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Directorate
for Engineering
Division of Civil and Mechanical Systems
The Division of Civil and Mechanical
Systems (CMS) supports research that contributes to the knowledge base and
intellectual growth in the areas of infrastructure construction and management,
geotechnology, structures, dynamics and control, mechanics and materials,
sensing for civil and mechanical systems, and the reduction of risks induced
by earthquakes and other natural and technological hazards.
The CMS Division encourages cross-disciplinary partnerships at the intersections
of traditional disciplines. These partnerships promote discoveries using
technologies such as autoadaptive systems, nanotechnology, and information
technology to enable revolutionary advances in the Nation's civil and mechanical
systems.
 For
More Information
Write to the Division of Civil and Mechanical Systems, National Science
Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room 545, Arlington, VA 22230; or contact
the division by telephone, 703-292-8360; or by fax, 703-292-9053; or visit
the CMS home page, http://www.eng.nsf.gov/cms.
1. Dynamic System Modeling, Sensing, and Control
(DSMSC)
Supports research on the fundamental engineering concepts and mathematical
theories for modeling, analysis, simulation, and control of complex nonlinear
dynamic systems, including the study of new control methods, acoustics,
vibrations, and kinematics relationships. DSMSC invests in research on information
technology as related to smart and autoadaptive civil and mechanical systems,
including the study of new technologies for sensing and acquiring information;
multiple and intelligent system functionality; integration of sensors, actuators,
controllers, and power sources; and modeling, synthesis, simulation, and
prototyping of intelligent systems and their components.
2. Geotechnical and Geohazards Systems (GGS)
Seeks to advance the
fundamental engineering and related knowledge for geostructures—foundations,
slopes, excavations, soil and rock improvement technologies, and reinforcement
systems; geohazards mitigation; constitutive modeling and verification;
remediation and containment of geo-environmental contamination; transferability
of laboratory results to field scale; and nondestructive and in situ evaluation.
GHS support is given for research that will increase the geotechnical and
geohazards knowledge necessary to mitigate the impacts of natural and technological
hazards in both constructed and natural environments. A broad spectrum of
research is supported, including the use of data from laboratory and field
experiments to develop and validate innovative designs and methodologies;
the application of new sensing and information technologies to the simulation
of complex phenomena; and the collection of data from catastrophic events
including deployment of rapid-response reconnaissance.
3. Infrastructure and Information Systems (IIS)
Supports research
to develop new science bases necessary for developing and deploying advanced
information systems and technologies required to sustain the Nation's infrastructure.
IIS research affects infrastructure system design, construction, maintenance,
and operation and control. It includes networking technology, Internet-based
data systems, voice and data communications technologies, and geographical
information systems-based multimedia global infrastructure information
systems. The IIS Program is also interested in systems and network approaches
to
infrastructure management and life-cycle engineering, integrated systems
behavior and network simulation, hazard preparedness and response, societal
and economic impacts, decision theory, intelligent systems and engineering
(life-cycle design), and conceptual and theoretical bases of scalable enterprise
for civil systems construction and management.
4. Solid Mechanics and Materials Engineering (SMME)
Links the expertise
of analytical, computational, and experimental solid mechanics and biomechanics
with materials and surface engineering to understand, characterize, analyze,
design, and control the mechanical properties and performance of materials
and devices. SMME supports research on the deformation, fracture, fatigue,
friction, wear, and corrosion of all types of materials, including composites,
nanostructured materials, construction materials, and coatings and surface
modification for service under extreme conditions. The program also supports
experimental and analytical investigations and simulation modeling of material
microstructures and their connections to nano-, meso-, and macroscale structural
behavior.
5. Structural Systems and Engineering (SSE)
Emphasizes new discoveries
in the design, construction, repair, rehabilitation, upgrade, and maintenance
of structural materials and systems. SSE supports research that will advance
the knowledge base on the application of advanced polymer materials and
high-performance steel and concrete materials, durability of construction
materials, soil structure interaction, safety and reliability of bridges
and other structures including applications of condition assessment to
structural systems, and integrated building systems. Also of interest is
research that
will lead to improved understanding of the impact of extreme events on
the performance of the constructed environment and on interactions between
natural
and constructed environments.
6. NSF George E. Brown, Jr. Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation
(NEES)
Funded under the NSF Major Research Equipment and Facilities
Construction Account, NEES is authorized for a construction period of 5
years through September 30, 2004, for a total NSF contribution of $81.8
million. The goal of NEES is to provide a national networked collaboratory
of geographically distributed shared-use, next-generation experimental
research equipment sites. The sites will be equipped with teleobservation
and teleoperation
capabilities that will transform the environment for earthquake engineering
research and education through collaborative and integrated experimentation,
computation, theory, database, and model-based simulation. The goal is
to improve the seismic design and performance of U.S. civil and mechanical
infrastructure systems. When the construction is completed, the NEES consortium
will operate the NEES collaboratory through the year 2014.
The NEES collaboratory will include 15 to 20 equipment sites (shake tables,
centrifuges, tsunami wave basin, large-scale laboratory experimentation
systems, and field experimentation and monitoring installations) networked
together through a high performance Internet. In addition to providing access
for telepresence at the NEES equipment sites, the network will use cutting-edge
tools to link high performance computational and data storage facilities,
including a curated repository for experimental and analytical earthquake
engineering and related data. The network will also provide distributed
physical and numerical simulation capabilities and resources for visualization
of experimental and computed data. For further information, visit the program’s
Web site, http://www.eng.nsf.gov/nees.
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