Collaborative Research: Geotechnical Extreme Events Reconnaissance (GEER) Association: Turning Disaster Into Knowledge

记录和从“极端事件”的观察中学习对于推进多灾害工程的最新技术是非常宝贵的。记录的观察结果是我们理解这些事件的影响、其潜在的致病机制和验证设计程序的基准。从极端事件中汲取关键经验教训是推进岩土工程研究的重要任务，因为许多专业设计程序都是基于经验方法，需要随着重要案例的出现而重新评估。美国国家科学基金会（nsf）赞助的岩土工程极端事件侦察（GEER）协会组织和支持岩土工程研究人员的侦察工作，并开发技术来捕获易腐烂的数据，以便从这些事件中学习。GEER的主要目标包括记录重要极端事件的岩土工程影响，以推进研究，采用创新技术进行事件后侦察，并提高个人根据实地观察进行研究的能力。极端事件产生的许多数据是易逝的，因此必须在事件发生后尽快收集。我们面临的挑战是，如何找到最有效的方法来记录一场没有太多预警（如果有的话）的全面实验的结果。自2006年以来，GEER已经成功记录了19个极端事件的岩土工程影响，包括2008年的古斯塔夫飓风、2011年密西西比河下游洪水，以及最近海地、智利、新西兰和日本的地震。许多GEER侦察工作已经导致了资助的研究项目，这表明GEER侦察工作正在确定重要的研究问题，这些问题可以导致科学和工程的进步。在最近的侦察工作中采用的许多创新技术，如GoogleEarthTM、GPS设备、遥感和激光雷达的利用，都是由GEER成员发起的。GEER有能力在侦察中使用新技术和通信方法方面取得类似的进一步进展。该奖项为继续GEER活动提供资金，以便对自然和人为灾害进行快速、反应迅速的岩土工程调查。预计每年将进行2 ~ 4次中等规模事件的调查。如果发生了大型事件，GEER将建议为一个确定的GEER团队提供RAPID资金，以有效应对这一大型事件。不幸的是，极端事件将会发生。更不幸的是，如果工程专业人员没有捕捉到能够使其了解哪些设计程序具有良好的抗震性能，哪些程序仍需要改进的易腐烂的数据。GEER及其愿意参与的地质专业人士将帮助把灾难转化为知识。

Documenting and learning from observations from "extreme events" are invaluable to advancing the state-of-art in multi-hazards engineering. Recorded observations serve as benchmarks to our understanding of the effects of these events, their underlying causative mechanisms, and for validation of design procedures. Capturing the key lessons learned from extreme events constitutes an important task for advancing research in geotechnical engineering, because many of the profession's design procedures are based on empirical methods that require re-evaluation as important case histories emerge. The NSF-sponsored Geotechnical Extreme Events Reconnaissance (GEER) Association organizes and supports reconnaissance efforts by geotechnical researchers and develops techniques to capture perishable data to learn from these events. The primary objectives of GEER include documenting geotechnical effects of important extreme events to advance research, employing innovative technologies for post-event reconnaissance, and advancing the capabilities of individuals performing research based on field observations. Much of the data generated by extreme events is perishable and therefore must be collected soon after the event. The challenge is to develop the most effective means for documenting the results of a full-scale experiment that has occurred without much warning, if any. Since 2006, GEER has successfully documented the geotechnical effects of 19 extreme events, including Hurricane Gustav in 2008, the 2011 Lower Mississippi River Floods, and the recent earthquakes in Haiti, Chile, New Zealand, and Japan. Many GEER reconnaissance efforts have led to funded research projects, demonstrating that GEER reconnaissance efforts are identifying important research issues that can lead to advancements in science and engineering. Many of the innovative techniques employed in recent reconnaissance efforts, such as the utilization of GoogleEarthTM, GPS devices, remote sensing, and LIDAR, were initiated by GEER members. GEER is well positioned to make similar further advancements with respect to the use of new technology and communication approaches in reconnaissance.This award provides funds for continuation of GEER activities to enable quick, responsive geotechnical investigations of natural and human-made disasters. It is expected that two to four investigations of moderate-sized events would be conducted each year. If a large event occurs, GEER would recommend funding of a RAPID to an identified GEER team to respond effectively to this larger event. Unfortunately, extreme events will happen. It would be even more unfortunate if the engineering profession did not capture the perishable data that enables it to understand which design procedures result in good seismic performance and which procedures still need improvement. GEER with its willing geo-professional participants will help turn disasters into knowledge.