A High Resolution Distributed Moisture Sensing System for Direct Measurement of Earthquake Induced Void Redistribution

该奖项的研究目标是了解和量化地震引起的孔隙重新分布，在分层地面的主要液化触发机制。 该场地是一个先进的导行电磁波传感器，它可以真实的实时监测空隙的重新分布。 通过高时空分辨率的饱和砂土含水量分布的测量，将实现传感能力。研究活动，在一个强大的跨学科的视角下，涉及理解电磁波与颗粒材料（即土壤）的相互作用，最先进的电子学的集成，功能涂层材料的设计和筛选。 传感器性能将在模拟地震bestbeds进行评估。该项目将导致一个传感系统，可以量化的空隙重新分布，地震时的主要土壤液化触发机制的程度。 这将大大扩展我们目前对分层地基液化的了解，并有助于提高基础设施对地震的弹性。这种跨学科的研究将推进传感器设计，制造和系统集成;电磁波在色散材料（如土壤）中的直接和反演散射分析;以及可用于地面液化的各种基础和应用研究的仪器。该项目将为研究生和本科生提供在土壤液化方面进行跨学科教育的机会。对K-12学生的推广将通过凯斯西储大学和当地学区之间的各种合作项目进行。

The research objective of this award is to understand and quantify earthquake-induced void redistribution in soils, a major liquefaction triggering mechanism in stratified ground. The venue is an advanced guided electromagnetic wave sensor that monitors the void redistribution in the real time. The sensing capability will be achieved by measuring the water content distribution in saturated sand with high spatial and temporal resolution. The research activities, under a strong interdisciplinary perspective, involve understanding the interactions of electromagnetic wave with particulate materials (that is, soils), integration of state-of-the-art electronics, design and screening of functional coating materials. Sensor performance will be evaluated in simulated earthquake bestbeds.This project will lead to a sensing system that can quantify the extent of void redistribution, a primary soil liquefaction triggering mechanism during earthquakes. This will significantly expand our current knowledge on liquefaction in layered ground and help improve the infrastructure resiliency to earthquakes. This interdisciplinary research will advance sensor design, fabrication and system integration; direct and inversion scattering analyses of electromagnetic wave in dispersive materials (such as soils); and instrumentation that can be used in a variety of fundamental and applied research on ground liquefaction. The project will give graduate and undergraduate students the opportunity to pursue interdisciplinary education in soil liquifaction. Outreach to K-12 students will be conducted through various partnership programs between Case Western Reserve University and local school districts.