GLENN BORCHARDT
Pedochronologist/Professional Soil Scientist
Education:
Ph.D., Soil Mineralogy, Oregon State University, Corvallis, 1969 M.S., Clay Mineralogy, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 1966 B.S., Soil Science, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 1964
Employment:
Principal Soil Scientist, Soil Tectonics, P.O. Box 5335, Berkeley, CA 94705, 510-654-1619,
fax, gborchardt@gmail.com, 8/91-12/04(concurrent), 1/05-; Soils Consultant,
Oakland, CA, 5/84-8/91 (concurrent); Associate Geochemist and Earthquake Hazard
Specialist, California Geological Survey, San Francisco,
CA, 1/72-12/04 (concurrent); Visiting Professor in Soil Mineralogy, Department of Soil Science, University of California, Berkeley,
CA, 1/90-5/90 (concurrent). Consultant to numerous geotechnical firms.
National Research Council Postdoctoral Research Associateship, U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, CO, 9/69 to 12/71
Registration:
Certified Professional Soil Scientist No. 24836 (ARCPACS), 1998
Achievements:
Co-developer of the Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis method for correlating geologic materials. Developer of the SIMAN coefficient for use in similarity analysis. Co-developer of planning scenarios for major earthquakes. Developer of soil mineralogical techniques for fault activity investigations involving the new field of "soil tectonics." Co-discoverer of the Holocene slip rates of the Hayward, Honey Lake, and Concord faults.
Professional Organizations:
Soil Science Society of America, Clay Minerals Society, Geological Society of America (Associate Editor, 1972-1982), American Geophysical Union, Association of
Environmental and Engineering Geologists, California Association of Professional Scientists, Professional Soil Scientists Association of California, Seismological Society of America, Earthquake Engineering Research Institute, National Society of Consulting Soil
Scientists, California Council of Geoscience Organizations, Northern California
Geological Society, Philosophy of Science Association, American Physical
Society.
Honors/Awards:
American Men and Women of Science, Who's Who in Technology Today, Who's Who in Science and Engineering, Who's Who in the World,
AEG San Francisco Speaker of the Year, Sigma Xi, Louis Ware Scholarship (UW), Herfurth Efficiency Award (UW), Alpha Zeta, Phi Kappa Phi
Current Research Interests:
Since 1977 my research involved the use of soils in studying fault activity in conjunction with the state's Geohazards Program. Since 1984 I have been studying the paleoseismology of the Hayward and Concord faults with support from
CGS and USGS.
Methodology:
I call my approach to paleoseismology "soil tectonics." I combine field observation, soil and geomorphological description, and sampling with laboratory work involving mineralogical, physical, and chemical analyses to discover the relationships between faults and soils. The data are interpreted through perspectives gained from pedochronology, Quaternary stratigraphy, seismology, geodesy, as well as tectonics. Long term goals in this research include the determination of Holocene slip rates, dates of prehistoric events, recurrence intervals, and ultimately, predictions involving the date, magnitude, and location of future events. Soils are especially important in this work because evidence for the most recent activity usually involves the youngest geologic unit overlying a fault: the soil.
I used this approach in dozens of fault studies in both northern and southern California. The most important involved the proposed Auburn Dam, the proposed Point Conception LNG Terminal, the Vallecitos Reactor near Livermore, USGS-sponsored studies of the Raymond, San Gabriel, Hayward and Concord faults, as well as numerous evaluations of faults for the state's fault zoning program.
Funding:
My work in soil tectonics has been supported by the National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program of the USGS, the California Geological Survey, and various geotechnical consulting firms. Over the years I have received research support from the University of Wisconsin, Oregon State University, AEC, NSF, and NRC-NAS.
Public Service:
I am co-author of a series of Earthquake Planning Scenarios involving the San Andreas, Hayward, Newport-Inglewood, San Jacinto, Rodgers Creek, and Cascadia faults. These highly popular books contain maps showing areas where soil conditions and shaking combine to produce damage to lifelines during hypothetical earthquakes. Since 1982, they have become the basis for emergency response planning throughout California. The scenarios have been widely cited in the press with respect to our prognostications concerning the specific lifelines.
Member of Technical Advisory Committee to modernize the application of the
state's Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Program.
Technical Publications, Abstracts, Consulting Reports, Unpublished Reports: 509 (See Bibliography)
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