A note from Jennifer Goupil, P.E., editor of Structural Engineering & Design:
In the weeks following the magnitude-7.0 earthquake struck Haiti on January 13, we have received reports from many organizations about what they are doing and what they need to continue to provide aid to the people of Haiti. We have also received requests from many engineering professionals who would like to contribute to the relief and rebuilding efforts.
This special section includes accounts from individuals and firms, and information on engineering and humanitarian efforts underway information for organizations.
To ensure your personal safety and to ensure you are contributing to the relief efforts most effectively, please only volunteer with an organized group that is operating legally and working through proper diplomatic channels. Thank you to Charlene Hails, P.E., S.E., and Project Manager with MRP Engineering , LLC, for contributing many of the following resources.
FEB. 17, 2010 -- On Jan. 12, 2010, a series of earthquakes, with magnitudes ranging from 6.5 to 7.3, devastated Haiti resulting in hardship, loss of life, and hundreds of thousands injured. Gannett Fleming employees rallied to assist in the global relief efforts in response to the need for water, food, medical care, and numerous other items.
To maximize contributions made by Gannett Fleming employees, the firm offered a dollar for dollar matching contribution to the American Red Cross Haiti Relief and Development fund. With the firm’s match, Gannett Fleming employees donated a total of $153,796.
The American Red Cross is working with its partners in the global Red Cross and Red Crescent network, including the Haitian Red Cross, and other partners to assist those affected by this disaster. Gannett Fleming’s contribution to the American Red Cross will support emergency relief and recovery efforts to help those people affected by the earthquake in Haiti.
FEB. 11, 2010 -- "In a crisis of this magnitude and complexity, Haiti really needs people with the skills and experience necessary to lift her up from the rubble and then set her on a course for sustainable development.
Geotechnical, water resources, structural engineers, surveyors, architects... the list of technical needs goes on and on. More importantly, however, Haiti needs people who understand how to help without creating dependence.
For example, we've had lots of well-meaning volunteers (many of whom have never stepped outside the U.S.) offer us their latest product of pre-fabricated homes that can be shipped down to Port au Prince, unloaded off a ship, and plopped on the ground. Instant shelter! Great idea, right? Actually, that does nothing for the Haitian people except foster an unhealthy dependence on the developed world, inflate their own material costs, and stimulate our economy at the expense of Haiti's.
Now we've placed something into a Haitian's hands that they don't have the know-how or the materials to fix and that probably doesn't correlate to their culture. Think like a Haitian: if I can get everything I need for free -- shelter, food, water, etc. -- then what incentive do I have to earn a living? What incentive do I have to take care of that in which in which I've invested nothing? To be sure, there are great emergency needs right now that we need to be excessively generous in meeting. But very soon, those emergency needs will be met and we'll need to start looking for permanent solutions that stimulate Haiti's economy, that restore her environmental beauty and resources, and that set her people on a track for independent livelihood.
For civil engineers, that translates into coming prepared to TRAIN, versus do. We need to walk alongside Haitians versus blazing our own trail. We need to lay down our need to feel good about ourselves and take up the burden of truly helping the Haitian people."
>>Mark Pierepiekarz, P.E., S.E., President of MRP Engineering, LLC,
(www.mrpengineering.com/haiti.htm) This site contains MRP team member accounts of their recent trip to Haiti, along with many images.
JAN. 28, 2010 -- The BASE team has documented damage to infrastructure/buildings and progress to recovery. Steve's report from the field:
"While there is high tech satellite and lidar reconnaissance being performed there is often need to improvise in the field. This is a stone plumb bob left from a previous team to monitor liquefaction settling in one corner of a medical clinic. We added some markings to measure any further sinking into the ground.
The dilemma in assessing the medical facilities is in trying to determine which is more dangerous, having patients outside in the elements or inside damaged buildings. It is not unusual to do an assessment with injured children around you or surgery going on, which makes the decision process more difficult."
This site provides information on the following: recommended vaccines, insect and airborne disease precautions, key items to bring, safety issues while in Haiti, dealing with psychological and emotional issues, and returning home
Since two weeks after the quake, the MCC has had groups of four structural engineers there for two week assignments, assessing buildings. They are currently in need of more volunteers.
