RAPID: Aerial Imaging and Ground-based Surveys for Post-Disaster Assessment of Areas Affected by Hurricane Sandy

这项快速反应研究拨款(RAPID)将收集2012年10月29日登陆的飓风桑迪对电力系统造成的易腐烂损坏数据。这是一场非常大的风暴(根据美国国家海洋和大气管理局的数据，直径近800英里)，影响了纽约和新泽西的大片海岸线。根据风速判断，此次风暴为1级。然而，飓风影响了居住在美国东海岸的数百万人，并导致750万人停电。即使在飓风登陆两周后，仍有数千人断电。这项研究将记录对电力线系统和影响电力的树木的破坏。调查将结合使用近距离空中和地面技术，对电力的关键民用基础设施进行快速状况评估，并确定导致电力故障的因素。这项研究的新颖性在于：1)利用从载人/无人系统捕获的高质量航空图像进行调查，以及2)开发新的方法来分析航空和地面数据。这项研究将有助于了解电力故障的原因，并为缓解自然灾害中基础设施故障的研究提供方向。预计这项研究工作将极大地促进灾后电力线路快速评估领域的科学和工程知识，并将进一步提高针对关键基础设施的重大自然灾害的减轻、反应和干预能力。

This Rapid Response Research Grant (RAPID) will collect perishable damage data to electrical power system caused by Hurricane Sandy that made landfall on October 29, 2012. It was a very large storm (almost 800 miles in diameter according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) that affected large areas of coastlines of New York and New Jersey. The storm was judged to be Category 1 based on its wind speed. However, the hurricane affected millions of people living along the east coast of the United States and was responsible for 7.5 million power-outages. Even after two weeks since the landfall of the hurricane, thousands of people were still without power. The research will document damage to power line system and trees that affected electrical power. The investigation will use a combination of close-range airborne and terrestrial techniques to perform rapid condition assessment of critical civil infrastructure of electrical power and identify factors that caused power failures. The novelty of this research resides in: 1) the investigation with high-quality aerial images captured from manned/unmanned systems, and 2) the development of novel methods for the analysis of both aerial and ground-based data. The research will provide understanding of the causes of power failure and can provide direction to research in mitigation of infrastructure failures in natural hazards. It is envisioned that the research effort will significantly advance scientific and engineering knowledge in the area of post disaster rapid assessment of electric power lines, and will further enhance ability to mitigate, react and intervene in major natural disasters targeting critical infrastructure.