Collaborative Research: Demonstration of NEES for Studying Soil-Foundation-Structure Interaction

乔治E.小布朗地震工程模拟网络（NEES）有望改变地震工程的调查、研究和实践模式。NEES将于2004年10月投入运行，届时它将通过整合实验和计算模拟来促进研究的重大改进。通过无与伦比的实验，计算和信息技术资源，NEES有可能彻底改变地震工程师进行研究和将结果付诸实践的方式。这个合作项目涉及来自10所大学的18名研究人员。因此，它提供了一个展示和挑战新的NEES模型进行研究的理想机会，也解决了当今地震工程中最关键的需求之一：提高土壤-基础-结构相互作用（SFSI）的知识。该研究计划包括四个主要组成部分：（1）四个互补的实验计划，将调查SFSI的关键方面，（2）SFSI的计算模拟模型的改进，（3）调查中产生的数据和元数据的管理，以及（4）向地震工程界推广。四个实验计划中的三个将涉及NEES设备站点。离心机试验将在位于戴维斯的加州大学进行，振动台试验将在位于里诺的内华达州大学进行，现场试验将使用位于奥斯汀的德克萨斯大学的移动的设备。结构测试也将在普渡大学进行。计算和实验模拟的集成是NEES的一个关键特征，计算模型将用于设计测试样本，开发测试协议，并评估测量响应。该项目的一个重要成果是改进SFSI的计算模型，通过实验进行校准，并以可供社区使用的形式提供。NEES的其他重要功能是精心策划的数据存储库和协作研究环境。项目团队包括来自NEES系统集成项目（NCSA用于数据管理，CREW用于协作工具）的研究人员。因此，项目小组将测试系统集成商正在开发的工具，并协助开发增强的数据和元数据模型。此外，项目组致力于在本研究项目期间与地震工程界的成员合作。所有设计文档、仿真模型、仿真结果、材料特性和测量数据都将通过基于网络的工具提供给社区。许多实验将进行真实的网络直播，所有实验的视频剪辑都将提供。将努力鼓励社区成员根据初步研究计划向研究小组提出意见和建议，并制定单独的建议，以补充拟议的计划。一系列的预测比赛也计划评估各种计算模型。两个完整的本科课程模块将根据研究开发。此外，项目团队将在适当的会议和大会上宣传项目并讨论结果，以激发实践工程师的兴趣并鼓励他们参与。拟议研究的广泛影响是广泛的。通过整合项目中的教育和研究活动，该团队展示了推进地震工程发现和理解的承诺，同时促进本科阶段的教学，培训和学习。研究小组还致力于扩大代表性不足群体的参与。研究团队由一个多元化的教师群体组成，包括技术专长，教育理念，年龄，性别和种族。此外，圣何塞州立大学不授予土木工程博士学位，因此，这些学生将接触到目前在他们的主办机构提供的机会。该研究小组还将通过共享作为该提案一部分开发的所有实验，计算和教育数据来加强研究和教育的基础设施。这些信息将广泛传播，以提高地震工程界对科学和技术的理解。研究小组还将特别努力与州交通部门的工程师和决策者讨论研究结果，从而为社会提供一种机制，使其从拟议研究的结果中受益。

The George E. Brown, Jr. Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES) promises to change modes of inquiry, research, and practice in earthquake engineering. When it becomes operational in October 2004, NEES will facilitate a major improvement in research by integrating experimental and computational simulation. Through unparalleled experimental, computational, and information technology resources, NEES has the potential to revolutionize the way that earthquake engineers conduct research and implement results into practice. This collaborative project involves eighteen researchers from ten universities. As such, it provides an ideal opportunity for demonstrating and challenging the new NEES model for conducting research and also addresses one of the most critical needs in earthquake engineering today: improved knowledge of soil-foundation-structure interaction (SFSI). The research plan involves four primary components: (1) four complementary experimental programs which will investigate key aspects of SFSI, (2) refinement of computational simulation models for SFSI, (3) management of the data and metadata generated in the investigation, and (4) outreach to the earthquake engineering community.Three of the four experimental programs will involve NEES Equipment Sites. The centrifuge tests will beconducted at the University of California, Davis, the shaking table tests will be conducted at the University of Nevada, Reno, and the field tests will use the mobile equipment from the University of Texas at Austin. Structural tests will also be conducted at Purdue University. The integration of computational and experimental simulation is a key feature of NEES, and the computational models will be used to design the test specimens, develop the testing protocols, and evaluate the measured response. An important deliverable of the project is improved computational models for SFSI, calibrated from the experiments, in a form available for community use. Other important features of NEES are the curated data repositories and a collaborative research environment. The project team includes researchers from the NEES System Integration Project (NCSA for data management and CREW for collaborative tools). The project team will thereby test the tools being developed by the System Integrator and contribute to the development of enhanced data and metadata models. In addition, the project team is committed to working with members of the earthquake engineering community during this research project. All design documents, simulation models, simulation results, material properties, and measured data will be available to the community via web-based tools. Many of the experiments will be webcast in real time, and video clips from all experiments will be available. An effort will be made to encourage members of the community to submit comments and suggestions to the research team based on the preliminary research plan and to develop separate proposals to complement the proposed plan. A series of prediction competitions are alsoplanned to evaluate a variety of computational models. Two complete course modules for undergraduate courses will be developed based on the research. In addition, the project team will promote the project and discuss the results at appropriate meetings and conferences to generate interest and encourage participation among practicing engineers. The broader impacts of the proposed research are extensive. By integrating the educational and research activities within the project, the team demonstrates a commitment to advancing discovery and understanding in earthquake engineering while promoting teaching, training, and learning at the undergraduate level. The research team is also committed to broadening participation of underrepresented groups. The research team comprises a diverse group of faculty with respect to technical expertise, educational philosophies, age, gender, and ethnicity. In addition, San Jose State University does not grant the PhD degree in civil engineering, therefore, these students will be exposed to opportunities not currently available at their host institution. The research team will also enhance the infrastructure for research and education by sharing all experimental, computational, and educational data developed as part of thisproposal. This information will be disseminated broadly to enhance scientific and technological understanding within the earthquake engineering community. The research team will also make a special effort to discuss the research results with engineers and decision makers in the state departments of transportation, thereby providing a mechanism for society to benefit from the results of the proposed research.