Guide to the John A. Blume papers SC0684

University Archives staff

Department of Special Collections and University Archives

October 2010; last updated December 2024

Green Library

557 Escondido Mall

Stanford 94305-6064

Fax Number: (650) 723-8690

specialcollections@stanford.edu

Note

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Contributing Institution: Department of Special Collections and University Archives

Title: John A. Blume papers

Creator: Blume, John A.

source: Stanford University. School of Engineering

Identifier/Call Number: SC0684

Physical Description: 49.5 Linear Feet 33 cartons

Date (inclusive): 1903-1994

Date (bulk): 1928-1994

Physical Description: Special Collections and University Archives materials are stored offsite and must be paged 48 hours in advance. For more information on paging collections, see the department's website: http://library.stanford.edu/spc.

Language of Material: English .

Information about Access

Materials are open for research use. Audio-visual materials are not available in original format, and must be reformatted to a digital use copy.

Ownership & Copyright

All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from, or otherwise use collection materials must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections and University Archives, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford, California 94304-6064. Consent is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission from the copyright owner. Such permission must be obtained from the copyright owner, heir(s) or assigns. See: http://library.stanford.edu/depts/spc/pubserv/permissions.html.

Restrictions also apply to digital representations of the original materials. Use of digital files is restricted to research and educational purposes.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of the estate of John A. Blume, 2003

Biographical/Historical Sketch

Blume, known as the father of earthquake engineering, earned his B.S. in civil engineering in 1933 and his engineer's degree in 1935 at Stanford University. He was a construction engineer on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge and later worked for Standard Oil. In 1945 he established his own structural and earthquake engineering firm. He returned to Stanford in 1964 for graduate work and earned his doctorate in civil engineering in 1967. He died in 2002.

Description of the Collection

Collection includes subject and reference files on earthquakes and earthquake-resistant design; slides, photographs, and videos pertaining to earthquakes and earthquake engineering; course files as both student and teacher; reports and other materials on Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant; and talks, lectures, and reprints by Blume. Some materials pertain to the career of his father, Charles A. Blume. Items of note include US Coast and Geodetic Survey reports on California cities, 1930s-40s; photo album published by Kinnear Manufacturing on fire retardants in the San Francisco fire of 1906; and an album of views of San Francisco, 1915.

Preferred Citation

John A. Blume Papers (SC0684). Department of Special Collections and University Archives, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford, Calif.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Diablo Canyon Nuclear Powerplant (Calif.)

Civil engineers.

Earthquake resistant design.

San Francisco Earthquake and Fire, Calif., 1906

Earthquake engineering.

U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey

Blume, Charles A.

Blume, John A.

Stanford University. School of Engineering

Papers, 2003-281 Accession ARCH-2003-281

Box 1

Notes, testimonies, file reports, etc. for hearings regarding earthquakes, 1978-1981 (many files re Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant)

Box 2

Product files, research models, instruments and equipment, 1958-1977

Box 2

Reprints by other writers

Box 2

Files re Peru earthquake of January 1958

Box 2

"Jokes and talk material"

Box 3

Bibliographic references

Box 3

NVO project materials [box as a whole covers 1966-1988]

Box 3

Soil data Jan. 1966 by Blume

Box 3

SLAC 1964 info (EQ studies/survey)

Box 3

SU 20th class reunion (class of '32 or '33)

Box 3

Earthquake Engineering and Stanford, 1964 report

Box 3

Stanford course files (as student and as professor)

Box 3

Blume's evaluations of papers by other professionals

Box 3

Reports by Blume & Associates 1978, 1982

Box 3

Shock impact, table pulses & blasts subject files

Box 3

Sound acoustics and music subject files

Box 3

Tests and devices subject files

Box 3

Random excitation subject files

Box 3

Design for blast & blast shelters subject files

Box 3

Future seismic research work subject files

Box 3

Human perception of motion subject files

Box 4

Vibration subject files

Box 4

EQ records, damage subject files

Box 4

EQ-resistant design subject files

Box 4

Files on various structural entities (grandstands, stadiums, etc)

Box 4

Files on law

Box 4

Files on materials

Box 5

EQ-resistant design subject files

Box 5

Code work on EQ subject files

Box 5

Seismology instruments subject files

Box 5

Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant files

Box 5

SRP files [unsure of meaning – structural something?]

