Disaster and Failure Events 

Data Repository 

Eric Letvin

Director, Disaster and Failure Studies Program 

Engineering Laboratory

National Institute of Standards and Technology

U.S. Department of Commerce

NCST Advisory 

Committee

November 7, 2011
Problem Statement

• A comprehensive archival repository of disaster and 

failure data does not currently exist. Data that are 

gathered during and after an event may be lost or 

inaccessible relatively soon after. 

• A repository is needed to preserve data to enable the 

study and analysis of the current event as well as future 

disaster events.
Repository Purpose

• The repository will serve as a national archival database 

where NIST and other organizations can store the 

results of the study and analysis of disaster and failure 

events. 

• The results of these studies and analyses will lead to 

recommended improvements to codes, standards, 

practices and/or new knowledge. 

• By making these data available, NIST hopes to enable 

the efficient dissemination of data on disaster and failure 

events.
Repository Scope

• As the database grows, it will include data on significant 

hazard events; how buildings and other structures 

performed during those events; associated emergency 

response and evacuation procedures; and the technical, 

social and economic factors that affect pre-disaster 

mitigation activities and post-disaster response efforts.

Data Types

Site Documentation and Collection of Artifacts

Hazard or Threat Event Data

Safety and Performance Data

Design, Construction, Operation and Maintenance Information

Evacuation and Emergency Response Information

Findings, Conclusions and Recommendations

Changes to Standards, Codes and Practices Based on Recommendations
Levels of Access

View-Only Access for Team

(Data that are reviewed by team but not collected and 

preserved by NIST.)

Team-Only Access

(Data collected by team are available only to the team for 

the purposes of the study.) 

Team-Only Use in Reports and Publications

(Data are available to the team for analysis and may be 

used in reports and publications. It may not be viewed by 

the public outside of a Team publication or presentation.)

Unrestricted Public Access

(Data will be available for viewing and downloading without 

restriction on a publicly accessible website.)

Disaster and Failure Database

Not Part of 

Database
NIST Repository Workplan

• Phase 1 – World Trade Center database

– High level of interest in data collected

– Goal of releasing before 10-year anniversary

• Phase 2 – Chile earthquake pilot

• Phase 3 – Full scale implementation
Phase 1 – World Trade Center

• Data previously released from NIST’s 7-year 

investigation on the collapses of three buildings 

at New York City’s World Trade Center

• Over 94,000 photos and videos

• Computer simulations

• Complete set of technical reports

• Repository created and managed by NIST

• Website publically released in August 2011
WTC Repository Statistics
Phase 2 – Chile Earthquake Pilot

• Chile Earthquake database

• Recommendations for scaling-up to other 

earthquakes and disaster and failure events
Chile Earthquake Pilot

• Develop event-specific, web-based repository

• Data-rich event that will also support the National 

Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP)

• Opportunity to leverage with the Network for Earthquake 

Engineering Simulation (NEES)

• NIST retained a contractor to assist with obtaining data 

previously collected by others (American Society of Civil 

Engineers - ASCE, Earthquake Engineering Research 

Institute - EERI, and Los Angeles Tall Buildings Council 

study teams)
Chile Earthquake

Database Functional Requirements

• Ground motion (both directly recorded and derived)

• Building inventory (geospatial info, age, story height, occupancy, etc.)

• Structural drawings

• Photos, accompanied by appropriate descriptive details

• Mapped structural damage from damaged buildings

• Instrumented building response data

• Geotechnical information (soils reports, liquefaction study reports, etc.)

• Publically available literature

• Bibliographic information

• Links to other relevant websites

NIST is in the process of obtaining permission for inclusion of copyrighted 

data in the repository
Chile Earthquake Pilot –

Milestones

• System Design – January 2012

• Beta System Development – March 2012

• Production System Development – June 2012

• System Assessment – August 2012

– Includes recommendations for scale-up of Phase 2
Principal Operational 

Components of Chile Repository

1. Spreadsheet parser for data ingestion

2. Photo processor for creation of metadata and 

repository collections

3. Data viewer for database browse, search, 

explore and download, and

4. Photo gallery viewer with keyword search
Phase 2: Key NIST Steps – FY 2012

1. Implement the HUB at NIST

2. Evaluate the effectiveness and performance of the 

HUB from an IT standpoint (security, data type testing)

3. Evaluate the HUB with different domains and other 

events (Joplin, Amarillo)

4. Provide results to the contractor to see if they can 

improve the HUB

5. Set minimum requirements for data to be accepted by 

the repository (quality, data formats, 

legal/copyright/use)
Phase 3 – Full-Scale 

Implementation

• Develop cost estimate to maintain, update, operate and 

improve accessibility of the repository

• Finalize user requirements and expand repository

• Populate with selected high-impact historical and future 

events 

• Disseminate information to stakeholder / user community

• Maintain ongoing communication with stakeholder / user 

community
Eric Letvin

 

301 975 5412

eric.letvin@nist.gov

The NIST Engineering Laboratory

100 Bureau Drive Stop 8600

 Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8600

www.nist.gov/el

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