Recent Advances in Geotechnical Post-earthquake Reconnaissance

Abstract

Field observations are particularly important in geotechnical engineering, because it is difficult to replicate in the laboratory the response of soil deposits built by nature over thousands of years. Detailed mapping of damaged and undamaged areas provides the data for the well-documented case histories that drive the development of many current design procedures. Thus, documenting key insights from earthquakes advance research and practice. This has been a primary goal of the National Science Foundation-sponsored Geotechnical Extreme Events Reconnaissance (GEER) Association since its inception almost 20 years ago. New technologies are continually employed by GEER teams to capture ground deformation and its effects. These technologies include Light Imaging Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) and Structure-from-Motion (SfM) image processing techniques for generating and visualizing three-dimensional point cloud data sets. New sensor deployment platforms such as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are playing an integral role in the data collection process. Unanticipated observations from major events often catalyze new research directions. An overview of some of these recent integrated technology deployments and their role at the core of earthquake disaster analysis is presented. Important advancements are possible through post-event research if their effects are captured and shared effectively.

Earthquake Consideration in Architectural Design: Guidelines for Architects

“…The waves they spread destroy buildings, bridges, and other manmade structures. There are many ways that earthquakes can affect the built environment, including ground shaking, surface rupture, soil liquefaction, and landslides [28]. Ground shaking is an earthquake's main effect.…”

Research Needs, Challenges, and Strategic Approaches for Natural Hazards and Disaster Reconnaissance

“…earthquakes in the U.S. and abroad (Bray et al, 2019). In 2011, GEER's scope was expanded to include the study of the geotechnical aspects of other natural hazard events such as hurricanes, floods, and landslides (e.g., Dashti et al, 2014;Wartman et al, 2016;Hughes and Morales Vélez, 2017;Gallant et al, 2020;Montgomery et al, 2020).…”

Natural Hazards Reconnaissance With the NHERI RAPID Facility

“…As described below, RAPID maintains equipment, such as terrestrial lidar and UASs, that have applications across multiple disciplines, hazards, geospatial scales, and temporal scales as well as equipment with primary applications within specific disciplines at specific locations. Such instruments have been widely cited as critical to advancing reconnaissance data collection (e.g., Bray et al, 2019;Greenwood et al, 2019). A sampling of the available equipment, as of late 2020, is described below within several broad categories.…”