REU Site: Collaborative research: International REU Program in Smart Structures

这个为期十周的国际REU合作项目将建立一个智能结构本科研究合作实验室，阿克伦大学、南卡罗来纳大学和康涅狄格大学的学生将与韩国科学技术院（KAIST）合作，获得世界一流的智能结构设施，通过这样做，这将扩大本科研究的范围。智能结构社区面临的一个挑战是，由于当地的建筑实践、材料的可用性和该地区可能经历的动态载荷，不同地理区域的结构各不相同。理想的智能结构解决方案应该是通用的，以便在环境中实现各种结构的理想性能。减少自然灾害和人为灾害造成的结构破坏对社会的安全和经济可行性至关重要。智能结构是指那些能够感知环境并做出相应反应的结构，可以提供更有弹性的设计，更有效的施工，并延长我们建造的基础设施的整体安全寿命。该合作项目将进一步推进智能结构通用解决方案的研究。本项目将安排六名本科生进行为期十周的研究活动：1)结构动力学、健康监测与控制方面的正式培训；2)有智能结构实验室实验经验；3)前往韩国科学技术院（KAIST）体验国际合作，并获得世界一流的智能结构设施；4)参加实地考察和文化活动。这些私立学校将把重点放在少数族裔院校中代表性不足群体的学生身上。本科生将直接与美国和韩国研究生一起工作，获得有关研究和研究生院的宝贵见解。

This ten-week collaborative international REU site program will establish a Smart Structures Undergraduate Research Collaboratory where students at the Universities of Akron, South Carolina, and Connecticut will partner with the Korean Advance Institute for Science and Technology (KAIST) to gain access to world class facilities in Smart Structures and by doing so this will enhance the scope of the undergraduate research. A challenge faced by the Smart Structures community is the fact that structures vary in different geographical regions due to local building practices, availability of materials and dynamic loads likely to be experienced in the region. Ideal Smart Structure solutions should be universal in order to achieve the desired performance for various structures in the environment. Reducing structural damage due to natural and made-made hazards in is vital to the safety and economic viability of society. Smart Structures which are those structures that can sense their environment and react accordingly, can provide more resilient designs, more effective construction, and extend overall the safe life of our built infrastructure. This collaborative project will further advance research on universal solutions in Smart Structures. This program will engage six undergraduate students over ten weeks in these research activities: 1) formal training in structural dynamics, health monitoring and control; 2) experience conducting laboratory experiments in Smart Structures; 3) travel to KAIST in South Korea to experience international collaboration and gain access to world class facilities in Smart Structures; and 4) participate in site visits and cultural events. The PIs will focus recruitment efforts on students from underrepresented groups at minority institutions. Undergraduate students will work directly with U.S. and Korean graduate students gaining valuable insight about research and graduate school.