Earthquake Damage Data Collection Using Omnidirectional Imagery

The unique perspectives and viewpoints offered by omnidirectional camera technology has the potential to help improve the outcomes of technical post-earthquake reconnaissance missions. Omnidirectional imagery can be used to virtually “walk through” damaged streets post hoc with a 360°, immersive view. A common reconnaissance mission aim is to accurately collect damage data; however, there are time challenges for surveyors in the field. The manuscript explores the potential for using omnidirectional imagery to improve damage surveying, firstly by comparing results from damage surveys completed in the field with results obtained using omnidirectional images collected during a mission and surveyed by an experienced engineer virtually and secondly by comparing damage assessment obtained through omnidirectional imagery collected on the ground with the EU Copernicus damage assessment maps. The omnidirectional imagery data was collected during two separate Earthquake Engineering Field Investigation Team post-earthquake reconnaissance missions, namely the area affected by the 2016, 7.8 Muisne Earthquake in Ecuador and the area struck by the 2016, 6.2 Amatrice earthquake in Italy. Notwithstanding the diverse geographic scale, terrain and urban context of the two reconnaissance missions, the results consistently show significant capabilities for this technology in the identification of construction typologies, number of stories, aggregated “low” and “high” damage grades, and failure modes. The work highlights potential issues with correct identification of disaggregated lower damage grades (e.g., European Macroseismic Scale (EMS-98) damage grades 0–3). Challenges identified in the virtual survey process included poor image quality, insufficient photo sphere captures, and obstructions such as trees, walls or vehicles. The omnidirectional imagery represents a substantial improvement in damage assessment accuracy in respect to satellite imagery, especially for lower damage grades, while it is an essential tool for comprehensive surveys in reduced access zones with high levels of damage

Intraoral scanners in personal identification of corpses: usefulness and reliability of 3d technologies in modern forensic dentistry

Aims: This study aims to verify the applicability of modern dental technologies and their related principles of use to the forensic sciences in the field of personal identification. Background: Personal identification has always had a major role in many legal and administrative actions regarding both living and death beings. The techniques used are much less advanced than the technologies potentially available. Objective: Modern technologies, available to the daily dental clinic practice, as intraoral scanners, combined in particular to the specialist skill in orthodontics, can help redefine the methods of personal identification according to the levels of accuracy, trueness and feasibility greater than those applied in traditional forensic dentistry. Methods: 23 corpses (12F;11M) have been selected for intraoral scanning with the Carestream 3500® digital device. The superimposition of initial and late digital models, digital models and radiographs (orthopantomography and full mouth periapical films) has been evaluated to verify the stability of some structures as palatal rugae after death and to assess intraoral scanning as a successful comparative method between antemortem and postmortem records (digital models or radiographs). Obtained results were subjected to statistical analysis by the t-student test and X-square test with Yates correction (p<0.05). Results: After death, palatal rugae significatively change especially in mouths with restorations/prosthesis/missing teeth. The percentages of correct matching between scans and radiographs are very higher (up 90%; p<0.05). Conclusion: This study has been set up to study and develop new, reliable and fast methods of personal identification that can surpass many of the issues seen with the other techniques by a modern rugoscopy, a modern radiographic-digital comparison and virtual oral autopsy

Seismic Vulnerability Assessment of Priority Cultural Heritage Structures in the Philippines

At the end of 2013 two catastrophic events occurred in the Philippines: the M 7.2 earthquake in Bohol and the strongest ever recorded Typhoon Haiyan, causing destruction across the islands of Cebu, Bohol and the Visayas region. These events raised the need to carry out a multi-hazard risk assessment of heritage buildings, many of which were irretrievably lost in the disasters. Philippines’ Department of Tourism engaged ARS Progetti S.P.A., Rome, Italy, and the Center for Conservation of Cultural Property and Environment in the Tropics (CCCPET), University of Sto. Tomas, Manila, to undertake the “Assessment of the Multi-Hazard Vulnerability of Priority Cultural Heritage Structures in the Philippines”, with experts from University College London, UK, and De La Salle University. The main objective of the project was to reduce the vulnerability of cultural heritage structures to multiple natural hazards, including earthquake, typhoon, flood, by: (i) prioritizing of specific structures based on hazard maps and historical records; (ii) assessing their vulnerability; and (iii) recommending options to mitigate the impacts on them. The paper presents the methodology introduced to determine the seismic risk these heritage buildings are exposed to. All the selected cultural heritage structures are under the jurisdiction of the National Museum Commission of Philippines and of the National Commission for Culture and Arts

Altered visual feedback from an embodied avatar unconsciously influences movement amplitude and muscle activity

