NEESR-SD: ExVis Tool and Case Study Implementation for the Visualization, Fusion, and Analysis of Experimental Test Data on Concrete Structural Walls

这个奖项是一个结果的NSF 08-519计划征求乔治E。小布朗地震工程模拟网络（NEES）研究（NEESR）竞赛。 该项目将利用伊利诺伊大学厄巴纳-香槟分校的NEES设备场地。 需要新的数据可视化和分析工具，以充分利用NEESR项目中收集的测试数据的密度。这些工具应具有与后处理器类似的功能，用于查看和解释有限元分析的结果，其中用户能够在其几何结构的背景下探索结构响应的各个方面，并考虑其材料特性。这些类型的工具的创建和广泛使用是至关重要的实现NEES的使命创建更全面和可靠的计算模型，用于专业实践和研究。作为由美国国家科学院（NAS）赞助并由该项目PI领导的项目的一部分，在创建下一代工具以用于实验测试数据的可视化，探索和分析方面取得了重大进展。该工具名为ExVis for Experimental Visualization，可将来自多个测量源（称重传感器、位移传感器、应变计、裂缝图以及绝对和相对目标位移）的数据与作为NAS项目一部分的预应力梁的完整几何形状、钢筋细节和材料特性进行整合。ExVis仅针对这些试验梁中使用的特定几何形状、性能和仪器而开发，并不提供更广泛应用所需的所有功能。 该项目将扩展和推广ExVis程序的功能，通过其在伊利诺伊州NEES现场进行荷载测试失败的钢筋混凝土结构墙的测量响应的深入探索和分析，作为项目NEESR-SG复杂墙体系统的地震行为，分析和设计的一部分。 关于智力价值，ExVis的开发和使用将使测试结构的测量响应比以前更深入的检查成为可能。这将大大推进本构关系、行为模型和数值分析工具的开发、校准和验证。该项目还将开始融合来自多个测量源的测试数据的艰巨任务，这些测量源具有不同的覆盖范围，密度和精度。 关于更广泛的影响，该项目将说明收集和格式化密集的实验测试数据的价值，从而鼓励研究人员收集更完整的信息测试结构的响应。这将部分通过将钢筋混凝土结构墙的格式化实验测试数据上传到中央档案馆，然后为来自美国和国外的研究人员提供直接访问ExVis计划的权限，以便他们自己探索这些测试数据。 通过提供这种级别的访问权限，它将使并鼓励其他人对测试数据进行严格审查和使用，这是NEES的核心使命。ExVis计划将是开源的，并且经过设计和记录，以便可以扩展以提供新功能，并作为创建更全面的数据可视化和分析工具的原型。该项目的数据将通过NEES数据储存库（http：//www.example.com）提供。www.nees.org

This award is an outcome of the NSF 08-519 program solicitation George E. Brown, Jr. Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES) Research (NEESR) competition. This project will utilize the NEES equipment site at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. New tools for data visualization and analysis are needed to take full advantage of the density of test data being collected in NEESR projects. These tools should have similar functionalities as post-processors for viewing and interpreting the results of finite element analyses in which users are able to explore all aspects of structural response in the context of its geometry and considering its material properties. The creation and extensive use of these types of tools is critical for achieving the NEES mission of creating more comprehensive and reliable computational models for use in professional practice and research. As part of a project sponsored through the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) and led by the PI of this project, a significant advance was made to create a next generation tool for the visualization, exploration, and analysis of experimental test data. This tool, named ExVis for Experimental Visualization, integrates the data from multiple measurement sources (load cells, displacement transducers, strain gauges, crack maps, and absolute and relative target displacements) with the full geometry, reinforcing details, and material properties of prestressed girders that were load tested to failure as part of this NAS project. ExVis was only developed for the specific geometry, properties, and instrumentation used in these test girders and did not provide all desired functionalities for broader applications. This project will expand and generalize the ExVis program functionality through its use in providing an in-depth exploration and analysis of the measured response of reinforced concrete structural walls that are being load tested to failure at the Illinois NEES site as part of the project NEESR-SG Seismic Behavior, Analysis, and Design of Complex Wall Systems. With respect to intellectual merit, the development and use of ExVis will enable a deeper examination of the measured response of test structures than was previously possible. This will significantly advance the development, calibration, and validation of constitutive relationships, behavioral models, and numerical analysis tools. The project will also begin the difficult task of fusing test data from multiple measurement sources that have different areas of coverage, densities, and accuracies. With respect to broader impacts, this project will illustrate the value of collecting and formatting dense experimental test data, and thereby encourage researchers to gather more complete information about the response of test structures. This will be achieved in part by uploading the formatted experimental test data on the reinforced concrete structural walls to a central archive and then providing direct access to the ExVis program for researchers from the United States and abroad to explore this test data for themselves. By providing this level of access, it will enable and encourage others to make a critical review and use of test data which is a core mission of NEES. The ExVis program will be open source as well as designed and documented so that it can be expanded to provide new functionalities as well as to serve as a prototype for the creation of even more comprehensive data visualization and analysis tools. Data from this project will be made available through the NEES data repository (http://www.nees.org).