Max Stephens

Dr. Max Stephens works in the area of structural engineering with an emphasis on resiliency and engineering for extreme events. His research interests span multiple scales – from structural-component to community-wide. His specific interests include:
• Advancing earthquake engineering tools and practice through the integration of high resolution experimentation and numerical analysis.
• Developing new and innovative systems to facilitate construction and mitigate damage to meet resiliency requirements in infrastructure and buildings.
• Analyzing structures in coastal regions for sequential natural hazards.
• Integrating probabilistic methods previously proven in other fields to advance understanding of uncertainty in structural performance.

  • PhD, University of Washington
  • MS, Portland State University
  • BS, Portland State University

  • Puranam, A., Filippova, O., Pastor-Paz, J., Stephens, M., Elwood, K.J., Ismail, N., Noy, I., & Opabola, E. (2019). A detailed inventory of medium to high-rise buildings in Wellington's central business district. Bulletin of the New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering, 52(4), 172-192.New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering. doi: 10.5459/bnzsee.52.4.172-192.
  • Roeder, C.W., Stephens, M.T., & Lehman, D.E. (2018). Concrete Filled Steel Tubes for Bridge Pier and Foundation Construction. International Journal of Steel Structures, 18(1), 39-49.Springer Nature. doi: 10.1007/s13296-018-0304-7.
  • Stephens, M.T., Dusicka, P., & Lewis, G. (2018). End web stiffeners for connecting ductile replaceable links. JOURNAL OF CONSTRUCTIONAL STEEL RESEARCH, 150, 405-414.Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.jcsr.2018.08.037.
  • Stephens, M.T., Lehman, D.E., & Roeder, C.W. (2018). Seismic performance modeling of concrete-filled steel tube bridges: Tools and case study. ENGINEERING STRUCTURES, 165, 88-105.Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.engstruct.2018.03.019.
  • Chandramohan, R., Ma, Q., Wotherspoon, L.M., Bradley, B.A., Nayyerloo, M., Uma, S.R., & Stephens, M.T. (2017). Response of instrumented buildings under the 2016 Kaikoura earthquake. Bulletin of the New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering, 50(2), 237-252.New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering. doi: 10.5459/bnzsee.50.2.237-252.
  • Zhu, H., Li, Y., Stephens, M., Zhang, X., & Che, X. (2017). Experimental study on seismic behavior of assembly CFST column-to-cap beam connections. Tumu Gongcheng Xuebao/China Civil Engineering Journal, 50(8), 29-37.
  • Zhu, H., Stephens, M.T., Roeder, C.W., & Lehman, D.E. (2017). Inelastic response prediction of CFST columns and connections subjected to lateral loading. Journal of Constructional Steel Research, 132, 130-140.Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.jcsr.2017.01.016.
  • Stephens, M.T., Berg, L.M., Lehman, D.E., & Roeder, C.W. (2016). Seismic CFST Column-to-Precast Cap Beam Connections for Accelerated Bridge Construction. Journal of Structural Engineering, 142(9), 04016049.American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). doi: 10.1061/(asce)st.1943-541x.0001505.
  • Stephens, M.T., Lehman, D.E., & Roeder, C.W. (2016). Design of CFST column-to-foundation/cap beam connections for moderate and high seismic regions. Engineering Structures, 122, 323-337.Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.engstruct.2016.05.023.
  • Roeder, C.W., Lehman, D.E., & Stephens, M. (2014). Concrete-Filled Steel Tubes for Accelerated Bridge Construction. Transportation Research Record Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 2406(1), 49-58.SAGE Publications. doi: 10.3141/2406-06.
  • Stephens, M., & Dusicka, P. (2014). Continuously Stiffened Composite Web Shear Links: Tests and Numerical Model Validation. Journal of Structural Engineering, 140(7), 04014040.American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). doi: 10.1061/(asce)st.1943-541x.0000996.
  • Stephens, M., & Dusicka, P. (2014). Analytical and Numerical Evaluation of Continuously Stiffened Composite Web Shear Links. Journal of Structural Engineering, 140(6), 04014013.American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). doi: 10.1061/(asce)st.1943-541x.0001029.

  • Stephens, M.T., Winter, A., Motley, M.R., & Lehman, D.E. (2017). Comparing seismic and tsunami load demands on reinforced concrete and concrete filled steel tube bridges. In IABSE Conference, Vancouver 2017: Engineering the Future - Report, (pp. 691-698).
  • Stephens, M.T., Berg, L., Lehman, D.E., & Roeder, C.W. (2014). Seismic Design of Circular Concrete Filled Tube Bridge Pier Connections for Accelerated Bridge Construction. In Structures Congress 2014, (pp. 711-722).American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). doi: 10.1061/9780784413357.064.
  • Stephens, M.T., Berg, L., Lehman, D.E., & Roeder, C.W. (2014). Concrete-filled tubes for accelerated bridge construction. In NCEE 2014 - 10th U.S. National Conference on Earthquake Engineering: Frontiers of Earthquake Engineering. doi: 10.4231/D3RJ48V7W.
  • Stephens, M., Dusicka, P., & Lewis, G. (2011). Buckling Behavior of Shell Elements Subjected to Inelastic Reversed Cyclic Loading. In Structures Congress 2011, (pp. 3080-3091).American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). doi: 10.1061/41171(401)268.
headshot of Max Stephens
Contact Max Stephens
Adjunct Lecturer
Work: 412-624-9207
Civil & Environmental Engr