This 12-month research project follows-on from a 3-year EPSRC-funded research project that occurred between 2008-2011. During this a suite of indicators and techniques were created that can be used to monitor and evaluate the process of recovery. The techniques use advanced GIS and remote sensing analysis of satellite imagery. The techniques were applied to two case studies: 1. Muzaffarabad, Pakistan (2005 Earthquake) and 2. Ban Nam Khem, Thailand (2004 Indian Ocean tsunami). In addition to the remote analysis, GPS-coded ground observations were also collected in the field as well as social-audit techniques including focus group meetings, household surveys and key informant interviews. We devised a work-flow that allowed us to integrate and triangulate these various datasets with the GIS-derived results. Using this methodology we were able to determine the confidence levels of the different datasets and to identify their relative strengths and weaknesses. This subsequently allowed us to derive a work-flow that uses all datasets in a manner that is complementary. More information about this project is available in our project report: http://www.carltd.com/downloads/Disaser%20Recovery%20Indicators.pdf
The result of this research to-date has also resulted in a new consortium called ReBuilDD. More information about ReBuilDD can be found on the website: www.rebuildd.com
Follow-on Project. The objective of the current one-year project (2011-2012) is to establish how these techniques maybe operationalised in a real-time setting. We will do this by first mapping out the decision-making processes that occur throughout the recovery process and by then identifying when and how the techniques might be applied.
The objectives of this work are therefore: a) to identify decision-making processes in a number of recovery projects in a number of different locations and contexts b) to determine where and how geospatial technology can support these projects c) (where appropriate) to determine how geospatial technology has already been used and to identify where it has worked and where it hasn’t d) where it hasn’t worked identify why it didn’t work and finally e) to use these results to develop protocols for the use of geospatial technology in support of an integrated reconstruction process.
For this project I am working closely with the British Red Cross (BRC) team who are currently implementing an integrated reconstruction process in the Delmas 19 slum in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The project involves the construction of 300 buildings as well as livelihood and water and sanitation support. I have been working remotely with BRC's Shelter Delegate since April 2011 providing datasets derived from remotely sensed datasets including aerial imagery, satellite imagery, lidar and pictometry images. These datasets provided a valuable overview of the reconstruction area and were used as a preliminary building database before more accurate ground cadastral surveys could be conducted. Below is one of many datasets which have been produced for the BRC. While in Haiti I hope to validate the accuracy of these datasets and to determine how much value they bring to the project.
In this blog I hope to describe some of the work I am doing here and also give an insight into the current status in Haiti in September 2011 (21 months after the earthquake). Daniel
