RAPID: Wind, Thermal, and Earthquake Monitoring of the Watts Towers

这一快速研究大奖(RAPID)是为了收集代表加利福尼亚州洛杉矶多座雕塑的瓦茨塔上由阵风和地震震动引起的振动数据。瓦茨塔是艺术家西蒙·罗迪亚在1921-1955年间建造的17座艺术钢塔的集合。这些塔的高度各不相同，最高的塔有30米高。这件艺术品被登记为国家历史地标。洛杉矶县艺术博物馆计划长期保护这些艺术塔楼。由于铁塔是复杂而独特的结构，必须了解结构对自然现象的响应和振动特性，以便制定长期的维修和养护策略。风和其他自然环境因素导致了建筑物立面的恶化。有几个建筑物的砂浆覆盖层破裂，装饰物丢失。圣安娜风发生在3月和4月，是导致结构振动的主要因素之一。该项目将安装结构响应记录仪器，以收集3、4月份大风期间的数据。首席调查员计划使用加州大学洛杉矶分校NEES现场的仪器。加速计、应变计、倾斜计和风速计将安装在现场和一座高大的雕塑上，以记录风速和结构响应。这些仪器还将捕捉几次中等地震。记录的数据将被分析，以评估结构特征和结构的振动水平。这一结果将使洛杉矶县艺术博物馆的保护人员能够为这些雕塑的长期寿命制定翻新策略。

This Rapid Research Graant (RAPID) award is to collect data of vibrations caused by wind gusts and earthquake tremors on Watts Towers representing multiple sculptures located in Los Angeles, California. Watts Towers are a collection of 17 artistic steel towers constructed by the artist Simon Rodia during 1921-1955. The towers vary in height with the tallest towers are 30 meters high. The art work is registered as a national Historic Landmark. The Los Angeles County Museum of Arts is planning to conserve these art towers over a long term. Since the towers are complex and unique structures, the response and vibration characteristics of the structures to natural phenomena should be understood so that a long term repair and conservation strategy can be established. Wind and other natural environmental elements have caused deterioration to the facades of the structures. Several structures suffer from cracking of the mortar cover and loss of ornaments. Santa Anna winds, which occur during March and April, are one of the major elements that cause vibration of the structures. The project will install structural response recording instruments to collect data during the high wind period of March and April. Principle Investigator plans to use instruments from the UCLA NEES site. Accelerometers, strain gages, inclinometers, and anemometers will be installed at the site and on a tall sculpture to record wind speeds and structural responses. The instruments will also capture several moderate earthquakes.The recorded data will be analyzed to assess structural characteristics and level of vibration of the structure. The results will permit Los Angeles County Museum of Arts conservators to develop refurbishing strategies for long-term life of the sculptures.