MOBILIZATION AND ORGANIZATION OF PROFICIENTS TO COLLECT CRITICAL DATA IMMEDIATELY AFTER A NATURAL DISASTER

In 2009, right after the typhoon Morakot swept southern Taiwan on August 8th, people were shocked by the unexpected storm. During the first week after Morakot’s struck, most engineers concerned the immeasurable injury to infrastructures but wondered how to contribute their proficient. Before the official agencies started to investigate the overall loss of the event, the China Engineering Consultants, Inc. (CECI) organized human resources from universities and societies of professional engineers forming 6 reconnaissance teams to investigate all the reported damaged bridges within 14 days (August 21st to September 2nd). Since a complete evidence recording is necessary to evaluate and to diagnose the cause of bridge damage, several important bridges were examined and recorded by advanced equipment before any rehabilitation commencing. This part of work was helped by special technical companies. Three months later, a reconnaissance report was printed to reveal the inclusive bridge loss in the event. There were 114 bridges entirely destroyed or partially damaged from the mountain area to plain field by debris flow and flood. Detailed causes-to-damage investigations were conducted on some collapsed bridges by nondestructive methods, including unmanned micro aerial vehicle (UMAV), 3D Laser scanner, underwater sonar, underwater ground penetration radar (GPR), and electric resistivity image (ERI). Based on the investigation of 120 damaged bridges, the findings and lessons are summarized. Furthermore, learning from the past experiences, it is aware some equipment and techniques need to be improved or enhanced for rescue operating more quickly and efficiently. The industry can devote to develop any likely techniques to apply in relieving the victims of a disaster in the future