Evidence suggests that the sense of the position of our body parts can be surreptitiously deceived, for instance through illusory visual inputs. However, whether altered visual feedback during limb movement can induce substantial unconscious motor and muscular adjustments is not known. To address this question, we covertly manipulated virtual body movements in immersive virtual reality. Participants were instructed to flex their elbow to 90° while tensing an elastic band, as their virtual arm reproduced the same, a reduced (75°), or an amplified (105°) movement. We recorded muscle activity using electromyography, and assessed body ownership, agency and proprioception of the arm. Our results not only show that participants compensated for the avatar’s manipulated arm movement while being completely unaware of it, but also that it is possible to induce unconscious motor adaptations requiring significant changes in muscular activity. Altered visual feedback through body ownership illusions can influence motor performance in a process that bypasses awareness

Effectiveness of seismic strengthening to repeated earthquakes in historic urban contexts: Norcia 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to discuss the dynamics of the evolution of damage to the residential buildings within the city walls of Norcia during the six-month seismic swarm that hit Central Italy in the period 24th August 2016 to end of January 2019. This is accomplished by comparing the damage recorded by the Italian Civil Protection usability form (AEDES form) during this period after each event. / Design/methodology/approach: First, these outputs are compared with a qualitative assessment conducted by means of omnidirectional camera (ODC) imagery collected on site by the authors, to explore the ability of this technology to support post-earthquake damage assessment. The damage level attributed with these two techniques is then further compared with the output of the analytical vulnerability assessment method FaMIVE, which allows to correlate damage to vulnerability. Specifically, the objective is to investigate the efficacy and performance of historic and recent strengthening interventions. / Findings: Results show that there is a good correspondence between AeDES and ODC assessments for low to medium damage grades (DG). Discrepancies in higher DGs are discussed in light of the different levels of information that can be recorded by using the two tools. The efficacy of strengthening is also well captured by the FaMIVE method. The procedure estimates a decrease of almost 40, 25 and 20 per cent of the total number of buildings failing out-of-plane, respectively, for the three seismic events considered, when restraining elements are in action. / Research limitations/implications: The analysis conducted in this work make use of deterministic values of Norcia’s masonry fabric characteristics that have been found in literature, thus implying that neither the probabilistic aspects nor the related uncertainties have been properly investigated and addressed. However, this limitation is to be considered within the more general context of the legislation for the preservation of historic buildings which limits substantially any type of semi-destructive tests, hence limiting the reliability of the values available in literature. This in turn affects the decisions informing the design and implementation of strengthening interventions which can be confidently considered reliable and effective. / Originality/value: The paper addresses for the first time a systematic investigation of damage progression in historic masonry structures, part of urban aggregates in heritage cities. The current urban fabric is discussed in view of historic building codes as the basis for determining the present seismic vulnerability of the historic city centre of Norcia. The study provides new data sets for the city of Norcia and develops a statistical correlation between cumulative damage and analytical vulnerability functions for heritage buildings exposed to a swarm of earthquakes. The analytical assessment of the effect of historic strengthening is totally novel

Mechanic-based Procedure for the Damage Mechanism Evaluation of Historic Masonry Structures

Cultural Heritage (CH) assets are a distinctive and valuable fragment of many areas worldwide, often representing a very important component of individual and collective identity. CH assets encompass not only individual buildings but also historic urban centres which are commonly formed by clusters of single units, undergoing to continuous transformations overt time. Although these additions tend to maintain the original shape, they very often modify the global structural behavior of the compounds. Furthermore, owing to their low-engineered construction features, CH assets are also perceived to be highly vulnerable to different natural hazards. To date, much research effort has been devoted to thoroughly understand the mechanism of damage that CH assets undergo in case of earthquakes. However, there is still a compelling need to develop quantitative methods able to assess the structural vulnerability of these buildings against different co-occurring perils, such as flooding or high wind speeds. Knowledge would be of great important to advance current mitigation measures for the retrofit of CH assets in multi-hazard prone countries, enhancing the decision-making process of their preservation to future generations. This paper presents a mechanic-based procedure for the collapse load evaluation of a specific category of CH assets, namely historical masonry structures (HMS), undergoing to earthquake, flood and wind. The procedure has been currently applied to a single wall, aiming to be extended to the whole façade element, considering variation in geometry, layout and material characteristics

Norcia And Amatrice. A Comparison of The Two Historic Centres’ Performance under The Central Italy Earthquake Sequence

