Planning Meeting for Creation of a Geotechnical Data Management Center

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ABSTRACT: CMS-9812885 Jean-Pierre Bardet, USC The research projects in geotechnical engineering sponsored by many Federal and State agencies and organizations generate a large amount of Field and laboratory data concerning the properties of the soil at a site. The data and results of these projects are usually released and distributed As hard-copy reports, but without the accompanying digital data from field and laboratory measurements. The digital data, drawings, photographs, and videos generated in these projects are generally stored by the principal investigators and, unfortunately, are not systematically distributed to other researchers and practitioners. In the era of Internet communications, the traditional hardcopy reports only partially communicate the data; the absence of the accompanying digital data impedes the verification and applicability of research results, limits the return on research investments from sponsoring organizations and agencies, and delays progress and breakthroughs in geotechnical engineering. The overall objective of this project is the creation of a Geotechnical Data Management Center (GDMC) which collects the digital and graphical data generated by researchers in geotechnical engineering, and distributes this data by means of the Internet. The GDMC will be established at the University of Southern California, and will link the servers from other participating institutions, and those of Internet distribution systems in engineering seismology. Examples would be those of the California Division of Mines and Geology, and of the US Geological Survey, and geotechnical databases such as that for the National Geotechnical Experimentation Sites. The GDMC's main function is to catalyze the use of the Internet in geotechnical engineering, and to coordinate individual efforts. The GDMC data will be primarily of a geotechnical nature - e.g., shear wave velocity profiles, the results from cone penetration and standard penetr ation tests, centrifuge test results, and occasional strong motion recordings. The immediate objective of this project is to organize a small meeting to discuss and plan for the creation and operation of the GDMC. The main topics are: (1) the concept of a small oversight committee for the GDMC, and (2) the planning meeting to discuss the oversight committee, its charter, and operation. It is expected that the creation of the Geotechnical Data Management Center will greatly increase the availability of critical data to researchers and users, leading to more rapid developments in earthquake hazard mitigation.