Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
6.4.2. Cyberenvironments
The challenge here is to explore how cyberenvironments can be leveraged to connect a
geographically distributed set of international researchers for meaningful collaborative
research. Focus was placed on: (1) identification of technological barriers that currently
hinder international collaboration and (2) formulation of solutions that would assist in
overcoming such barriers. It was argued that cyberenvironment software and hardware
shouldbeeasiertouse.Tothisend,somedegreeofstandardizationshouldbeintroduced
to the earthquake engineering cyberenvironments to facilitate easier exchange of ideas
and data across national boundaries. The cyberenvironment should also be designed to
evolve with emerging information technologies to address additional demands from the
research community.
6.4.3. Data infrastructure
It was envisioned that an international data repository would contain both experimental
simulationdataandanalytical/numericalsimulationdata.Underconsiderationwerebasic
policies, data models, metadata, procedures for documenting experiments and numerical
simulations, and protocols for datacuration, management, and maintenance.
7. Summary and conclusions
A class of large-scale testing facilities for earthquake engineering applications was
presented. A wide variety of testing approaches and capabilities is currently available
worldwide for documentation of seismic and dynamic moderate- and high-amplitude
levels of structural response. The presented facilities include in-situ field testing sites,
dynamic testing mobile laboratories, large-scale testing laboratories, and geotechnical
centrifuges. Representative collaborative efforts using these facilities were discussed.
Opportunities and challenges associated with worldwide collaboration were also high-
lighted.
It is envisioned that collaboration will increasingly become a common mode of con-
ducting experimental research. Convenient availability of the experimentation data sets
is an essential element, in view of the uniqueness and high expense associated with this
typeoflarge-scaletesting.Definitionofeffective approaches towardssuchofworldwide
collaboration is underway, in order to set the stage for a new paradigm in earthquake
engineering research and education.
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