Research Accomplishments 1986 1994

Damage assessment, rehabilitation, decision-making, social consequences, repair and reconstruction; these are all critical factors for considerations following natural disasters such as earthquakes. In order to address these issues, the United States of America and the Peoples Republic of China regularly organize bilateral symposia/workshops to investigate multiple hazard mitigation, particularly with respect to earthquake engineering. This book contains state-of-the-art reports presented by world-renowned researchers at the US/PRC Sympsosium Workshop on Post-Earthquake Rehabilitation and Reconstruction held in Kunming, Yunnan, China, May 1995. The following key areas are addressed: damage assessment of structures after earthquakes; lessons of post-earthquake recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction, including public policy, land use options, urban planning, and design; issues in and examples of decision-making, and implementation of rehabilitation and reconstruction plans and policies; repair, strengthening, retrofit and control of structures and lifeline systems, post-earthquake socio-economic problems covering issues of relief and recovery; human and organizational behavior during emergency response, and strategies for improvement; real-time monitoring of earthquake response and damage.

Social science research conducted since the late 1970's has contributed greatly to society's ability to mitigate and adapt to natural, technological, and willful disasters. However, as evidenced by Hurricane Katrina, the Indian Ocean tsunami, the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, and other recent events, hazards and disaster research and its application could be improved greatly. In particular, more studies should be pursued that compare how the characteristics of different types of events-including predictability, forewarning, magnitude, and duration of impact-affect societal vulnerability and response. This book includes more than thirty recommendations for the hazards and disaster community.

Great loss of human life, structural damage, and social and economic upheaval occur repeatedly due to such natural hazards as earthquakes, typhoons, hurricanes, landslides, floods and tsunamis. Both the US and Taiwan, along with many other countries, have a history of such occurrences and a common need to reduce their effects. This volume includes papers from the fourth symposium workshop, held jointly between the US and Taiwan to discuss research and its application to multiple hazard mitigation. The workshop, Urban Disaster Mitigation, The Role of Engineering and Technology, discussed lessons learned from recent natural disasters; assessed results of Taiwan's multiple hazards research program and potential application to the US; and proposed further studies on subjects of mutual concern. Topics include recent scientific findings obtained in various natural hazard areas and assessment of actual and potential damage from earthquakes, floods and landslides. Of particular importance are measures that can be taken to mitigate these hazards ranging from use of new algorithms for structural engineering to warning systems for a given region. At a time when natural disasters are widespread, engineers play a key role. Construction methods and building codes are changing; current knowledge shapes the direction of these changes. The research results presented in these proceedings will benefit both the academic and practicing communities around the world, strengthening the relationship between these two important parties.

This document from the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) was prepared for the Building Seismic Safety Council (BSSC) with funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). It provides commentary on the NEHRP Guidelines for the Seismic Rehabilitation of Buildings. It contains systematic guidance enabling design professionals to formulate effective & reliable rehabilitation approaches that will limit the expected earthquake damage to a specified range for a specified level of ground shaking. This kind of guidance applicable to all types of existing buildings & in all parts of the country has never existed before. Illustrated.

Provides the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Mitigation Directorate with 25 recommended tasks that should be undertaken through the agency's Existing Buildings Program (EBP) in the coming years. The EBP's expanded but continuing mission in seismic rehabilitation is to limit fatalities, life-threatening injuries, & property & economic losses from earthquakes by increasing the number of seismically resistant buildings in all areas of identified earthquake risk. Identifies 4 objectives & 25 tasks to help make our building stock less vulnerable to earthquake damage. Seeks to provide the continuity necessary for an effective Existing Buildings Program.

In OCLC 1967--1997: Thirty Years of Furthering Access to the World's Information, you'll see how libraries, librarians, and librarianship have changed dramatically since the late sixties, when OCLC was founded as a nonprofit, membership, computer library service and research organization. You'll also see how far information professionals have come in their common crusade to provide access to the ever-expanding body of information worldwide. OCLC 1967--1997 gives you both a look back and a look forward across thirty years of continuous technological change as OCLC grows from an Ohio network of 54 academic libraries to a global network of 26,000 libraries in 65 countries. Eighteen experienced authors give you a panoramic overview and specific insight into OCLC as both a membership organization and a provider of computer services. You'll see how libraries and librarians have an institutionalized voice for libraries in OCLC’s strategic directions. And, you'll better understand how the shared commitment of OCLC members to the ideals of research, scholarship, and education has created a unique library resource--WorldCat--which has become the most consulted database in higher education. Specifically, you'll read about: the changing tasks of cataloging, from automatic processing of print materials to the new challenges of electronic metadata the revolution in reference services and resource sharing OCLC in Asia Pacific, Europe, and Latin America today's leading-edge electronic libraries--GALILEO and the CIC VEL research at OCLC the new electronic scholarship OCLC 1967--1997 is for library professionals in libraries of all types. It is a definitive guidebook to today's OCLC and to all those who are helping their libraries and staffs deal with the challenges and opportunities of the Information Age.

This is an authoritative introduction to Computing Education research written by over 50 leading researchers from academia and the industry.