MRI: Acquisition of 3D Laser Scanner for Research Evaluating Structural and Agronomic Damage from Catastrophic Meteorological Events in "Tornado Alley"

西德克萨斯州农工大学（WTAMU）通过此次重大研究仪器（MRI）奖获得FARO X330激光扫描仪，使跨学科研究人员能够快速准确地收集和保存因严重风暴作用而产生的易腐损坏数据，而由于安全问题或由于访问、时间和人员的限制，传统（接触式）测量无法完成。激光扫描迅速提供了损坏情况的永久记录，用于随后的详细分析，包括风引起的结构损坏和雷暴引起的农作物损坏。对受损结构的这种分析使调查人员能够确定龙卷风的强度，因为直接测量龙卷风风速是困难且危险的。 增强型藤田（EF）等级（美国官方的龙卷风强度测量）中的风速目前仅基于估计，需要验证或修订，以便工程师能够设计出提供更高安全性，弹性和经济性的结构。激光扫描仪的姿态教师和学生在年轻的本科工程计划中，在高层次（国际）国家研究工作中发挥更大的作用，帮助WTAMU（标题III西班牙裔服务机构下的合格机构）的目标扩大教育和研究中代表性不足的群体的参与。WTAMU通过新的NSF赞助的NHERI DesignSafe-ci.org数据存储库共享损害信息，促进了与其他国家和国际灾害研究人员的合作。利用这一新的机会，USDA-ARS保护和生产研究实验室的科学家与工程和农业科学领域的本科生、研究生和教师之间的互动将得到进一步加强。激光扫描仪将用于获取龙卷风破坏结构的全面3D模型。结构构件尺寸和变形的测量将与有限元建模软件一起沿着使用，以确定结构的阻力以及产生观察到的损坏所需的相关风压和风速。这些结果将为EF等级中的风速提供必要的验证或修订。激光扫描仪将使调查人员能够以类似的方式估计飓风破坏结构的阻力，从而通过考虑飓风海岸沿着结构阻力的增加，帮助调查人员扩大用于飓风的EF量表。农业研究人员将使用激光扫描仪测量植物生长，密度，以及多种高平原作物的冠层覆盖率，这些作物具有诸如行距，水分制度，品种和营养应用等各种处理;非侵入式远程测量允许简化和更强大的实验设计。使用美国农业部农业研究所保护和生产研究实验室（CPRL）在布什兰，得克萨斯州的研究地块，作物成熟和生长效率测量扫描仪可以与质量增益相关，如在CPRL的大型称重蒸渗仪所示。然而，非侵入性的远程扫描可以在植物退化之前告知调查人员实际的风暴损害情况，可能导致更有弹性的基因型。这种方法符合发展精确技术的总趋势，以更有效地种植作物，同时减少对环境的不利影响。

Acquisition of a FARO X330 laser scanner by West Texas A&M University (WTAMU) through this Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) award enables cross-disciplinary researchers to rapidly and accurately collect and preserve perishable damage data resulting from the action of severe wind storms where traditional (contact) measurements cannot be accomplished due to safety concerns or due to limitations on access, time, and personnel. Laser scanning rapidly provides a permanent record of damage conditions for subsequent detailed analysis, including wind-induced damage to structures and thunderstorm-induced damage to agricultural crops. Such analysis of damaged structures enables investigators to determine the intensity of tornado winds since direct measurements of tornado wind speeds are difficult and dangerous to obtain. Wind speeds in the Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale (the official U.S. measure of tornado intensity) are currently based on only estimates and are in need of validation or revision so that engineers can design structures that provide improved safety, resilience, and economy. Acquisition of the laser scanner postures faculty and students in the young, undergraduate engineering program for increased roles in high-level (inter) national research efforts, aiding the goal of WTAMU (an Eligible Institution under Title III Hispanic Serving Institution) in broadening the participation of underrepresented groups in education and research. Collaboration with other national and international hazards researchers is facilitated by WTAMUs sharing of damage information through the new NSF-sponsored NHERI DesignSafe-ci.org data repository. Interaction between scientists at USDA-ARS Conservation and Production Research Laboratory with undergraduate and graduate students and faculty in engineering and agricultural sciences will additionally be enhanced with this new opportunity.The laser scanner will be used to acquire comprehensive 3D models of tornado-damaged structures. Measurements of structural member sizes and deformations will be used along with finite-element modeling software to determine the resistance of the structure and the associated wind pressure and wind speed required to produce the observed damages. These results will provide necessary validation or revisions for wind speeds in the EF Scale. The laser scanner will allow investigators to similarly estimate the resistance of hurricane-damaged structures thereby assisting investigators in expanding the EF Scale for use in hurricanes by accounting for the increased resistance of structures along the hurricane coast. Agricultural researchers will use the laser scanner to measure plant growth, density, and canopy cover of multiple High Plains crops with such various treatments as row spacing, water regimen, variety, and nutrient application; the nonintrusive remote measurements allow for simplified and more robust experimental designs. Using research plots at the USDA-ARS Conservation and Production Research Laboratory (CPRL) at Bushland, TX, crop maturation and growth efficiency measured with the scanner can be correlated with mass gain as indicated by the large weighing lysimeters at CPRL It is often not feasible to make actual field measurements of crop damage immediately following severe weather; however noninvasive remote scanning may inform investigators of actual storm damage conditions prior to plant deterioration, possibly leading to more resilient genotypes. This approach is consistent with the general trend of developing precision technology to more efficiently grow crops while at the same time reducing adverse impacts on the environment.