard assessment in San Ramón ravine, Santiago, Central Chile, from an engineering geological approach. Environmental Earth Sciences, 60(6), 1227-1243.
  • Sepúlveda, S.A., Rebolledo, S., 2010. Prevención de desastres naturales en Chile: Una propuesta desde la perspectiva de las geociencias. Revista INVI, Instituto de la Vivienda U. de Chile, Volumen Nº 25, Nº 68, Separata, 63-68. 
  • Leyton, F., Ruiz, S., Sepúlveda, S.A., 2009. Preliminary revaluation of probabilistic seismic hazard assessment in Chile: from Arica to Taitao Peninsula. Advances in Geosciences 22, 147-153.
  • Sepúlveda, S.A., Serey, A., 2009. Tsunamigenic, earthquake-triggered rock slope failures during the 21st of April 2007 Aisén earthquake, Southern Chile (45.5ºS). Andean Geology 36(1), 131-136.
  • Pinto, L., Hérail, G., Sepúlveda, S.A., Kropp, P., 2008. A Neogene giant landslide in Tarapacá, northern Chile: a signal of instability of the westernmost Altiplano and palaeoseismicity effects. Geomorphology, 102, 532-541.
  • Sepúlveda, S.A., Padilla, C., 2008. Rain-induced debris and mud flow triggering factors assessment in the Santiago Cordilleran foothills, Central Chile. Natural Hazards, 47, 201-215.
  • Sepúlveda, S.A., Astroza, M., Kausel., E., Campos, J., Casas, E.A., Rebolledo, S., Verdugo, R., 2008. New findings on the 1958 Las Melosas earthquake sequence, central Chile: implications for seismic hazard related to shallow crustal earthquakes in subduction zones. Journal of Earthquake Engineering, 12(3),  432-455.
  • Sepúlveda, S.A., Rebolledo, S., Vargas, G., 2006. Recent catastrophic debris flows in Chile: geological hazard, climatic relationships and human response. Quaternary International, 158, 83-95.
  • Sepúlveda S.A., Murphy, W., Jibson, R.W., Petley, D.N., 2005. Seismically-induced rock slope failures resulting from topographic amplification of strong ground motions: The Case of Pacoima Canyon, California. Engineering Geology, 80, 336-348.
  • Sepúlveda S.A., Murphy, W., Petley, D.N., 2005. Topographic controls on coseismic rock slides during the 1999 Chi-Chi earthquake, Taiwan. Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology, 38, p. 189-196.
  • Sepúlveda S.A., Murphy, W., Petley, D.N., 2004. The Role of Topographic Amplification Effects on the Generation of Earthquake-Induced Rock Slope Failures. In Landslides, Evaluation and Stabilization. Lacerda, W.A., Ehrlich, M., Fontoura, S.A.B. & Sayao, S.F. (eds.), Balkema, Vol.1, 311-315.

 

Recent Conference Papers and Abstracts (2008 to date)

