A Research Program for Autoadaptive Media in Complex Engineering Systems

该项目旨在组织两个讲习班，研究自适应媒体在土木工程中的潜力，并确定在土木工程基础设施中广泛应用所需的基于大学的跨学科研究的目标和类型。自适应媒体是指能够修改、监控或控制自身特性以对外部刺激做出适当反应的材料、机制、装置和结构。土木工程采用自适应媒体的缓慢主要是由于三种看法：缺乏相关信息、对现场材料和设备的维护以及材料成本的担忧。一项有针对性的研究计划将有助于缓解甚至可能消除前两种看法，并将充分开发这些媒体的巨大潜力。以自适应材料在土木工程中的应用为目标的研究计划是可取的，因为(1)与考虑知识库的“附加值”有关，它将产生重大影响，(2)让它偶然发展是推迟任何可能的应用，以及(3)即使目前的预测是否定的，不探索可能彻底改变土木工程许多领域的机会也是一个战略错误。该项目活动将探索自适应媒体在土木工程应用中的潜力，并制定一项适当行动的计划。它是基于这样一种信念，即材料科学家和控制工程师已经开发的知识库必须由熟悉土木工程应用需求的工程师来挖掘和重新定向。

This project is for organizing two workshops to study the potential of autoadaptive media in civil engineering and to define targets and types of needed university-based, cross disciplinary research for broad applications in civil infrastructures. Autoadaptive media are materials, mechanisms, devices, and structures that can modify, monitor, or control their own characteristics to respond appropriately to external stimuli. The slow adoption of autoadaptive media by civil engineering is attributed mainly to three perceptions; lack of relevant information, concern about maintenance of the materials and devices in the field, and cost of materials. A directed research initiative will help alleviate and possibly even eliminate the first two perceptions and will exploit the vast potential of these media fully. A research initiative targeting the civil engineering uses of autoadaptive materials is desirable because (1) in relation to consideration of `added value` to the knowledge base it will have a substantial impact, (2) to leave it to serendipitous development is to delay any possibly application, and (3) even if the current prognostications are negative, it is a strategic mistake not to explore an opportunity that may revolutionize many segments of civil engineering. The project activity will explore the potential of autoadaptive media for civil engineering applications and to develop a program of appropriate actions. It is predicated on the belief that the knowledge base already developed by material scientists and control engineers must be tapped and redirected by engineers intimately familiar with the demands of civil-engineering application.