Thomas L. Holzer, Ph.D., CEG

Biography

Dr. Thomas L. Holzer is a research geologist with the Earthquake Hazards Team of U.S. Geological Survey in Menlo Park, California. He also is a consulting associate professor with joint appointments in the Departments of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Geological and Environmental Sciences at Stanford University. He received his B.S.E. in geological engineering from Princeton University in 1965 and his M.S. in hydrology in 1966 and Ph.D. in geology in 1970 from Stanford University. His research specialty is engineering geology.

His current research is focused on improving both methodologies for regional mapping of earthquake-induced liquefaction hazard and the understanding of the physics of liquefaction. He is applying the liquefaction potential index (LPI) to develop probabilities of liquefaction for different types of geologic units. The geologic units are characterized by extensive cone penetration testing (CPT). Prototype maps have been prepared for the greater Oakland, California area and Northern Santa Clara County, California. Extensive characterization of geologic units is being conducted in the central and eastern United States. Prior to his current research on liquefaction, he focused on land subsidence and associated earth fissures and surface faulting caused by the pumping of ground water.

Dr. Holzer has conducted many post-earthquake investigations, both foreign and domestic, and recently chaired the committee that wrote the plan to coordinate post-earthquake investigations of the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP).

Selected Publications (past 10 years)

1. Holzer, T.L., Noce, T.E., and Bennett, M.J., 2010, Maps and documentation of seismic CPT soundings in the eastern, central, and western United States: U.S. Geological Survey Open-file Report 2010-1136, 63 p., 3 tables.
2. Holzer, T.L., Jayko, A.S., Hauksson, E., Fletcher, J.P.B., Noce, T.E., Bennett, M.J., and Dietel, C.M., 2010, Liquefaction caused by the 2009 Olancha, California (USA), M5.2 earthquake: Engineering Geology, doi:10.1016/j.enggeo.2010.07.009. .
3. Holzer, T.L., 2009, Living with unstable ground: Alexandria, VA, American Geological Institute Environmental Awareness Series No. 11, 64 p.
4. Holzer, T.L., Noce, T.E., and Bennett, M.J., 2009, Scenario liquefaction hazard maps of Santa Clara Valley, Northern California: Seismological Society of America Bulletin, v. 99, no. 1, p. 367-381.
5. O'Rourke, T.D., Holzer, T.L., Rojahn, C., and Tierney, K., 2008, Contributions of earthquake engineering to protecting communities and critical infrastructure from multihazards: Earthquake Engineering Research Institute, Oakland, CA, 57 p.
6. Holzer, Thomas L., Noce, Thomas E., and Bennett, Michael J., 2008, Liquefaction hazard maps for three earthquake scenarios for the communities of San Jose, Campbell, Cupertino, Los Altos, Los Gatos, Milpitas, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Santa Clara, Saratoga, and Sunnyvale, northern Santa Clara County, California: U.S. Geological Survey Open-file Report 2008-1270, 33 p., 3 plates, and database.
7. Holzer, T.L., 2008, Probabilistic liquefaction hazard mapping, in Zeng, D., Manzari, M.T., and Hiltunen, D., eds., Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering and Soil Dynamics Conference, 4th, Sacramento, Proceedings, ASCE Geotechnical Special Publication No. 181, p. 1-32.
8. Holzer, T.L., and Youd, T.L., 2007, Liquefaction, ground oscillation, and soil deformation at the Wildlife Array, California: Seismological Society of America Bulletin, v. 97, no. 3, p. 961-976.