Box 5

Papers by other professionals

Box 5

US Coast and Geodetic Survey reports re California cities 1930s-40s

Box 6

More subject files

Box 6

More US Coast and Geodetic Survey reports

Box 6

Papers by Blume

Box 6

Architectural exam 1949 [licensing-type exam]

Box 6

Lehigh trip 1972

Box 6

Tall buildings committee files

Box 6

EERI minutes, Board of Directors 1978-79

Box 6

Clippings on various earthquakes

Box 6

Coast Geodetic and EERI assorted materials 1949-50

Box 7

Blume's papers and reprints

Box 7

Assorted Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant materials

Box 8

Assorted Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant materials

Box 8

Nuclear Regulatory Commission legal suit (S. Carolina) – transcript of Blume's deposition

Box 8

Tentative Provisions for Development of Seismic Regulations, 1978 report

Box 9

Long Beach condominium complex files (structural issues)

Box 9

EQ damage evaluation data for California

Box 9

Assorted Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant files, late 1960s-1970s

Box 9

Data re Blume, Hosgri, Spectra

Box 9

Meeting and data files, 1976

Box 10

Diablo Canyon material: Study of Trifunac Attenuation c. 1977-1978

Box 10

Diablo Canyon material: PGE Diffuse Area Probabilistic Study 1977

Box 10

Diablo Canyon material: Santa Barbara earthquake Aug. 13, 1978

Box 10

Data re Alexander building, San Francisco, 1956

Box 10

Diablo Canyon: Clippings

Box 10

Diablo Canyon: Letter from attorneys 1986

Box 10

Diablo Canyon: More legal and engineering documents 1983

Box 11

Diablo Canyon: Auxiliary building analysis

Box 11

Diablo Canyon: Annulus spectra 1977-83

Box 11

Diablo Canyon: Internal report – URS/Blume on DC 1982

Box 11

Materials related to work for PG&E

Box 11

Cornell correspondence – review of Blume document 1976

Box 11

PG&E proposals 1978

Box 11

Bechtel

Box 11

PG&E 1982

Box 11

Press re: "DC flap"

Box 12

Talks and lectures by Blume: Stanford, 1939-69; other 1946-69

Box 13

Talks and reprints 1957-59

Box 13

Blume's student notes at SU, 1928-32

Box 13

Cost data for buildings

Box 13

Testimony in cases

Box 13

Talk (?) on Relationship of Peak Ground Acceleration, Intensity and Local Magnitude, 1981

Box 13

Testimony South Carolina Electric & Gas, 1981

Box 13

EQ Evaluation Data for California – draft 1984

Box 13

EQ Evaluation Data for California – draft 1985

Box 14

Applied Technology Council Project/Meetings 1984

Box 14

Fees & Services – collected documentation

Box 14

JAB-QS - Long Beach material 1978-82

Box 14

Paper redone by Blume, etc, 1988 (Edward C. Robinson 1950)

Box 14

Alexander building files – 1962 note by JAB

Box 15

JAB publicity clippings, souvenirs & scrapbook data "Box #2,3"

Box 15

Notebook for CE105 Problems, 1932

Box 15

Steel Moment Frame Connection (publication)

Box 16

Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant – notebook 1977

Box 16

Advances in Earthquake Engineering 1980 (Continuing Studies notebook)

Box 16

Computer programs written & used at SU (1965)

Box 16

Miscellaneous publications/reprints

Box 17

Atomic Energy – South Carolina material

Box 17

Wind Loading – information

Box 17

Blume – "Professional Qualifications"

Box 17

CA – Board of Registration – structural exams

Box 17

Colliers – 1956 – (1906 earthquake)

Box 17

Newspaper – SF Chron 1956

Box 17

CA – Board of Registration – civil eng. exams

Box 17

SU 1933 Class – 1953 reunion

Box 17

CA Division of Highways – Civil Service exams 1933

Box 17

Papers, 1977-82

Box 17

Miscellaneous publications

Box 18

Miscellaneous unsorted materials – ephemera/publications

Box 19

Binders of photographs of earthquakes

Box 20

Binders of photographs of earthquakes

Box 20

Notebooks of Blume

Box 20

Loose pages from photo book

Box 21

Slides and photographs (mostly professional, some personal)

Box 22

Slides and slide transparencies

Box 23

Slides

Box 23

Memorabilia related to trip (China?)

