Natural Hazards Reconnaissance with the RAPID Facility

Natural hazards and disaster reconnaissance investigations have provided important lessons for the research and practice communities that have greatly improved our scientific understanding of extreme events. However, many challenges remain, including improving our ability to model hazards, make decisions in the face of uncertainty, enhance community resilience, and mitigate risk. This presentation will highlight new, strategic approaches for geotechnical and geological engineering post-disaster field reconnaissance to reduce the risk of potential future geo-disasters. These strategic approaches involve acquiring and integrating data over various temporal, spatial, and social scales across disciplines. The presentation will also highlight the National Science Foundation (NSF)-supported Natural Hazards Reconnaissance Facility (known as the “RAPID”), which is part of the Natural Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure (NHERI) program, and discuss the RAPID's instrumentation portfolio, services, and capabilities, and training activities.