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

RAPID：瓦茨塔的风、热和地震监测

• 批准号: 1331299
• 负责人: Ertugrul Taciroglu
• 金额: $ 1.37万
• 依托单位: University of California-Los Angeles
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-03-01 至 2014-02-28
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1331299&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: RAPID; Wind; Thermal; Earthquake; Monitoring

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.

这个快速研究补助金（Rapid）奖是为了收集由风和地震引起的振动数据，这些振动是由位于加利福尼亚州洛杉矶的瓦特塔的多个雕塑引起的。瓦茨塔是艺术家西蒙·罗迪亚在1921-1955年间建造的17座艺术铁塔的集合。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正计划长期保护这些艺术塔。由于塔是复杂而独特的结构，因此应该了解结构对自然现象的响应和振动特性，以便制定长期的修复和保护策略。风和其他自然环境因素造成了结构立面的恶化。一些结构遭受砂浆覆盖开裂和装饰损失。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月和4月大风期间的数据。主要研究者计划使用UCLA NEES站点的仪器。加速计、应变计、倾角计和风速计将安装在现场和一个高大的雕塑上，以记录风速和结构反应。这些仪器还将捕捉到几次中度地震。记录的数据将被分析，以评估结构特征和结构的振动水平。结果将允许洛杉矶县艺术博物馆的保护人员制定长期使用雕塑的翻新策略。