9. Holzer, T.L., and Bennett, M.J., 2007, Geologic and hydrogeologic controls of boundaries of lateral spreads: Lessons from USGS case histories, in, Schaefer, V.R., Schuster, R.L., and Turner, A.K., eds., First North American Landslide Conference, Proceedings, Association of Engineering Geologists Special Publication 23, p. 502-522.
10. Cox, R.T., Hill, A.A., Larsen, D., Holzer, T.L., Forman, S.L., Noce, T.E., Gardner, C., and Morat, J., 2007, Seismotectonic implications of sand blows in the Southern Mississippi embayment: Engineering Geology, v. 89, no. 3-4, p. 278-299.
11. Holzer, T.L., 2006, Liquefaction-When the ground flows, in d’Alessio, M.A., ed., Earthquake Science Explained, U.S. Geological Survey General Interest Publication 21, p. 6.
12. Holzer, T.L., Bennett, M.J., Noce, T.E., Padovani, A.C., and Tinsley, J.C., III, 2006, Liquefaction hazard mapping with LPI in the greater Oakland, California, area: Earthquake Spectra, v. 22, no. 3, 693-708. 
13. Holzer, T.L., Blair, J.L., Noce, T.E., and Bennett, M.J., 2006, LiqueMap: A real-time postearthquake map of liquefaction probability in National Conference on Earthquake Engineering, 8th, San Francisco, Proceedings, Paper 89, 10 p.
14. Holzer, T.L., Blair, J.L., Noce, T.E., and Bennett, M.J., 2006, Predicted liquefaction of East Bay fills during a repeat of a 1906 San Francisco earthquake: Earthquake Spectra, v. 22, no. S2, p. S261-S277.
15. Holzer, T.L., Scawthorn, C.S., and Rojahn, C., 2005, Coordinating NEHRP post-earthquake investigations–Exercising the Plan: Earthquake Spectra, v. 21, no. 4, p. 1043-1062.
16. Holzer, T.L., and Galloway, D.L., 2005, Impacts of land subsidence caused by withdrawal of underground fluids in the United States, in Ehlen, J., Hanneberg, W., Larson, R., eds., Humans as geologic agents, Geological Society of America Reviews in Engineering Geology VXI, p. 87-99.
17. Holzer, T.L., Noce, T.E., Bennett, M.J., Tinsley, J.C., III, and Rosenberg, L.I., 2005, Liquefaction at Oceano, California, during the 2003 San Simeon earthquake: Bulletin Seismological Society of America, v. 95, no. 6, p. 2396-2411.
18. Holzer, T.L., 2005, Comment on “Comparison between probabilistic seismic hazard analysis and flood frequency analysis” by Zhenming Wang and Lindell Ormsbee: Transactions, American Geophysical Union, Eos, v. 86, no. 33, p. 303.
19. Holzer, T.L., Padovani, A.C., Bennett, M.J., Noce, T.E., and Tinsley, J.C., III, 2005, Mapping NEHRP VS30 site classes: Earthquake Spectra, v. 21, no. 2, p. 353-370.
20. Holzer, T.L., Bennett, M.J., Noce, T.E., Tinsley, J.C., III, 2005, Shear-wave velocity of surficial geologic sediments in Northern California: Statistical distributions and depth dependence: Earthquake Spectra, v. 21, no. 1, p.161-177.
21. Holzer, T.L., Noce, T.E., Bennett, M.J., Di Alessandro, C., Boatwright, J., Tinsley, J.C., III, Sell, R.W., and Rosenberg, L.I., 2004, Liquefaction-induced lateral spreading at Oceano, California, during the 2003 San Simeon earthquake: U.S. Geological Survey Open-file Report 2004-1269, 41 p.
22. Holzer, T.L., Toprak, S., Bennett, M.J., 2003, Application of the liquefaction potential index to liquefaction hazard mapping , in Hamada, M., Bardet, J-P., and O'Rourke, T.D., eds., U.S. - Japan workshop on earthquake resistant design of lifeline facilities and countermeasures against liquefaction, 8th, Tokyo, 2002, Proceedings, Multidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering Research Technical Report MCEER-03-0003, p.161-171.
23. Holzer, T.L., and Bennett, M.J., 2003, Unsaturation beneath a water table: Geological Society of America Journal of Environmental and Engineering Geosciences, v. IX, no. 4, p. 379-385.
24. Holzer, T.L., 2003, Seismic hazards mapping for Project Impact—Berkeley and Oakland, California, in, Disaster Resistant California Conference 2003, San Jose, Proceedings, 10 p. (Available on CD-ROM from the Collaborative for Disaster Mitigation (CDM), San Jose State University, San Jose, CA)