This press release describes ASCE's efforts to assist in Haiti including how to donate to Red Cross and how to enroll in the ASCE Disaster Assistance Volunteer Directory.
Technical Council on Lifeline Earthquake Engineering
A technical assessment team from the American Society of Civil Engineers’ (ASCE) Technical Council on Lifeline Earthquake Engineering will travel to Haiti to study the impact of the January 12, 2010 magnitude 7.0 earthquake on the region’s infrastructure. The team will examine the performance of systems such as drinking water and sewage, roads and power supplies, ports and telecommunications, and schools and hospitals; as well as gather information that could aid in sustainable and resilient development efforts.
WHO: Curt Edwards, P.E., F.ASCE, Team Leader, Psomas
Alex Pierre Augustin, E.I.T., State of California
Don Ballantyne, P.E., MMI Engineering
Bill Bruin, P.E., Halcrow, Inc.
Rick Carter, State of Oregon
Stu Werner, P.E., Seismic Systems and Engineering Consultants
Brucely Joseph, URS Corporation
Aimee Lavarnway, Shannon & Wilson
Nason McCullough, P.E., CH2M Hill
Mark Pickett, Ph.D., P.E., University of Toledo
Dave Plum, P.E.
WHEN: February 28 to March 6, 2010
WHY: As part of its disaster response procedure, ASCE forms technical teams to study infrastructure damage caused by natural or man-made disasters. Such studies are conducted so that engineers may learn from the disaster, and perhaps more importantly, so that those lessons learned may be documented to inform future actions. ASCE has participated in more than a dozen assessments in the last decade, including studies of the World Trade Center and Pentagon in 2001; earthquake assessments in Italy, China, Peru, Japan, Sumatra-Andaman, Algeria, Alaska and California; and assessments following hurricanes Katrina and Ike.
This site is a repository for EERI members to report on what they are doing in Haiti and what they have learned. The site contains many links where structural engineers
This link describes an initiative, called Operation GEO-CAN — which stands for Global Earth Observation — Catastrophe Assessment Network, that will estimate and classify building damage based on high resolution aerial imagery in areas severely affected by the earthquake, including Port-au-Prince. (This is a project that any engineer with spare time can get involved with. It involves using Google Earth to examine high-resolution aerial photographs to identify damaged buildings. It is an opportunity to provide much-needed aid without leaving one’s desk.)
Following the 7.0M earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, MCEER became involved in coordinating relief efforts. MCEER and the Appropriate Infrastructure Development Group (AIDG) teamed up to dispatch a relief team of French-speaking structural engineers to evaluate the structural stability of hospitals and other crucial infrastructure in the earthquake-stricken region.
AIDG has launched a special fundraising campaign to cover the cost associated with the relief mission. Donations can be sent by check (please note "Haiti Structural Analysis Fund" or "Haiti Relief Fund” on check) to AIDG, P.O. Box 104, Weston, MA 02493 or donate by credit card online.
Virtual Disaster Viewer Used to Disseminate Images from Haiti Earthquake
Beginning on January 20, 2010, a World Bank-ImageCat-RIT airborne remote sensing data collection, disseminated by MCEER, began over the earthquake stricken regions of Haiti. The reconnaissance involves daily flights over a five day period to collect remote sensing imagery in the visible and infrared, as well as light detection and ranging (LiDAR) topography in the area around Port au Prince, Haiti. The data collected each day will be processed and made available through the Virtual Disaster Viewer on the MCEER website.
University of Buffalo earthquake engineer reports from Haiti
This link details how Andre Filiatrault, PhD, University at Buffalo civil engineering professor and director of the Multidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering Research (MCEER), headquartered at the University of Buffalo, was appointed by the United Nations as its interim lead.
University of Buffalo leads mission to analyze structures in Haiti
September 26, 2010 - September 30, 2010, in Dearborn Mich.
HubDOT Exclusive
In replacing the Willamette River Bridge, the Oregon Department of Transportation makes steps to ensure the structure's ecological footprint is as small as possible, leaving room for natural habitats to flourish.
FEB. 11, 2010 -- "In a crisis of this magnitude and complexity, Haiti really needs people with the skills and experience necessary to lift her up from the rubble and then set her on a course for sustainable development.
Department of Transportation makes steps to ensure the structure's ecological footprint is as small as possible, leaving room for natural habitats to flourish.