Box 23

Photographs

Box 24

Diablo Canyon Reports – prepared for PGE 1968-87

Box 24

Other documentation related to Diablo Canyon 1970s (Reanalysis Criteria & Reports)

Box 24

Professional Organization directories

Box 24

Professional Organization documents

Box 24

Business related – miscellaneous

Box 24

Stanford

Language of Material: English.

Box 24

Misc

Language of Material: English.

Box 24

SF 1906 data

Language of Material: English.

Box 24

Codes, etc.

Language of Material: English.

Box 25

Miscellaneous materials

Box 25

USCGS (?)

Box 25

EERI

Box 25

Miscellany including some loose photos

Box 25

Excerpts from Nils Blume autobiography (relates to 1906 quake)

Box 25

Genealogy – Blume

Box 25

Photos

Box 25

Charles A. Blume – file

Box 25

JAB personal data – genealogy, etc.

Box 25

CAB job photos

Box 25

Clippings

Box 25

JAB job record with Brunnier

Box 25

Various small publications – by Blume and others

Box 25

Earthquake Evaluation data report – part 1 – 1985 draft

Box 25

Clippings & other unsorted material

Box 26

Folder: April 18, 1906 – S. F. earthquake

Box 26

Publications: mostly by Blume

Box 26

Box with material related to 1980 trip to China, Japan, etc.

Box 26

1941 datebook

Box 26

Slide catalogue – notebook

Box 26

Fire Retardants in San Francisco Fire 1906 – photo album published by Kinnear Manufacturing

Box 26

2 photo albums

Box 26

1915 – Album of views of SF

Box 26

Personal material from Claire Webster

Box 26

Official guide to Pan Pacific 1915 Expo

Box 27

Publications: Yanev "Technical Communication: The Lice, Turkey Earthquake of September 6, 1975" Nov. 1975

Box 27

Publications: Summary of Structural Dynamics Research at Stanford 1946-53 – August 1953

Box 27

Publications: San Francisco Seismic Safety Investigation, June 1974

Box 27

Publications: Program and Abstracts of Papers. National Conference on Earthquake Engineering. Investigations of the San Fernando Earthquake – Feb. 1972

Box 27

Publications: A Low Cost Method to Rehabilitate Unsafe Schools in Earthquake-Prone Areas

Box 27

Publications: Effects of Earthquake on Engineering Structures (notes), 1929

Box 27

Publications: Sozen, Rosset. "Structural Damage Caused by the 1976 Guatemala Earthquake" March 1976

Box 27

Publications: Research Agenda: The 19 September 1985 Mexico Earthquake. January 1986

Box 27

Publications: Damage Evaluation for Imperial County Services Building, El Centro, California. February 1980

Box 27

Publications: A Comparative Study of Pulse and Step-Type Loads on a Simple Vibratory System. Jan. 1952

Box 27

Publications: Development of a 'Deformation Model' of a building for the Study of Blast Load Effects. June 1952

Box 27

Publications: Jacobsen, "On a General Method of Solving Second Order Differential Equations by Phase-Plane-Displacements." Report no. 13

Box 27

Publications: Architect & Engineer, Sept. 1958

Box 27

Publications: Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, April 1972

Box 27

Publications: EERI Delegation to the People's Republic of China Jan. 1982

Box 27

Publications: EERI Reconnaissance Report Miyagi-Ken-Oki, Japan Earthquake of June 12, 1978. December 1978

Box 27

Publications: EERI Newsletters May 1979, July 1981

Box 27

Publications: Neville Donovan, "Notes for EERI Course on Seismic Risk Analysis" Feb. 9, 1978

Box 27

Publications: Earthquake Data compiled by H. M. Engle Aug. 1932 [copies of assorted documents]

Box 27

Publications: ASCE Technical Seminar – resources 1960s

Box 27

Publications: Design Seminar, Structural Engineering Conference of ASCI May 1967

Box 27

Publications: EERI 1968 State-of-the-Art Symposium EQ Engineering of buildings, Feb. 1968

