GeoSystems Engineering

Geosystems Sensing and Analytics Laboratory (GeoSAL)

About
Equipment

The Geosystems Sensing and Analytics Laboratory (GeoSAL) is housed at the Hearst Mining Building, about 1 min walk from Davis Hall. GeoSAL enables modern techniques for field characterization, in-situ testing, field sensing and monitoring of infrastructure and the geoenvironment.

GeoSAL promotes multi-scale, integrated, innovative sensing at the component (local) and system (regional) level. Key to leveraging the sensing capabilities is the ability to analyze big data collected by our sensors, robots and satellites using customized scripts and Artificial Intelligence algorithms.

Field Equipment

GeoSAL houses a diverse and unique set of Field testing and Monitoring equipment that is used in support of our Research and Education Mission

Virtual & Mixed Reality Hub

GeoSAL has in-house capabilities in support of Virtual Reality, Mixed Reality and Visualization projects. These capabilities are used in both research and teaching activities

Sensor Development

GeoSAL has equipment and staff that support manufacturing (mechanical and electronics), development and placement of sensors

Disasters Response Hub

GeoSAL support the Cal Geosystems team in immediate deployments to disaster affected areas. Our team has deployed to numerous locations globally and nationwide following earthquakes, huricanes, monsoons, floods and wildfires. Team members have a history of leadership with the GEER organization.

Big Data Analytics

GeoSAL has ongoing research projects that focus harness the large amounts of data generated by sensors, robots and autonomous infrastructure. Such approaches are commonly AI-based and include Digital Twins methodologies, machine learning frameworks, digital image analysis algorithms, data fusion frameworks.

GeoSAL houses a diverse and unique set of Field testing and Monitoring equipment that is used in support of our Research and Education Mission.

GPS

Fleet of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Optical, Infrared & Laser Sensors

Distributed Fiber Optic Sensing

Wireless Sensor Networks

LiDAR

Electromagnetics

Seismic Geophysics

Equipment capabilities include:

Equipment for subsurface characterization
A Dynamic Cone Penetrometer
A Dynamic Penetration Test
A wide range of survey-grade GPS systems
A fleet of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
A range of optical, infrared and Laser sensors that are mounted on our robots
Distributed Fiber Optic Sensing
Terrestrial Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR)
Electromagnetic Sensors
Seismic Geophysics equipment for Surface Waves: Microtremor Array Methods (Spatial Autocorrelation [SPAC] and frequency-wavenumber [ƒ-K]), Horizontal-to-Vertical Spectral Ratios (HVSR), Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW), and frequency -controlled continuous sine wave Spectral Analysis of Surface Waves (SASW)
Seismic Geophysics equipment for Body waves: Seismic reflection and refraction tomography
Wireless Sensors for Wireless Sensor Networks
Computing Facilities for Data Analysis
Virtual and Mixed Reality Hub

If you are interested in collaborating with GeoSAL, please contact Prof. Dimitrios Zekkos or directly any of the Faculty members of the Geosystems Group.

Latest Research News

The 2022 Geotechnical Engineering Research Symposium was a success!

Nov 28, 2022 | General

The sixth annual UC Berkeley Geotechnical Engineering Research Symposium was held on November 18, 2022, at the Banatao Auditorium in Sutardja Dai Hall. The symposium showcased current research works in the GeoSystems Engineering group at UC Berkeley and bridged academic and industry communities.   The keynote speakers for the event were four Ph.D. and postdoctoral researchers in the GeoSystems Engineering program. They presented their ...

PhD students Gomberg and Kassem participate in GEER expedition to Puerto Rico to Map Precipitation-Induced Landslides after Hurricane Fiona

Nov 18, 2022 | General

PhD students Drew Gomberg and Mirna Kassem, advised by Professor Dimitrios Zekkos, just returned from an expedition in Puerto Rico as part of a GEER (Geotechnical Extreme Event Reconnaissance) deployment. The one-week field deployment aimed to collect data about precipitation-induced landslides caused by the recent 2022 Hurricane Fiona. This was in collaboration with colleagues from the University of Puerto Rico (led by Prof. Alesa ...

Soga Students Attend the MPM Workshop

Oct 07, 2022 | General

Dr. Yong Liang (Postdoctoral researcher), Bodhinanda Chandra (PhD candidate), and Joel Given (PhD student) recently traveled to University of Texas, Austin to represent Prof. Kenichi Soga’s Computational Geomechanics research team at this year’s Material Point Method (MPM) Workshop.  The workshop provides an opportunity for researchers to present and discuss on-going work related to theoretical and computational developments in the MPM. A ...

Register for the 6th Annual UC Berkeley Geotechnical Engineering Research Symposium

Sep 30, 2022 | General

The 6th annual Geotechnical Engineering Research Symposium will be held on Friday, November 18, 2022, from 1-5 pm at the Banatao Auditorium in Sutardja Dai Hall on the UC Berkeley Campus. The symposium highlights the research conducted by current Ph.D. students and Research Associates at UC Berkeley in the GeoSystems Group through spotlight presentations and poster presentations. To register, please follow this link: Register Here & ...

Research Expedition to characterize rock masses and landslides from Hurricane Maria and 2020 Earthquake in Puerto Rico conducted by Zekkos, Gong, Blunts, and Kassem

Sep 28, 2022 | Hurricane

  Lookig Weibing Gong presenting results of a regional co-seismic landslide model for the 2020 Puerto Rico earthquake.    Professor Dimitrios Zekkos and his group, including PhD students Weibing Gong, Parker Blunts, and Mirna Kassem, participated in an expedition in Puerto Rico in May 2022. The expedition included a one-week landslide hazard workshop with colleagues from NASA, USGS, the University of ...

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