Wayne Shelley

Technology: Crowd-sourced soil data for Europe

Since its launch by the UK Natural Environment Research Council in June 2012, the free iPhone app mySoil has attracted more than 2.6 million web hits and 12,500 dedicated users (see go.nature.com/ty1ukf). Next month, a new version will extend its coverage to soils in the European Union (EU).

The value of multiple earthquake missions: the EEFIT L'Aquila Earthquake experience

In November 2012 EEFIT launched its first ever return mission to an earthquake affected site. The L’Aquila Earthquake site was chosen as this is a recent European event of interest to the UK and European earthquake engineering community. The main aims of this return mission were to document the earthquake recovery process and this paper presents an overview of the post-disaster emergency phase and transition to reconstruction in the Aquila area after the earthquake. It takes an earthquake engineering perspective, highlighting areas mainly of interest to the fields of structural/seismic engineering and reconstruction management. Within the paper, reference is made to published literature, but also to data collected in the field during the return mission that would not otherwise have been available. The paper presents some specific observations and lessons learned from the L’Aquila return mission. However, in light of current international efforts in conducting return missions, the paper ends with some reflections on the value that return missions can provide to the field of earthquake engineering in general, based on the EEFIT L’Aquila experience.

Crowd-sourced soil data for Europe.

Since its launch by the UK Natural Environment Research Council in June 2012, the free iPhone app mySoil has attracted more than 2.6 million web hits and 12,500 dedicated users (see go.nature.com/ty1ukf). Next month, a new version will extend its coverage to soils in the European Union (EU).

The Glasgow (Scotland) geotechnical GIS: a desk study tool

Abstract Desk study is an essential part of all civil engineering project ground investigations. It is usually a collation and review of existing data and information about a site and, in some cases, the surrounding area, and carried out at an early stage of the ground investigation to inform and guide the ground investigation. It should provide suitable data and information to assess the ground conditions and the implications for the proposed engineering design. A similar approach can be taken to inform local, regional or national government with regard to development and the redevelopment of urban areas where ground investigation data and information are available. This paper describes a spatially defined geotechnical information system (GIS) designed to provide geological, geotechnical and geoenvironmental data and information for Glasgow City Council (Scotland). The system contains three main parts: the geology (bedrock, Quaternary and artificial deposits and the thickness and depth of these deposits); the data are presented as various summary graphs illustrating the variation of various parameters as well as a geotechnical and geoenvironmental database; and tools specifically developed to present the data. As undermining is a hazard in part of Glasgow, a dataset showing the distribution of mining is included. Further interpretation of the characteristics of the geological units has produced an engineering geological classification which may be used to provide rapid assessment of the engineering geological conditions.

Crowd-sourced soil data for Europe: Technology

Since its launch by the UK Natural Environment Research Council in June 2012, the free iPhone app mySoil has attracted more than 2.6 million web hits and 12,500 dedicated users (see go.nature.com/ty1ukf). Next month, a new version will extend its coverage to soils in the European Union (EU).