Prof. Chambers specializes in steel structures, particularly steel connections. She was the PI on a grant to perform full-scale tests on the Slotted-Web^TM connection, and she performed the nonlinear finite element analysis on the SidePlate^TM prototype Connection. She also derived the closed form solution of the stiffness matrix of the Reduced Beam Section. The Slotted-Web^TM, SidePlate^TM, and Reduced Beam Section connections now exist in many steel structures and are well-known alternatives to the pre-Northridge connection.

Dr. Chambers and her former Ph.D. research assistant, Prof. Hsiao, developed a new moment resistant connection and a rationale for its design which can be applied to any special moment connection. Another of her Ph.D. students, Dr. Joseph P. Crocker, worked on the seismic demands of pinned steel connections. He studied simple connections and offered design guidelines for these connections which address the rotational demands they must meet during a seismic event in order to maintain perimeter frame stability. Dr. Chambers has also worked with her graduate students on the effects of spheroidization on a fully welded moment connection and the finite element modeling of bolted shear connections.

In addition to steel connections, Prof. Chambers is also interested in shear and torsional reinforcement of steel members.

Steel connections are the most important components in steel structures, and their reliability is uncertain and nonuniform. Advancements in systems reliability and finite element analysis will not only improve the design of steel connections but will also lead to advancements toward a uniform level of safety among buildings of equal importance.

Prof. Chambers is working toward a standard for evaluating the probability of failure of structural systems. She is researching methods to eliminate the correlation coefficient from the equation and is focusing on better ways to measure the dependence between failure modes.