The seismic sequence started on the 24th of August 2016 and concluded on January 2017 affected four region of Central Italy causing casualties, widespread damage to residential and heritage buildings and prolonged disruption. Among the many municipalities impacted by the seismic events, the towns of Amatrice and Norcia suffered the major losses. Although many similarities can be found in their urban layouts and comparison can be made in terms of building materials, techniques and periods of construction, epicentral distances from the fault of the relevant seismic events and categorization in terms of seismic zonation, the significant shaking alone cannot justify the severe damage extent observed in Amatrice in comparison to the very limited one recorded in Norcia. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the different behavior of the two urban settlements of Norcia and Amatrice under the relevant shakings, and to discuss the different damage extents to their residential urban fabrics considering the specific structural features and vulnerability factors. To accomplish this, a set of building data collected in Norcia during the EEFIT individual research mission carried out in September 2017, is first analyzed using the vulnerability assessment method FaMIVE; an extrapolation of the same data set is then ‘re-adjusted’ in terms of material characteristics and strengthening elements to resemble the building stock of Amatrice: this is done on the basis of site observation collected by the authors during the 2016 Central Italy EEFIT mission. From the output of the FaMIVE procedure, capacity curves are derived and compared with the spectra of the main shocks of the seismic sequence. Cloud of performance points are generated for each event to be used to determine fragility curves, representative of the percentage of buildings undergoing certain damage levels under the specific seismic scenario. A discussion on the obtained results and the capability of the method to represent the observed damage extents concludes the paperThe seismic sequence started on the 24th of August 2016 and concluded on January 2017 affected four region of Central Italy causing casualties, widespread damage to residential and heritage buildings and prolonged disruption. Among the many municipalities impacted by the seismic events, the towns of Amatrice and Norcia suffered the major losses. Although many similarities can be found in their urban layouts and comparison can be made in terms of building materials, techniques and periods of construction, epicentral distances from the fault of the relevant seismic events and categorization in terms of seismic zonation, the significant shaking alone cannot justify the severe damage extent observed in Amatrice in comparison to the very limited one recorded in Norcia. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the different behavior of the two urban settlements of Norcia and Amatrice under the relevant shakings, and to discuss the different damage extents to their residential urban fabrics considering the specific structural features and vulnerability factors. To accomplish this, a set of building data collected in Norcia during the EEFIT individual research mission carried out in September 2017, is first analyzed using the vulnerability assessment method FaMIVE; an extrapolation of the same data set is then ‘re-adjusted’ in terms of material characteristics and strengthening elements to resemble the building stock of Amatrice: this is done on the basis of site observation collected by the authors during the 2016 Central Italy EEFIT mission. From the output of the FaMIVE procedure, capacity curves are derived and compared with the spectra of the main shocks of the seismic sequence. Cloud of performance points are generated for each event to be used to determine fragility curves, representative of the percentage of buildings undergoing certain damage levels under the specific seismic scenario. A discussion on the obtained results and the capability of the method to represent the observed damage extents concludes the pape

Orthodontics and smartphones: trends, potential and usefulness in clinical practice

OBJECTIVES The continuous evolution of the mobile technology changed and is still changing our profession and daily life. The smartphones and tablets, such as other portable de- vices in common use, allow the orthodontists to enter and man- age diagnostic records easily ev- erywhere and, if it is necessary, to interact with their orthodontic pa- tients at any time thanks to appli- cations developed ad hoc. The so-called apps (or extensively called applications) are in effect software, more or less elaborate, able to significantly extend the performances of the mobile devic- es customizing contents and pur- pose of usage. Patients in turn can take advantage of orthodontic apps dedicated to them to be- come more interested in the cur- rent orthodontic therapies in which they are involved, to im- prove their compliance and, indi- rectly, the therapeutic results. MATERIALS AND METHODS We reviewed the orthodontic apps available on the virtual libraries and online stores of the main mo- bile operating systems. We subse- quently independently tested on four different of our mobile devic- es the apps for patients and for patient/orthodontist interaction that met our inclusion criteria. After our evaluation, we invited 50 of our orthodontic patients (aged 15-32 years old, distributed in a proportion of 28 F and 22 M) to test on their personal mobile de- vices the apps of their choice among those we suggested in a list and later give a score based on the following aspects: general liking, easiness of use on their de- vices and based on their opinion about the usefulness of the app considered. RESULTS From the initial research, the 34.85% of the apps found useful for this study are intended for the specialists in orthodontics. Only the 4.56% are intended for the ortho- dontic patients (specifically these apps are reminders for rubber bands insertion, to wear the clear aligners, to use the removable ap- pliances, presentation of products, management of emergencies) and the 3.73% are intended for the pa- tienl/orthodontist interaction (edu- cational purpose, direct communi- cation, tracking therapy progress- es, emergencies management). Our patients prefer apps with simple and less elaborate inter- faces, especially those that have the function of reminders and those that allow to follow and constantly monitor the progress of the therapies. CONCLUSIONS Orthodontic apps are modern and catchy tools, potentially very use- ful, supporting orthodontists during their patients’ therapy time and routinely orthodontic practice. Even orthodontic patients without age and gender distinctions ap- preciate the opportunity to benefit from additional tools that make their therapy easier and in some ways fun. Taking into account the differences between the possible different orthodontic treatments and the individual characteristics of each orthodontic patient, the use of orthodontic apps should be better known and encouraged among the specialists in ortho- dontics and, for their part, in the patients themselves. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE The usage of simple virtual free tools such as the orthodontic apps allowing a direct interaction im- prove the communication with the patient and boosts his collabora- tion during the orthodontic treat- ment. Both in clinical practice and in emergency situations where it may not be possible to check the orthodontic patient in a short time, resorting to appropriate apps with which interact with the patient can be an added value of the modern professional orthodontist