  • Leyton, F., Sepúlveda S.A., Astroza, M., Rebolledo, S., Acevedo, P., Ruiz, S., González, L., Foncea, C., 2011. Seismic zonation of the Santiago basin, Chile. 5th International Conference on Earthquake Geotechnical Engineering, Santiago, in press.
  • Redfield, T., Hermanns, R., Oppikofer, T., Duhart, P., Mella, M., Derch, P., Bascuñán, I., Arenas, M., Fernández, J., Sepúlveda, S., Rebolledo, S., Loew, S., Yugsi Molina, F., Abächerli, A., Henderson, I.H.C,  Jaboyedoff, M., Kveldsvik, V., 2011.  Analysis of the 2007 earthquake-induced Punta Cola rockslide and tsunami, Aysén fjord, Patagonia, Chile (45.3º s, 73.0° w). 5th International Conference on Earthquake Geotechnical Engineering, Santiago, in press.
  • Leyton, F., Sepúlveda, S.A., Astroza, M., Rebolledo, S., González, L., Ruiz, S., Fondea, C., Herrera, M., Lavado, J., 2010. Zonificación sísmica de la cuenca de Santiago. X Congreso Chileno de Sismología e Ingeniería Antisísmica, Achisina, Santiago, Chile, paper B9.
  • Leyton, F., Ruiz, S., Sepúlveda, S.A., Rebolledo, S., 2010. Coeficientes de amplificación del sitio en espectros de respuesta para sismos moderados en la cuenca de Santiago. X Congreso Chileno de Sismología e Ingeniería Antisísmica, Achisina, Santiago, Chile, paper A17.
  • Sabaj, R., Rebolledo, S., Leyton, F., Sepúlveda, S.A., 2010. Peligro sísmico asociado a fallas potencialmente activas en la Cordillera de la Costa entre los 33º y 33.45ºS. X Congreso Chileno de Sismología e Ingeniería Antisísmica, Achisina, Santiago, Chile, paper A5.
  • Sepúlveda, S.A., Serey, A., Náquira, V. Coastal landslides triggered by earthquakes and related hazards: The case of the Chilean fjordland. 7th International Conference on Geomorphology, Melbourne, Australia, CD-Rom
  • Náquira, V., Sepúlveda, S.A., Arenas, M., 2009. Antecedentes geológicos y geomorfológicos para el análisis de susceptibilidad de remociones en masa en la zona de Hornopirén (41°50'- 42°10'). Actas XII Congreso Geológico Chileno, Santiago, paper S3_013.
  • Serey, A. Sepúlveda, S.A., Lara, M., 2009. Análisis de las remociones en masa generadas por el terremoto en el Fiordo de Aysén el 2007 (45°25'S). Actas XII Congreso Geológico Chileno, Santiago, paper S3_024.
  • Moreiras, S.M., Sepúlveda, S.A., 2009. Large paleo-landslides in the Central Andes (32° - 33° S): new challenges. Actas XII Congreso Geológico Chileno, Santiago, paper S3_022.
  • Sepúlveda, S.A., Rebolledo, S., Petley, D.N., Alvarez, M., Schachter, P., 2009. El Deslizamiento de San José de Maipo: Nuevos Antecedentes e Implicancias en el Peligro Geológico. Actas XII Congreso Geológico Chileno, Santiago, paper S3_023.
  • Sepúlveda, S.A., Piñero-Feliciangeli, L., Stumpf, A., Schachter, P., 2009. Susceptibilidad de Remoción en Masa en la Zona Cordillerana de Santiago mediante Métodos Estadísticos Multivariados. Actas XII Congreso Geológico Chileno, Santiago, paper S3_021.
  • Vargas, G., Rebolledo, S., Sepúlveda, S.,  Thiele, R., Townley, B., Padilla, C., Rauld, R., Herrera, M., 2009. La ruptura sísmica submarina de Abril de 2007 y tectónica activa en la Falla Liquiñe-Ofqui, Aysén, Chile. Actas XII Congreso Geológico Chileno, Santiago, paper S9_089.
  • Sepúlveda, S.A., Serey, A., Leyton, F., 2009. Efecto  topográfico en la generación de deslizamientos  asociados al terremoto del fiordo Aysén de 2007, sur de Chile. IX Congreso Venezolano de Sismología e Ingeniería Sísmica, Caracas, paper CON-11. 
  • Sepúlveda, S.A., Schachter, P., Piñero, L., Stumpf, A., Leyton, F., 2009. Análisis de susceptibilidad de remoción en masa en territorios con sismicidad usando métodos estadísticos multivariados: ejemplo en Santiago de Chile. V Coloquio sobre Microzonificación Sísmica, Caracas, Venezuela, paper CLQ-17.
  • Leyton, F., Ruiz, S., Sepúlveda, S.A., 2008.   Reevaluating the Probabilistic Seismic Hazard in Chile. Proceedings, 4th Alexander von Humboldt International Conference, The Andes: Challenge for Geosciences, Santiago, paper AVH4-A-00040
  • Sepúlveda, S.A., Serey, A., Lara, M., Rebolledo, S., 2008. Deslizamientos cosísmicos asociados al terremoto del Fiordo Aysén de 2007, sur de Chile.  Actas XVII Congreso Geológico Argentino, Jujuy, Vol. 1, 316-317.
  • Rebolledo, S., Sepúlveda, S.A., Lara, M., Padilla, C., 2008. Enfoques metodológicos para la evaluación de peligro de remociones en masa en los Andes chilenos. XVII Congreso Geológico Argentino, Jujuy, Vol. 1, 307-308.
  • Sepúlveda, S.A., Serey, A., Pavez, A., Barrientos, S., Lara, M., 2008. Analysis of earthquake-induced landslides during the 2007 Aysén Fjord seismic Swarm, Chilean Patagonia (45.5ºS). Proceedings, 33rd International Geological Congress, Oslo, Norway, paper GHZ04203L.

 

Professional Affiliations

  • Geological Society of America - Engineering Geology Division.
  • Berkeley Geoengineering Society.
  • Sociedad Geológica de Chile.


Updated in January 2011