This Rapid Response Grant (RAPID) project is to establish an interactive web site for the data obtained by field team documenting damage from Super Typhoon Haiyan that made landfall in Philippines. Super Typhoon Haiyan may have been the strongest land falling tropical cyclone in recorded history. The damage caused by wind, wave, surge, and debris are characteristics of the storm and not highly dependent on the structures. American Society of Civil Engineers, a professional organization, has sponsored an eight person team to collect damage data in the field. This project sponsored by the National Science Foundation will permit deposition of data at one central web site and allow other designated specialists in the United States to view the data, make comments and pursue analysis on real-time basis. The advantage of one web site is that the data will be preserved at one location.
Because Super Typhoon Haiyan was (probably) the strongest recorded land falling storm in history, it represents one end of the envelope for design purposes. For this reason, ascertaining both the hazard and damage levels will give a good estimate of the types and quantities of damage, and failure mechanisms that might occur in the United States. The PI will establish a web site on a dedicated server at the Institution which can provide interactive connection to field investigators as well as to specialists in the U.S. A protocol will be developed for data uploading and sharing. The specialists in the U.S. can provide analysis and comments on the data. The field team will document damage data on two-story residential structures, churches, airport, bridges, docks and government buildings. The damage data, comments and analysis will be transferred to a national repository when available within three years.
