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1. NHERI@UC San Diego 6-DOF Large High-Performance Outdoor Shake Table Facility

   https://doi.org/10.3389/fbuil.2020.580333  

   Van Den Einde, Lelli ; Conte, Joel P. ; Restrepo, José I. ; Bustamante, Ricardo ; Halvorson, Marty ; Hutchinson, Tara C. ; Lai, Chin-Ta ; Lotfizadeh, Koorosh ; Luco, J. Enrique ; Morrison, Machel L. ; et al ( January 2021 , Frontiers in Built Environment)

   null (Ed.)

   Since its commissioning in 2004, the UC San Diego Large High-Performance Outdoor Shake Table (LHPOST) has enabled the seismic testing of large structural, geostructural and soil-foundation-structural systems, with its ability to accurately reproduce far- and near-field ground motions. Thirty-four (34) landmark projects were conducted on the LHPOST as a national shared-use equipment facility part of the National Science Foundation (NSF) Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES) and currently Natural Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure (NHERI) programs, and an ISO/IEC Standard 17025:2005 accredited facility. The tallest structures ever tested on a shake table were conducted on the LHPOST, free from height restrictions. Experiments using the LHPOST generate essential knowledge that has greatly advanced seismic design practice and response predictive capabilities for structural, geostructural, and non-structural systems, leading to improved earthquake safety in the community overall. Indeed, the ability to test full-size structures has made it possible to physically validate the seismic performance of various systems that previously could only be studied at reduced scale or with computer models. However, the LHPOST's limitation of 1-DOF (uni-directional) input motion prevented the investigation of important aspects of the seismic response of 3-D structural systems. The LHPOST was originally conceived as a six degrees-of-freedom (6-DOF) shake table but built as a single degree-of-freedom (1-DOF) system due to budget limitations. The LHPOST is currently being upgraded to 6-DOF capabilities. The 6-DOF upgraded LHPOST (LHPOST6) will create a unique, large-scale, high-performance, experimental research facility that will enable research for the advancement of the science, technology, and practice in earthquake engineering. Testing of infrastructure at large scale under realistic multi-DOF seismic excitation is essential to fully understand the seismic response behavior of civil infrastructure systems. The upgraded 6-DOF capabilities will enable the development, calibration, and validation of predictive high-fidelity mathematical/computational models, and verifying effective methods for earthquake disaster mitigation and prevention. Research conducted using the LHPOST6 will improve design codes and construction standards and develop accurate decision-making tools necessary to build and maintain sustainable and disaster-resilient communities. Moreover, it will support the advancement of new and innovative materials, manufacturing methods, detailing, earthquake protective systems, seismic retrofit methods, and construction methods. This paper will provide a brief overview of the 1-DOF LHPOST and the impact of some past landmark projects. It will also describe the upgrade to 6-DOF and the new seismic research and testing that the LHPOST6 facility will enable. 

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2. Vernacular Visualization Practices in a Citizen Science Project

   https://doi.org/10.1145/2998181.2998239  

   Snyder, Jaime ( January 2017 , CSCW 2017)

   Vernacular visualizations are visual representations of information created by and for non-expert users, in contrast to those developed by experts for specialized audiences. Research looking at everyday design practices and the democratization of innovation indicates that deeper understanding of non-expert design practices has a positive impact on technology development. This qualitative study focuses on the creation, use and dissemination of vernacular visualizations in a citizen science project. Findings from this research (1) map visualization practices in an established citizen science project, (2) contribute to theoretical understanding of the ways in which vernacular visualization practices support data-rich collaborative and coordinated work, and (3) suggest ways in which visualizations and visual resources can be evaluated in terms of their abilities to enrich coordination and communication in these contexts. 

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3. Passive survivability of buildings under changing urban climates across eight US cities

   https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ab28ba  

   Baniassadi, Amir ; Sailor, David J. ; Krayenhoff, E. Scott ; Broadbent, Ashley M. ; Georgescu, Matei ( July 2019 , Environmental Research Letters)

   In the US, more than 80% of fatal cases of heat exposure are reported in urban areas. Notably, indoor exposure is implicated in nearly half of such cases, and lack of functioning air conditioning (AC) is the predominant cause of overheating. For residents with limited capacity to purchase, maintain, and operate an AC system, or during summertime power outages, the ability of buildings to maintain safe thermal conditions without mechanical cooling is the primary protective factor against heat. In this paper, we use whole-building energy simulations to compare indoor air temperature inside archetypical single-family residential buildings without AC at the start and middle of the century in eight US cities. We ran the models using hourly output from 10 year regional climate simulations that explicitly include heating from mid-century projections of urban development and climate change under a ‘business-as-usual’ emissions scenario. Moreover, to identify the impacts from evolving construction practices, we compare different versions of building energy standards. Our analysis shows that summertime overheat time may increase by up to 25% by the middle of century. Moreover, we find that, while newer building energy codes reduce thermal comfort under moderate outdoor weather, they perform better under extreme heat.

    

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4. Transforming standards into classrooms for knowledge-in-use: an effective and coherent project-based learning system

   https://doi.org/10.1186/s43031-023-00088-z  

   He, Peng ; Krajcik, Joseph ; Schneider, Barbara ( December 2023 , Disciplinary and Interdisciplinary Science Education Research)

   Global science education reform calls for developing student knowledge-in-use that applies the integrated knowledge of core ideas and scientific practices to make sense of phenomena or solve problems. Knowledge-in-use development requires a long-term, standards-aligned, coherent learning system, including curriculum and instruction, assessment, and professional learning. This paper addresses the challenge of transforming standards into classrooms for knowledge-in-use and presents an iterative design process for developing a coherent and standards-aligned learning system. Using a project-based learning approach, we present a theory-driven, empirically validated learning system aligned with the U.S. science standards, consisting of four consecutive curriculum and instruction materials, assessments, and professional learning to support students’ knowledge-in-use in high school chemistry. We also present the iterative development and testing process with empirical evidence to support the effectiveness of our learning system in a five-year NSF-funded research project. This paper discusses the theoretical perspectives of developing an NGSS-aligned, coherent, and effective learning system and recaps the development and testing process by unpacking all essential components in our learning system. We conclude that our theory-driven and empirically validated learning system would inform high school teachers and researchers across countries in transforming their local science standards into curriculum materials to support students’ knowledge-in-use development.

    

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5. Fluorescent materials-based information storage

   https://doi.org/10.1039/c9qm00607a  

   Wang, Hu ; Ji, Xiaofan ; Page, Zachariah A. ; Sessler, Jonathan L. ( April 2020 , Materials Chemistry Frontiers)

   The third industrial revolution has brought mankind into the information age. The development of information storage materials has played a key role in this transformation. Such materials have seen use in many application areas, including computing, logistics, and medicine. Information storage materials run the gamut from magnetic information storage media to molecular-based information storage materials. Among these, fluorescent-based information storage materials are of particular interest due to their unique properties, including an ability to store information with high levels of security, maintain mechanical stability, and respond to appropriately chosen external stimuli. In this review, we focus on recent advances involving the preparation and study of fluorescent materials-based information storage codes. For organisational purposes, these codes are treated according to the dimensionality of the code system in question, namely 1D-, 2D-, and 3D-type codes. The present review is designed to provide a succinct summary of what has been accomplished in the area, while outlining existing challenges and noting directions for future development. 

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