Box 27

Publications: Various resources marked "File #9.3"

Box 27

Publications: Military Engineer, Jan-Feb. 1973

Box 27

Publications: Peter Yanev, Field Notes Miyagi-Ken-Oki, Japan Earthquake of June 12, 1978

Box 27

Publications: URS/Blume & Associates, Review of Seismic Studies of Proposed Nuclear Waste Repository [Nevada], June 1983

Box 27

Publications: Tom Andres, "A Brief Account of Responses to the Santa Barbara EQ, August 13, 1978"

Box 27

Publications: 1948 building codes for San Francisco

Box 27

Publications: Assorted steel company catalogs 1903-1928

Box 28

Slides, including glass lantern slides

Box 29

Framed photos, certificate, plaques, awards

Box 30

Plaques, certificates awards

Box 30

Large mounted photos – early 20th century

Box 30

Post '06 photos

Box 30

Some family photos

Box 30

Family Stereographs

Box 31

Slides and a few photos of EQ damage 1973 and other dates

Box 31

Maps, a few reports, and many photos re California EQs – 1952 and other dates

Box 32

Tacoma Narrows 32_01

Physical Description: 1 videotape(s) (u-matic)

Language of Material: English.

Box 32

Unlabeled 32_02

Physical Description: 1 videotape(s) (u-matic)

Language of Material: English.

Box 32

Headline Earthquakes 1980 32_03

Physical Description: 1 videotape(s) (u-matic)

Language of Material: English.

Box 32

ITS / Mode control method 32_04

Physical Description: 1 videotape(s) (vhs)

Language of Material: English.

Box 32

Construction Automation & Robots – Boyd Paulson 32_05 1990 Apr 6

Physical Description: 1 videotape(s) (vhs)

Language of Material: English.

Box 32

FEMA workshop #2 Safety of Dams 1986 32_06 - 32_13

Physical Description: 8 videotape(s) (vhs)

Language of Material: English.

Box 32

Computer Simulation of the Painter Street & Dumbarton Bridges 32_14

Physical Description: 1 videotape(s) (vhs)

Language of Material: English.

Box 32

California OES "An Ounce of Prevention…" 32_15 - 32_16

Physical Description: 2 videotape(s) (vhs)

Language of Material: English.

Box 32

Costa Rica Earthquake 32_17

Physical Description: 1 videotape(s) (vhs)

Language of Material: English.

Box 32

Miyagi-Ken-Oki, Japan earthquake 32_18

Physical Description: 1 videotape(s) (vhs)

Language of Material: English.

Box 32

JDO Earthquake Presentation 1991 32_19

Physical Description: 1 videotape(s) (vhs)

Language of Material: English.

Box 32

Quake Defense 32_20

Physical Description: 1 videotape(s) (vhs)

Language of Material: English.

Box 32

Earthquake – Haresh Shah 1994 32_21

Physical Description: 1 videotape(s) (vhs)

Language of Material: English.

Box 32

Earthquakes Channel 7 1994 32_22

Language of Material: English.

Box 32

National Bureau of Standards – Mexico Earthquake 1985 32_23 - 32_24

Physical Description: 2 videotape(s) (vhs)

Language of Material: English.

Box 32

Philippine Earthquake NHK Special 32_25 - 32_26 1990

Language of Material: English.

Box 32

Middle Japan Sea earthquake 32_27

Physical Description: 1 videotape(s) (vhs)

Language of Material: English.

Box 32

Major Earthquakes 32_28

Physical Description: 1 videotape(s) (vhs)

Language of Material: English.

Box 32

Earthquake 32_29

Physical Description: 1 videotape(s) (vhs)

Language of Material: English.

Box 32

California Geotechnical Engineers Association - Outstanding Project Awards 32_30 1991-1992

Language of Material: English.

Box 33

Glass Slides

Box 33

Regular slides

Box 33

1 film – Interferometry in Earthquake Research

Box 33

1 unmarked microfilm roll

Box 33

1 film – Milestones of the Century

Box 33

1 record (45 rpm?) – Sounds of earthquakes

Box 33

Miscellaneous publications

Language of Material: English.