Current Professional Societies

1.Board member of the Sub-society for Underground Space of Chinese Society for Rock Mechanics and Engineering (2019~)

2. Member of Seismological Society of China (2016~)

Research Areas

1. Lifeline and Infrastructure Earthquake Engineering;

2. Network Reliability Evaluation;

3. Hydraulic Simulation of Water Distribution System;

Publications

1. Han Z., Ma D., Hou B.*, et al. (2020). Seismic resilience enhancement of urban water distribution system using restoration priority of pipeline damages. Sustainability, 12(3), 914. (doi: 10.3390/su12030914)

2. Hou B., Han Z., Zhong Z., et al. (2019). Seismic reliability analysis method of underground pipeline network considering correlation of variables. China Civil Engineering Journal, 52(12):66-79. (doi: 10.15951/j.tmgcxb.2019.12.007)

3. Han Z., Ma D., Hou B.*, et al. (2019). Post-earthquake hydraulic analyses of urban water supply network based on pressure drive demand model. Scientia Sinica Technologica, 49(3): 351-362. (doi: 10.1360/N092017-00429)

4. Hou B., Li X., Han Q., et al. (2017). Seismic retrofit priority assessment of highway networks based on multi-indices analysis. Scientia Sinica Technologica, 48(2): 217-228. (doi: 10.1360/N092017-00040)

5. Hou B., Li X., Liu A., et al. (2016). Evolution process-based importance sampling model for network reliability evaluation. System Engineering Theory and Practice, 36(7):1837-1847. (doi: 10.12011/1000-6788(2016)07-1837-11)

6. Hou B., Li X., Liu A., et al. (2016). Monte Carlo simulation of buried pipeline network seismic reliability with correlated failure of pipelines. Journal of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Engineering, 36(1): 31-38. (doi: 10.13409/j.cnki.jdpme.2016.01.011)

7. Hou B., Du X. (2015). A heuristic search space reduction method for water distribution system seismic design optimization. Scientia Sinica Technologica, 45(7):747-756. (doi: 10.1360/N092014-00235)

8. Hou B., Du X., Wang W. (2015). Seismic performance-based design of water distribution system considering comprehensive importance of users. China Civil Engineering Journal, 48(5):11-22. (doi: 10.15951/j.tmgcxb.2015.05.002)

Personal statement

Dr. Benwei HOU mainly engaged in seismic performance assessment of infrastructure systems, he has published over 30 research papers, and developed the software tools for post-earthquake performance assessment of water distribution system (WDS) and highway networks. Dr. Hou and his colleagues has developed the earthquake-induced leakage model of water pipelines, post-earthquake hydraulic simulation methods of WDS, and seismic design optimization model of WDS. In the field of uncertainty performance of network system, he proposed an importance sampling Monte Carlo simulation method, which is believed as an effective analysis tool for network reliability evaluation. In the simulation of the post-earthquake restoration of WDS, he proposed a greedy strategy for reparation sequencing of damaged pipelines, which has been tested and verified on benchmark WDS following scenario earthquakes. Dr. HOU is one of the secretaries of International Society of Lifeline and Infrastructure Earthquake Engineering (2016~), and with the corporations between researchers from Japan, USA and UK, such as Kobe University, De Montfort University, and Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.