NEESR-CR: Earthquake Response and Rehabilitation of Critical Lifelines

该奖项是美国国家科学基金会09-524计划征集活动的成果。地震工程模拟(NEES)研究网络(NEESR)“竞赛包括康奈尔大学(牵头机构)和布法罗大学(UB)、纽约州立大学和加州州立洛杉矶大学(CSULA)。该项目将利用康奈尔大学和布法罗大学的NEES设备场地。生命线包括地下水、废物和风暴处理、天然气和液体燃料管道、电力电缆和通信管道，这些管道对公众健康、安全和经济福祉至关重要。美国的很大一部分生命线系统都很陈旧，而且已经恶化。为了恢复这些老化系统的健康，已经开发了特殊技术，将由聚合物组成的管道衬里插入现有的地下生命线，而不会将它们挖出来并扰乱周围社区。这项研究将通过研究聚合物衬里如何提高其对地面震动和地面破坏的抵抗力，大幅提高地下生命线在地震和日常使用中的性能。这项研究涉及与管道衬里公司、公用事业公司和工程公司建立强有力的大学-行业合作伙伴关系。康奈尔NEES现场的测试能力非常适合于模拟管道的地面破裂效应，以再现现场变形的上限条件。布法罗大学NEES现场的双振动台能力是唯一有资格模拟地震波与管道相互作用的设备，特别是在复制密集薄弱接头和缺陷的关键条件方面。在全尺寸模拟的指导下，将开发计算机模型，包括复合管道、衬砌和土壤系统的三维模型。该奖项的学术价值包括将最先进的全尺寸实验与先进的计算程序相结合，以开发和验证下一代分析模型。这些模型将支持设计和施工，以应用现场衬砌技术降低地震风险，并改进与关键地下基础设施衬砌修复相关的设计和施工实践。这项研究还将探索使用灵活的电子设备嵌入微型传感器，从而在衬里系统中创造“智能”。这项研究的更广泛影响可以通过认识到，仅就供水和废水系统而言，全美就有超过210万公里的管道，其中近一半由至少有50-100年历史的铸铁管道组成。迫切需要修复老化的地下生命线，特别是那些位于地震危险地区、用铸铁等脆性材料建造的生命线。拟议的研究有能力通过用智能衬垫延长管道的使用寿命来降低公用事业系统成本，从而提高公共安全，并为恢复地下资产创造新的市场。这项研究的更广泛影响包括针对CSULA代表不足的学生(包括女性和少数族裔)的综合教育计划，以及与洛杉矶水电部门(LADWP)协调的劳动力发展。CSULA将组织两门围绕地震脆弱性和生命线系统设计的本科课程，其中一个主要实验部分涉及CSULA教学实验室的全尺寸衬里管道测试。与此同时，LADWP的项目主管将每年举办一次短期课程，讲解供水的抗震设计。将通过NEES业务经理NEEScomm举办网络研讨会，以传达通过年度短期课程制定的研究成果和规划/设计原则，课程讲座的视频将在康奈尔大学和UB NEES网站上提供。外展活动的一个重要部分是业界合作和执业专业人士的意见，以支持技术转让和将研究成果传播到工程实践中。该项目的数据将被存档，并通过NEES数据库向公众提供。该奖项是国家减少地震灾害计划(NEHRP)的一部分。

This award is an outcome of the NSF 09-524 program solicitation ''George E. Brown, Jr. Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES) Research (NEESR)" competition and includes Cornell University (lead institution) and the University at Buffalo (UB), State University of New York and California State Los Angeles University (CSULA). This project will utilize the NEES equipment sites at Cornell University and University at Buffalo.Lifelines include underground water, waste and storm disposal, natural gas, and liquid fuel pipelines, electric power cables, and telecommunication conduits that are critical for public health, security, and economic well-being. A large part of US lifeline systems are old and have deteriorated. To restore the health of these aging systems, special technologies have been developed to insert pipe linings, composed of polymers, into existing underground lifelines without digging them up and disrupting surrounding communities. The research will substantially improve the performance of underground lifelines during both earthquakes and daily use by investigating how polymeric linings improve their resistance to ground shaking and ground failure. The research involves a strong university-industry partnership with pipe lining companies, public utilities, and engineering firms. The testing capabilities at the Cornell NEES Site are ideally suited for simulating ground rupture effects on pipelines to reproduce upper bound conditions of deformation in the field. The dual shake table capabilities at the University at Buffalo NEES Site are uniquely qualified for simulating seismic wave interaction with pipelines, especially for replicating the critical condition of closely spaced weak joints and defects. Guided by full-scale simulations, computer models will be developed, including 3-D models of the composite pipeline, liner, and soil system. The intellectual merit of this award involves combing state-of-the-art, full-scale experiments with advanced computational procedures to develop and validate the next generation analytical models. These models will support design and construction to apply in situ lining technologies for seismic risk reduction as well as improve design and construction practices associated with liner rehabilitation of critical underground infrastructure. The research will also explore the use of flexible electronics to embed micro-sensors, and thus create "intelligence," in lining systems. The broader impacts of this research can be appreciated by recognizing that for water and wastewater systems alone, there are more than 2.1 million km of pipelines throughout the US, with nearly half consisting of cast iron pipelines that are at least 50-100 years old. There is a strong need to rehabilitate aging, underground lifelines, especially those located in areas with seismic risk and constructed of brittle materials such as cast iron. The proposed research has the capacity to reduce utility system costs through the extension of pipeline service life with intelligent liners that increase earthquake resistance, thus enhancing public safety and creating new markets for the restoration of underground assets. Broader impacts of the research include an integrated educational program aimed at underrepresented students (both women and minority) at CSULA and work force development in coordination with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP). Two undergraduate courses at CSULA will be organized around the earthquake vulnerability and design of lifeline systems, with a major experimental component involving full-scale lined pipe tests at the CSULA instructional laboratory. At the same time, an annual short course will be given by project PIs at LADWP to address the seismic design of water supplies. Webinars will be presented through the NEES operations manager, NEEScomm, to convey both research findings and planning/design principles as developed through the annual short course, and videos of course lectures will be available at Cornell and UB NEES web sites. An integral part of the outreach activities involves industry collaboration and advice from practicing professionals to support technology transfer and disseminate research findings into engineering practice.Data from this project will be archived and made available to the public through the NEES data repository. This award is part of the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP).