Projects : Task Order 26

Developement of NIST Measurement Science R&D Roadmap:
Windstorm and Coastal Inundation Impact Reduction

SUMMARY

NIST has a long history of research and development in wind engineering and windstorm impact reduction. With growth in these activities and with increasing national understanding in the significance of windstorm and coastal inundation events on the national ability to respond to and recover from these events, NIST has determined there is a need for a detailed measurement science roadmap that identifies critically needed windstorm and coastal inundation impact reduction research and development activities to be undertaken by NIST. As defined by NIST, the term measurement science includes “the development of performance metrics, measurement methods, predictive tools, and protocols as well as reference materials, data, and artifacts; the conduct of inter-comparison studies and calibrations; the evaluation and/or assessment of technologies, systems, and practices; and, the development and/or dissemination of technical guidelines and basis for standards, codes, and practices—in many instances via test beds, consortia, and/or other partnerships with the private sector.”

The roadmap is to be patterned after the roadmap for a problem-focused earthquake engineering research and development program that was prepared by the Applied Technology Council and is now being implemented by NIST. That roadmap, developed in a consensus process by leading earthquake engineering researchers and practitioners and published in 2003 as the ATC-57 Report, The Missing Piece: Improving Seismic Design and Construction Practices, identified five program elements under two subject areas: (1) systematic support of the code development process; and (2) improve seismic design and construction productivity. NIST desires that the roadmap for the windstorm and coastal inundation impact reduction program adapt the same framework, with parallel subject areas and program elements as follows:

Subject Area 1: Systematic support of the windstorm and coastal inundation code development process.

Program Element 1: Provide technical support for windstorm and coastal inundation engineering practice and code development process.

Program Element 2: Develop the technical basis for performance-based windstorm and coastal inundation engineering by supporting problem-focused, user-directed research and development.

Subject Area 2: Improve windstorm and coastal inundation design and construction productivity.

Program Element 3: Support the development of technical resources (e.g., guidelines and manuals) to improve windstorm and coastal inundation engineering practice.

Program Element 4: Make evaluated technology available to practicing professionals in the windstorm and coastal inundation design and construction communities.

Program Element 5: Develop tools to enhance the productivity, economy and effectiveness of the windstorm and coastal inundation resistant design and construction process.

In addition to using the same framework as provided in the ATC-57 roadmap, the Statement of Work also specifies that the roadmap development process is to include a workshop to obtain input from leading windstorm and coastal inundation impact reduction practitioners and researchers, as well recommended activities and information provided in the following references:

• Grand Challenges for Disaster Reduction, National Science and Technology Council, Subcommittee on Disaster Reduction, 2005.
• Windstorm Impact Reduction Implementation Plan, National Science and Technology Council, 2006.
• Hurricane Warning: The Critical Need for a National Hurricane Research Initiative, National Science Board, 2007.
• Proceedings, Workshop on Research Needs in Wind Engineering, NISTIR 5597, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 1995.
• Wind Engineering Research and Outreach Plan to Reduce Losses Due to Wind Hazards, American Association for Wind Engineering, in collaboration with the American Society of Civil Engineers, February 2004, rev. May 2004.
• Proceedings, International Workshop on Wind Engineering Research and Practice, Current State-of-the-Art and Future Needs/Plans/Policies, May 28- 29, 2010, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

The primary objective of this task is to prepare a research and development roadmap for NIST’s Windstorm and Coastal Inundation Impact Reduction Program. This roadmap shall incorporate a broad strategic approach and objectives for buildings, structures, and lifelines, including both new and existing construction. This approach shall adapt the ATC-57 framework and follow the subject areas and program elements outlined in the preceding Background statement.

Work to be carried out under this task order includes: (1) project management and oversight, including the selection and confirmation of key project personnel; (2) preparation of a Project Work Plan; (3) formulation of a broad strategic approach and objectives for the roadmap; (4) examination of current literature on research and development needs, as defined in the above references; (5) planning and conduct of a workshop of leading practitioners and researchers in windstorm and coastal inundation impact reduction; (6) preparation of a draft technical report that documents the broad strategic approach and objectives and presents a roadmap; and (7) production of a final report suitable for publication.

Windstorm and Coastal lnundation Program Committee. On Task Order 26, the specially appointed Windstorm and Coastal lnundation Program Committee, who reports to the Joint Venture Management Committee, will be responsible for: (1) advising on the selection of technical consultants or organizations to conduct and participate in the work performed under this task order; and (2) advising on the conceptual technical approach for this task order. The Windstorm and Coastal lnundation Program Committee consists of the following members:

• Jon A. Heintz (Program Manager, Chair), ATC Director of Projects, Redwood City, California

• Leighton Cochran, CPP Wind Engineering & Air Quality Consultants, Fort Collins, Colorado

• Kurt Gurley, University of Florida, Dept. of Civil and Coastal Engineering, Gainesville, Florida

• Spencer Rogers, North Carolina Sea Grant, Wilmington, North Carolina

• Joe Shepard, Haskell Associates, Jacksonville, Florida

• Donald Scott, PCS Structural Solutions, Tacoma, Washington, and

• Tom Smith, TLSmith Consulting Inc. (architect specializing in building envelop issues), Rockton, Illinois.

Project Manager.

On this task order, Bill Coulbourne, ATC Director of Wind and Flood
Hazard Mitigation, will serve as Project Manager. In addition to his duties of project management and contract administration, Mr. Coulbourne will also serve as an ex-officio member of the Windstorm and Coastal Inundation Program Committee.

Task Order 26 Project Technical Committee
The Project Technical Committee (PTC), which is chaired by the Project Technical Director, is responsible for the technical quality, practical direction, and execution of the work. On this task order, Bill Coulbourne will serve as the Project Technical Director (in addition to his duties as Project Manager) per the recommendation of the Windstorm and Coastal Inundation Program Committee. The Project Technical Director will serve as lead author for the roadmap report, and members of the PTC will serve as co-authors and technical advisors in the development of the report. The PTC will review and participate in project activities on a regular basis, and will approve all products prior to distribution.

The members of the PTC have been selected because of their involvement in professional activities and studies of wind impacts and coastal inundation and their association with recognized associations and organizations (hereafter referred to as partnering organizations) that focus on these hazards. Each PTC member is a recognized expert in windstorm and coastal inundation issues, each is knowledgeable of the gaps between practice needs and research, and each has appropriate experience that enables credibility with other researchers and practitioners in their field of expertise. The PTC members, and the partnering organizations they represent, are:

• Dr. Jon Galsworthy, RWDI, Ontario, Canada (representing the American Association of Wind Engineering, AAWE)

• Christopher Jones, P.E., Christopher P. Jones Consulting, Durham, North Carolina (representing Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM))

• Dr. Chris Letchford, Renessalear Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York (representing the Structural Engineering Institute (SEI) of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE))

• Dr. Ian Robertson, University of Hawaii, Manoa (representing the Coasts, Ports and Rivers Institute (COPRI) of the American Society of Civil Engineers)

• Thomas L. Smith, AIA, TLSmith Consulting, Rockton, Illinois, (representing the American Institute of Architects)

• Bill Coulbourne, P.E., ATC, Rehoboth Beach, DE (liaison for the National Council of Structural Engineers (NCSEA))

The important qualifications of members of the Project Technical Committee are:
• Appropriate experience in either wind or coastal inundation issues to know what the gaps are in knowledge
• Appropriate experience to have credibility with other researchers and practitioners in their field of expertise