Geosystems Sensing and Analytics Laboratory (GeoSAL)

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

Researcher wearing a virtual reality headset and holding hand controllers while a colleague guides her

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

Drone flying beside a large landslide scar on a coastal hillside

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.

Animated world map of earthquake-related social media activity in 2018, with tweet locations and a tweet-count chart

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 antenna on a tripod set up over a survey bench mark, with the antenna height marked

GPS

Six-rotor drone standing on a grass field

Fleet of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Thermal infrared camera beside an aerial photo and a surface temperature map of a site

Optical, Infrared & Laser Sensors

Distributed Fiber Optic Sensing

Wireless sensor nodes with antennas, and a phone and tablet showing sensor data

Wireless Sensor Networks

LiDAR

Person walking across a lawn carrying an electromagnetic induction sensor

Electromagnetics

Researcher recording on a laptop beside a line of geophones laid out on the ground

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

CRISIS: An Open-Source Model for Regional Slope Stability Simulations Is Now Available

Oct 12, 2026 | General

CRISIS (Coupled Regional Rainfall-Induced and Seismic Slope Instability Simulations) has been officially released as an open-source, Python-based model for simulating shallow rainfall- and earthquake-induced slope failures at regional scales. CRISIS supports both forward predictive analysis, to simulate the location, size, and timing of slope failures, and back-analysis, to estimate spatial distributions of shear strength parameters from mappe ...

Geosystems Laboratory Capability Spotlight: High-stress Triaxial System Connecting with Particle-scale Observations

Oct 08, 2026 | General

The Berkeley Geosystems lab has an advanced dynamic triaxial testing system that is capable of high-stress testing. Read more to find out what important conditions this replicates, and how the testing is used to understand soil particle morphological changes and ensuing behavior. Introduction High-stress testing is required when geomaterials are expected to experience megapascal-level confinement. Very tall tailings facilities are a represe ...

Digital Twins Help Manage Flood Risk

Sep 03, 2026 | General

How can virtual simulations lead to real-world resilience?The Pajaro Hydro-Twin research project, co-led by Professor Anna Serra-Llobet and Professor Adda Athanasopoulos Zekkos, pioneers the use of hydrodynamic digital twins to help policymakers and residents visualize flood risks and evaluate the effectiveness of critical infrastructure improvements in California's Lower Pajaro River Valley. Read more in the full article by the College of Eng ...

Industry Leadership Council Annual Meeting identifies emerging opportunities

Nov 25, 2025 | General

The Industry Leadership Council, an invitation-only gathering of the Geosystems Program faculty, corporate partners and industry leaders, and representatives of major federal, state, and other agencies, met on November 14, 2025 at UC Berkeley for its annual meeting. The morning agenda featured a comprehensive briefing on the Geosystems Program’s current status and forthcoming initiatives. Council participants examined progress across research ...

2025 GeoSymposium showcases research and looks at Risk

Nov 17, 2025 | General

The 2025 Geotechnical Engineering Research Symposium (GeoSymposium) wrapped up this week successfully. Research presentations were delivered by PhD students Satuk Bugrahan Sari, Mirna Kassem, Parker Blunts, Bofei Xu, and Micaela Largent. Networking opportunities occurred during the poster session featuring 29 posters of students' research. Insights were provided from our industry panelists Norman Abrahamson of UC Berkeley, Victor Romero of Delve ...