Documenting and learning from observations following extreme events are invaluable to advancing the state-of-the-art and the state-of-the-practice in multi-hazards engineering. Recorded observations serve as benchmarks to our understanding of the effects of these events, their underlying causative mechanisms, and for validation of design procedures. Capturing these observations is critical to advancing the profession. Currently, the Geo-Engineering Earthquake Reconnaissance Association performs post-earthquake reconnaissance. Having succeeded in developing innovative techniques for post-earthquake reconnaissance, the association is broadening its scope to include other natural and human-made disasters. This broadening of its mission is reflected in its new name: Geo-engineering Extreme Events Reconnaissance (GEER).
While post-earthquake reconnaissance continues to be a central mission, we recognize that GEER members have already participated effectively in reconnaissance efforts that document geotechnical effects of other extreme events (e.g., World Trade Center Towers collapse and Hurricanes Katrina and Rita). GEER is well positioned to provide leadership in developing innovative technologies and protocols for performing reconnaissance of the damaging effects from other natural and human-made disasters. Much of the data and information generated by extreme events is perishable and therefore must be collected within a few days or weeks of the event. There continues to be a real need for assembling strategic geo-engineering survey teams with NSF support. Many of the innovative techniques employed in recent reconnaissance efforts, such as use of digital cameras, GPS devices, PDAs, remote sensing, and digital mapping, were developed by GEER members. GEER's ability to rapidly assemble experienced and new geo-engineers is unmatchable. However, these efforts are being improved through better coordination prior to the next event, through continued development of technologies, and training of young professionals. By joining with other professions who have also developed effective procedures, and sharing the results of this research with other communities, the future detrimental effects of extreme events will be minimized.
This award provides funds for continuation of GEER management and reconnaissance activities under the new expanded scope of providing quick response investigations of major geo-engineering-related disasters. It is expected that an average of one or two investigations of moderate sized events would be conducted per year. In the event of a major disaster, a small quick response team would be dispatched to determine the magnitude of the needed response so that a request for additional funds could be quickly submitted.
Advancing hazard-resistant design demands an understanding of what happens when a disaster occurs. Documenting and sharing the key lessons learned from extreme events around the world contributes significantly to advancing research and practice in hazards engineering. The detailed mapping and surveying of damaged areas provides the data for well-documented case histories that drive the development of many of the design procedures used by geotechnical engineers. Many engineering methods are based on insights gleaned from observations from past events. Field observations are particularly important in the discipline of geotechnical engineering, because it is difficult to replicate in the laboratory soil deposits built by nature over thousands of years. Furthermore, much of the data generated by an extreme event is perishable and therefore must be collected quickly after the occurrence of the event. The National Science Foundation (NSF) has historically supported geotechnical engineers and engineering geologists who take it upon themselves to conduct surveys of damage after large earthquakes. The NSF recognizes the value in having researchers witness the effects of earthquakes and collect perishable data. However, funding separate teams to investigate events often resulted in post-earthquake responses that were not well coordinated and photographs and notes taken by individuals were locked away in their offices and not shared. In the early 2000’s, NSF challenged geotechnical researchers to work together to improve the manner in which post-earthquake reconnaissance was conducted. In response to this challenge, the Geotechnical Earthquake Reconnaissance (GEER) Association was created. It was recognized that those techniques that had proved successful in quantitatively documenting the effects of earthquakes could be applied with equal success to documenting the effects of other extreme events. Recognizing its multi-hazard capabilities and the need to learn from other extreme events, GEER broadened its mandate to include all extreme events that provided opportunities to advance research and practice in geotechnical engineering. Its name was changed to Geotechnical Extreme Events Reconnaissance to reflect this broader mission. GEER’s goals are to advance the profession’s capabilities to conduct post-event reconnaissance and to interface more effectively with complementary in-country as well as other U.S. organizations. GEER employs enhanced techniques and systematic procedures to capture critical observations of the geotechnical effects of natural hazards and other extreme events. Many of the innovative techniques employed in recent post-event reconnaissance efforts, such as the use of GPS devices, airborne and terrestrial LIDAR (light detection and ranging), satellite optical and SAR (synthetic aperture radar) images, GoogleEarth, smartphone-based software tools, and digital mapping tools, were developed by NSF-sponsored geotechnical engineers working as part of GEER survey teams. The GEER Association is led by a Steering Committee, a group of geotechnical engineers with considerable post-event reconnaissance experience. The Steering Committee receives guidance from a broad-based Advisory Panel consisting of a larger group of prominent geotechnical engineers, hazard engineers, and scientists in related fields, as well as members of organizations that actively participate in post-event reconnaissance. The GEER Association currently has over 270 members. GEER can respond rapidly and access creative ideas of both experienced and younger geotechnical engineers. A cornerstone of NSF-sponsored GEER activities is the availability of web-based reconnaissance reports published rapidly after an event. Over this project period, GEER has published reports after reconnaissance of twenty-two extreme events, including floods, landslides, and earthquakes worldwide.