25. Noce, T.E., and Holzer, T.L., 2003, Subsurface exploration with the cone penetration testing truck: U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 028-03, 2 p.
26. Toprak, S., and Holzer, T.L., 2003, Liquefaction potential index: Field assessment: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, v. 129, no. 4, p. 315-322.
27. Holzer, T.L., Borcherdt, R.D., Comartin, C.D., Hanson, R.D., Scawthorn, C.R., Tierney, K., and Youd, T.L., 2003, The plan to coordinate NEHRP post-earthquake investiga-tions: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1242, 17 p.
28. Noce, T.E., and Holzer, T.L., 2003, CPT-hole closure: Ground Water Monitoring & Remediation, v. 23, no. 1, p. 93-96.
29. Holzer, T.L., Wentworth, C.M., Bakun, W.H., Boatwright, J., Brocher, T.M.,  Çelebi, M., Ellsworth, W.L., Fletcher, J.P.B., Geist, E.L., Graymer, R.W., Kayen, R.E., Keefer, D.K., Oppenheimer, D.H., Savage, W.U., Schwartz, D.P., and  Simpson, R.W., 2002, Comments on potential geologic and seismic hazards affecting Mare Island, Solano County, California: U.S. Geological Survey Open-file Report 02-425, 14 p, 8 figs. 
30. Holzer, T.L., Bennett, M.J., Noce, T.E., Padovani, A.C., and Tinsley, J.C., III, 2002, Liquefaction hazard and shaking amplification maps of Alameda, Berkeley, Emeryville, Oakland, and Piedmont, California: A digital database: U.S. Geological Survey Open-file Report 02-296.
31. Holzer, T.L., Toprak, S., and Bennett, M.J., 2002, Liquefaction potential index and seismic hazard mapping in the San Francisco Bay area, California, in Urban Earthquake Risk, National Conference on Earthquake Engineering, 7th, Boston, Proceedings, v. II, p. 1699-1706.
32. Holzer, T.L., 2000, Methods for prediction of earth fissures and faults associated with groundwater withdrawal, in The Fragile Territory, Congresso Nazionale dei Geologi, 10th, Rome, Proceedings, Consiglio Nazionale dei Geologi, p. 179-185.
33. U. S. Geological Survey (Holzer, T.L., scientific editor), 2000, Implications for earthquake risk reduction in the United States from the Kocaeli, Turkey, earthquake of August 17, 1999: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1193, 64 p.
34. Toprak, S., Holzer, T.L., Bennett, M.J., and Tinsley, J.C., III, 1999, CPT- and SPT-based probabilistic assessments of liquefaction potential, in O'Rourke, T.D., Bardet, J-P., and Hamada, M., eds., U.S. - Japan workshop on earthquake resistant design of lifeline facilities and countermeasures against liquefaction, 7th, Seattle, 1999, Proceedings, Multidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering Research Technical Report MCEER-99-0019, p. 69-86.
35. Holzer, T.L., 1999, Extensive research on Loma Prieta improves understanding of earthquakes: Transactions, American Geophysical Union, Eos, v. 80, no. 41, p. 482-483.
36. Holzer, T.L., Bennett, M.J., Ponti, D.J.,and Tinsley, J.C., III, 1999, Liquefaction and soil failure during 1994 Northridge earthquake: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, v. 125, no. 6, p. 438-452.
37. Holzer, T.L. (editor), 1998, The Loma Prieta, California, earthquake of October 17, 1989 – Earth structures and engineering characterization of ground motion: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1552-D, 80 p.
38. Holzer, T.L., 1998, Introduction, in Holzer, T.L., ed., The Loma Prieta, California, earthquake of  October 17, 1989 – Earth structures and engineering characterization of ground motion: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1552-D, p. D1.
39. Bennett, M.J., Ponti, D.J., Tinsley, J.C., III, Holzer, T.L., and Conway, C.H., 1998, Subsurface geotechnical investigations near sites of ground deformation caused by the January 17, 1994, Northridge, California, earthquake: U.S. Geological Survey Open-file Report 98-373, 145 p.
