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ShakeCast: Pivoting USGS Products to Respond to User Needs

Description: 

ShakeCast® is a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) software application that automatically retrieves ShakeMap shaking estimates and performs analyses using fragility functions for buildings and lifelines, developed with support from external organizations interested in using ShakeMap for automatic decision-making. The ShakeCast system identifies which facilities or lifeline segments are most likely impacted by an earthquake—and thus which should be prioritized for inspection and response—and sends notifications to responsible parties in the minutes after an event. ShakeCast can improve critical lifeline situational awareness, inspection prioritization, and reduce response times after a significant earthquake by focusing inspection efforts on the most damage-susceptible facilities in severely shaken areas. Improvements to ShakeCast are done in conjunction with upgrades to the ShakeMap application. As a user-focused application, ShakeCast's initial specifications were developed working iteratively with the California Transportation Department (Caltrans). Caltrans became ShakeCast's primary early adopter and promoter among other agencies and utilities. Later, feedback and engagement with other critical lifeline and facility users guided technical innovations and product modifications. However, the practicalities of any automatic application, with operational complexities that are not necessarily user-friendly, can be technically challenging for some users. In this presentation, we focus on balancing robust and secure operational applications with the needs of critical users with a wide range of technical abilities and computational environments. We also provide an update to the technical specifications regarding the code base, dependencies, documentation, and deployment options. Lastly, we highlight recent ShakeCast case histories where critical infrastructure users employed the ShakeMap/ShakeCast combination in their decision-making.

Session: Creating Actionable Earthquake Information Products [Poster Session]

Type: Poster

Date: 5/1/2024

Presentation Time: 08:00 AM (local time)

Presenting Author: Kuo-Wan

Student Presenter: No

Invited Presentation: 

Authors