Research on Networked Structural Laboratories in China

1
Research on Networked Structural Laboratories in
China

• Jiping RU 1) Yan XIAO 2) Xilin LU 3)
• National Natural Science Foundation of China
• 2) Hunan University, China University of
  Southern California, USA
• 3) Tongji University, China

2
Contents

• Brief introduction of NSFC
• Motivations and background
• Two key projects on experimental methods
• Progress of Key project I shake table
• Progress of Key project II NetSLab
• Future directions
• Concluding remarks

3
Contents

• Brief introduction of NSFC
• Motivations and background
• Two key projects on experimental methods
• Progress of Key project I shake table
• Progress of Key project II NetSLab
• Future directions
• Concluding remarks

4
NSFC-National Natural Science Foundation of China

• Following the role model of US NSF, the NSFC was
  established as an agency directly under the
  premiers office.
• NSFC is responsible to fund basic research in
  natural sciences, engineering and management
  sciences.

5
NSFC-Division of Civil and Environmental
Engineering

• Department of Engineering and Material Sciences
  9 divisions
• Metallic Materials
• Nonmetallic and Inorganic Materials
• Organic Polymer Materials
• Metallurgy and Mining Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Engineering Thermophysics and Utilization of
  Energy
• Electrical Engineering
• Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Hydraulic Engineering

6
NSFC-Division of Civil and Environmental
Engineering

• Funding levels
• Major focused project about 10m rmb/proj.
• Key focused project about 2m rmb/proj.
• General project (unsolicited) average 280k
  rmb/proj.
• Successful rate about 16 (2005), following
  essential similar review procedures as US NSF.

7
Contents

• Brief introduction of NSFC
• Motivations and background
• Two key projects on experimental methods
• Progress of Key project I shake table
• Progress of Key project II NetSLab
• Future directions
• Concluding remarks

8
Motivations of current research opportunities
and problems

• Increased investment to higher education by
  Chinese government has resulted in significant
  upgrade of structural laboratories.
• However, there is a trend of low-level
  duplications and simple import of foreign
  equipment.
• There is a significant lack of domestic and
  inter-campus collaborations.

9
Motivations of current research opportunities
and problems

• There is a need to establish and enhance the
  collaboration mechanisms among researchers and
  universities, domestically and internationally.
• Reduce low-level duplication of laboratories and
  encourage shared use of research resources.
• Other development in IT industry, Japan-Korea
  remote collaboration research and the US NEES
  program offered good examples.

10
Background

• USC and Hunan Univ. took initiatives of remote
  online testing collaborations from 2001.
• Paper by Ru and Xiao (2002) introduced the US
  NEES efforts and discussed the need of similar
  studies in China.
• NSFC workshop in Nov. 2002 identified the need of
  launching a national key project.

11
Contents

• Brief introduction of NSFC
• Motivations and background
• Two key projects on experimental methods
• Progress of Key project I shake table
• Progress of Key project II NetSLab
• Future directions
• Concluding remarks

12
Two Key Focused Projects

• Proposed in 2003 and funded in 2004
• Research on the basic theory for earthquake
  simulated shake table test
• (PI. Lu, Xilin, Tongji Univ.)
• The networked structural laboratories and hybrid
  experiment research project
• (PI. Xiao, Yan, Hunan Univ./USC)

13
Contents

• Brief introduction of NSFC
• Motivations and background
• Two key projects on experimental methods
• Progress of Key project I shake table
• Progress of Key project II NetSLab
• Future directions
• Concluding remarks

14
Progress of shake table research

• Basic theory concrete simulation rules using
  fine sand mortar

15
Progress of shake table research

• Internet based real-time video broadcast system
• 3. Standardization and shared use of shake table
  test results

16
Progress of shake table research

• Hybrid seismic test method and technology

17
Contents

• Brief introduction of NSFC
• Motivations and background
• Two key projects on experimental methods
• Progress of Key project I shake table
• Progress of Key project II NetSLab
• Future directions
• Concluding remarks

18
NetSLab
http//www.netslab.com

• Networked Structural Laboratories
• Or
• Networked Scientific Laboratories

19
Features of NetSLab

• Data Model
• Implementation of NetSLab

20
NetSLab Data Model

• Contents
• testing results
• three types of participants
• communication protocols and dataflow.

21
Three type of participants
22
Communication Protocols and Dataflow

• Centralized sequential communication controller
  sends control data (called request) to each
  tester one by one and a tester responds back to
  controller only after it finishes controllers
  request.
• Centralized parallel communication controller
  sends requests to multiple testers simultaneously
  and waits for their response. As soon as
  obtaining the responses from the testers, the
  controller decides and starts next step to send
  out next round of requests.
• Distributed parallel communication controller
  only sends out the start signals and initial data
  to certain testers. When a tester receives the
  partial TR and request, it executes certain
  action and decides its own action to send request
  and testing result to someone else. At certain
  point, a tester may report the results back to
  the controller.

23
II. Implementation of NetSLab

• Dynamic Unified Data Packet (DUDP)
• Generalized Data Communication Agency (GDCA)

24
IE Interface Engine
25
Limitations in Internet Environment
26
NetSLabs capability of penetrating firewalls
27
Option-2, VPN
28
Option-3, SOAP
29
NetSLab Applications to date

• Remote analyses
• Remote pseudo dynamic testing
• CFT column (Hunan University)
• PC pile foundation and pier column (USC)
• Harbin Univ. of Tech. and Others

30
Remote parallel analysis and experimentation
Testing model
31
NetSLab- Version 1.02
32
Testing Concept
33
(No Transcript)
34
Contents

• Brief introduction of NSFC
• Motivations and background
• Two key projects on experimental methods
• Progress of Key project I shake table
• Progress of Key project II NetSLab
• Future directions
• Concluding remarks

35
Ongoing and Future applications

• Collaboration in a multi-campus international
  program for remote testing of bridges with hollow
  steel CFT piers, led by Prof. Tsai at NCREE.
• USC-Hunan University collaborations in bridge
  pier footing pile foundation response
  testing.
• Multi-campus remote testing on model bridge.
• International collaborations, etc.

36
Contents

• Brief introduction of NSFC
• Motivations and background
• Two key projects on experimental methods
• Progress of Key project I shake table
• Progress of Key project II NetSLab
• Future directions
• Concluding remarks

37
Concluding remarks

• The two national key focused projects funded by
  NSFC have helped to redirect the academic
  attentions to advanced experimental methods.
• NSFC encourages various forms of international
  collaborations. Possible mechanisms include
• focused or general projects
• supplemental fund for existing projects
• and international workshops, etc.

38
Yuelu Academy
Thank you