With grant (1, 2) support from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and Fulcrum Community, the teams are conducting damage assessments in dense urban areas affected by the storms. They collect “perishable data” by evaluating building materials and structural integrity before reconstruction or demolition begins.
Moving quickly to assess damage
The team began assessing damage even before receiving financial assistance through an NSF Rapid Grant. “It’s crucial to get there before the damage is cleaned up,” said David Roueche, Ph.D., Auburn University Professor of Civil Engineering.
“In our field of research, we emphasize that disasters are caused by hazard, exposure, and vulnerability,” he said. The data collected with Fulcrum will help researchers understand the factors leading to observed building damage. This information will educate engineering students and local communities on building best practices. The goal is to prevent similar devastation in the future.
Calvin College, Colorado School of Mines, and several other universities joined Auburn University in conducting the study. The other schools include Florida Institute of Technology, University of Kentucky, and University of Puerto Rico, among others.
Dozens of data collectors are capturing photos, damage levels, structural details, building attributes, and other observations. Many work in disconnected environments without wi-fi or cellular service, but their data syncs to the cloud once they reconnect.
“Fulcrum has been the perfect platform to collect all that data in one place,” David said.
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