Collaborative Research: GEER Post Disaster Reconnaissance

记录“极端事件”后的观察结果并从中学习，对于推进多灾害基础设施工程的最新水平至关重要。记录的观察结果可作为这些事件的影响、其潜在的致病机制和设计程序验证的基准。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，因为许多设计过程都是基于经验方法，随着重要新案例的出现，需要不断重新评估。美国国家科学基金会（nsf）赞助的岩土工程极端事件侦察协会（GEER）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侦察活动的范围包括地震、滑坡和泥石流，以及相关的影响，如液化、断层破裂、建筑和桥梁基础破坏，以及大坝、堤坝和挡土墙结构倒塌。GEER的主要目标包括：记录重要极端事件的岩土效应，以确定需要研究的重要课题；采用创新技术进行事后侦察；提高个人根据实地观察进行研究的能力。在极端事件中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。挑战在于开发最有效的方法来记录“全面实验”的结果，这些实验通常是在有限的提前警告下进行的，如果有的话。自2015年以来，GEER成功记录了18个极端事件的岩土工程影响，包括飓风“厄玛”和“哈维”，南卡罗来纳州、伊利诺伊州和德克萨斯州的洪水，以及墨西哥、新西兰、厄瓜多尔、尼泊尔和美国的地震等。许多GEER的努力都导致了后续的资助项目，这反映了GEER的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。在过去十年左右的时间里，许多用于侦察工作的创新技术，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有能力继续在使用新技术和数据通信以及共享野外侦察方法方面取得类似的进展。该合同为继续GEER活动提供资金，以便在自然和人为灾害发生后进行快速、反应迅速的岩土工程调查。预计每年将进行2 ~ 4次中等规模事件后的调查。这项工作的一个重要方面是利用最近建立的NSF NHERI倡议的好处，并加强GEER与NHERI倡议的其他现有和未来要素之间的相互作用。特别需要指出的是，GEER与华盛顿大学NSF RAPID设施之间的协调是重中之重。为了确保完成这一重要的相互作用，PI将承担协调这些关键活动的直接责任，包括开发和交付培训工作。如果发生更大的事件，GEER将建议由指定的GEER团队负责人向NSF提交RAPID提案，以有效应对该事件。不幸的是，极端事件还会继续发生。更不幸的是，如果工程专业人员没有捕捉到使其能够理解哪些设计程序导致良好的工程性能，哪些程序仍需要改进的易腐烂的数据。GEER及其参与的、专业的地质专业参与者将继续帮助“将灾难转化为知识”。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Documenting and learning from observations after "extreme events" is central to advancing the state-of-art in multi-hazards infrastructure engineering. Recorded observations serve as benchmarks of the effects of these events, their underlying causative mechanisms, and for validation of design procedures. Capturing key lessons learned from extreme events constitutes an important task for advancing research in geotechnical engineering since many design procedures are based on empirical methods that require continuous re-evaluation as important new case histories emerge. The NSF-sponsored Geotechnical Extreme Events Reconnaissance (GEER) Association organizes and supports the reconnaissance efforts of geotechnical researchers and develops techniques to capture perishable data to learn from these events. The scope of GEER reconnaissance activities includes earthquakes, landslides, and debris flows, and associated impacts such as liquefaction, and fault rupture, building and bridge foundation failures, as well as dam, levee and retaining structure collapses. The primary objectives of GEER include: documenting geotechnical effects of important extreme events to identify important topics in need of 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 during extreme events is perishable and therefore must be collected soon after the event. The challenge is to develop the most effective approaches for documenting the results of "full-scale experiments" that often occur with limited advance warning, if any. Since 2015, GEER has successfully documented the geotechnical effects of 18 extreme events, including hurricanes Irma and Harvey, floods in South Carolina, Illinois, and Texas, and earthquakes in Mexico, New Zealand, Equador, Nepal and USA, amongst others. Many GEER efforts have led to follow-on funded projects, reflecting 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 reconnaissance efforts over the past decade or so, such as the utilization of GoogleEarthTM, GPS devices, remote sensing, and LIDAR, were initiated by GEER members. GEER is well positioned to continue making similar advancements with respect to the use of new technology and data communication and sharing approaches for field reconnaissance. This award provides funds for continuation of GEER activities to enable rapid, responsive geotechnical investigations after natural and human-induced disasters. It is expected that two to four investigations after moderate-sized events will be conducted each year. An important aspect of the work is to leverage the benefits of the recently established NSF NHERI initiative and to enhance the interactions between GEER and the other existing and future elements of the NHERI initiative. In particular, a strong focus to coordinate interactions between GEER and the NSF RAPID facility at the University of Washington has been identified as a priority. To ensure that this important interaction is accomplished, the PI will assume direct responsibility for coordinating these critical activities including development and delivery of training efforts. If a larger event occurs, GEER will recommend submission of a RAPID proposal to NSF by an identified GEER team leader to respond effectively to the event. Unfortunately, extreme events will continue to 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 engineering performance and which procedures still need improvement. GEER with its engaged and expert geo-professional participants will continue to help "turn disasters into knowledge".This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.