Phase I at IUCRC TTU: Center for Wind Hazard and Infrastructure Performance (WHIP)

美国每年都会受到风暴的影响，造成大量伤亡，并对住宅、商业和工业建筑以及电力、通信、交通、供水和其他生命线系统造成严重破坏。在过去20年中，保险财产损失超过3000亿美元，而总损失估计是这个数字的两倍。行业/大学合作研究中心(I/UCRC)的风灾和基础设施性能(WHIP)的目标是增强建筑和基础设施对飓风、龙卷风和其他风暴的弹性。由鞭子中心的研究产生并由其行业合作伙伴实施的研究结果将有助于社区抵御风灾，同时提高美国的经济竞争力和公民的福祉。学生将与行业合作伙伴互动，了解他们的需求，并获得学术和专业培训。通过吸引更多的行业成员和合作机构，鞭子中心将得到推广，规模和影响将不断扩大。它被设想为一个国家中心，将在国家减少风暴影响计划(NWIRP)中解决多个推力问题。灾难恢复的概念将通过出版物和社交媒体在行业、政府机构和公众中推广。鞭子中心将采取广泛的方式，旨在服务于其成员，这些成员集中在保险、风险建模和建筑行业。其主要研究主题是：a)风灾评估；b)估计建筑物和基础设施的暴露和脆弱性；c)提高社区复原力。在这些主题中，行业咨询委员会(IAB)将根据项目的优先顺序以及S中心的教师专业和专长来选择项目。德克萨斯理工大学(TTU)作为WIIP中心的创建地之一，48年来一直在进行与风相关的研究计划，支持广泛的设施，包括Ka波段移动雷达、200米气象塔、低层测试建筑、风洞、龙卷风模拟器和碎片撞击设施。这些项目将利用这些设施和分析模型，建立与基础研究和技术创新的强大联系。双多普勒雷达和现场风速测量可以测量和验证登陆飓风中的微尺度地表风速。龙卷风模拟器产生的易损性曲线可以迅速转化为设计标准和建筑规范。风洞数据的空气动力学数据库将有助于形成建筑部件上压力的概率分布，以区分飓风中的风水损害。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The United States is annually impacted by windstorms, causing large numbers of fatalities and injuries and severe damage to residential, commercial, and industrial buildings as well as to power, communication, transportation, water and other lifeline systems. Insured property losses exceeded $300 billion over the last twenty years while total losses are estimated to be twice that number. The goal of the Industry/University Cooperative Research Center (I/UCRC) for Wind Hazard and Infrastructure Performance (WHIP) is to enhance the resiliency of buildings and infrastructure against hurricanes, tornadoes, and other windstorms. Findings generated from WHIP Center research and implemented by its industry partners will contribute to community resiliency against wind hazards while enhancing the economic competitiveness of the U.S. and the well-being of its citizens. Students will interact with industry partners, understand their needs, and obtain both academic and professional training. The WHIP Center will be promoted and grow in size and impact by attracting additional industry members and collaborating institutions. It is envisioned as a national center that will address multiple thrusts in the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program (NWIRP). The concept of disaster resiliency will be advanced among industries, government agencies, and the public at large through publications, and social media.The WHIP Center will adopt a broad-based approach aimed at serving its members, who are concentrated in the insurance, risk modeling, and construction industries. Its major research themes are: a) wind hazards assessments; b) estimation of exposure and vulnerability of buildings and infrastructures; and c) improvement of community resilience. Within these themes the Industry Advisory Board (IAB) will select the projects based on their priorities and the Center?s faculty specialties and expertise. Texas Tech University (TTU), as one of founding sites of the WHIP Center, has had an ongoing wind related research program for forty-eight years and supports a broad array of facilities including Ka-band mobile radars, 200m met tower, low-rise test building, wind tunnel, tornado simulator, and debris impact facility. The projects will leverage these facilities along with analytical models to build a strong linkage to fundamental research and technological innovation. Dual-Doppler radar and in-situ anemometry can measure and validate microscale surface winds in landfalling hurricanes. Fragility curves generated from tornado simulator could be quickly transitioned into design standards and building codes. Aerodynamic database of wind tunnel data would help formulating probability distributions of pressure on building components for differentiating wind-water damage in hurricanes.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.