40. Holzer, T.L., 1998, The history of the aquitard-drainage model, in Borchers, J.W., ed., Land subsidence: Case histories and current research: Association of Engineering Geologists Special Publication no. 8, p. 7-16.
41. Tinsley, J. C., III, Egan, J.A., Kayen, R.E., Bennett, M.J., Kropp, A., and Holzer, T.L., 1998, Appendix: Maps and descriptions of liquefaction and associated effects, in Holzer, T.L., ed., The Loma Prieta, California, earthquake of  October 17, 1989 – Liquefaction: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1551-B, p. B287-B314, 2 pls. (1:125,000).
42. Holzer, T.L. (editor), 1998, The Loma Prieta, California, earthquake of October 17, 1989 – Liquefaction: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1551-B, 314 p.
43. Holzer, T.L., 1998, Introduction, in Holzer, T.L., ed., The Loma Prieta, California, earthquake of  October 17, 1989 – Liquefaction: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1551-B, p. B1-B8.
44. Holzer, Thomas L., 1998, Relevance of earthquake science and engineering to insurance, in Earthquake insurance: Public policy perspectives from the Western United States earthquake insurance summit, June 25-26, 1998, Sacramento, CA, Western States Seismic Policy Council, San Francisco, p. 189-190.
45. Massonnet, D., Holzer, T.L., and Vadon, H., 1997, Land subsidence caused by the East Mesa geothermal field, California, observed using SAR interferometry: Geophysical Research Letters, v. 24, no. 8, p. 901-904.
46. Jachens, R.C., and Holzer, T.L., 1982, Differential compaction mechanism for earth fissures near Casa Grande, Arizona: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 93, no. 10, p. 998-1012.
47. Holzer, T.L., 1981, Preconsolidation stress of aquifer systems in areas of induced land subsidence: Water Resources Research, v. 17, no. 3, p. 693-704.
48. Holzer, T.L., and Pampeyan, E.H., 1981, Earth fissures and localized differential subsidence: Water Resources Research, v. 17, no. 1, p. 223-227.
49. Holzer, T.L., 1980, Faulting caused by ground-water level declines, San Joaquin Valley, California: Water Resources Research, v. 16, no. 6, p. 1065-1070.
50. Holzer, T.L., 1979, Elastic expansion of the lithosphere caused by ground-water depletion: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 84, no. B9, p. 4689-4698.
51. Holzer, T.L., Davis, S.N., and Lofgren, B.E., 1979, Faulting caused by groundwater extraction in southcentral Arizona: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 84, no. B2, p. 603-612.

Employment History

From – To	Position
1993 – present	Project Chief, USGS, Menlo Park, CA
1994 – present	Consulting Associate Professor, Departments of Geological and Environmental Sciences and Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
1989 – 1993	Chief, Branch of Engineering Seismology and Geology, USGS, Menlo Park, CA
1984 – 1989	Project Chief, USGS, Menlo Park, CA
1982 – 1984	Deputy Assistant Director for Research, USGS, Reston, VA
1975 – 1982	Project Chief, USGS, Menlo Park, CA
1970 – 1975	Assistant Professor, Department of Geology and Geography, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT

Honors

Award	Date	Organization
Superior Service Award	1981	U.S. Geological Survey
Certificate of Appreciation	1990	U.S. Geological Survey
Public Service Award	1991	U.S. Department of Interior
Distinguished Service Award	1995	Geol. Society of America, Hydrogeology Division
R. H. Jahns Distinguished. Lecturer	1998	Assoc. Eng. Geol./Geol. Society of America
Certificate of Appreciation	1999	City of Oakland, California
Certificate of Appreciation	2001	Association of Bay Area Governments