A Collaborative Framework for Supporting Civil Engineering Emergency Response with Mobile Ad-Hoc Networks

This paper presents an IT-based collaborative framework that facilitates efficient and immediate coordinated response to disasters involving critical physical infrastructures in chaotic, hazardous and hostile environments. The system incorporates web collaboration tools, Radio Frequency Identification Tags (RFID), Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Building Blackbox Systems (BBS). Through the integrations of these technologies, the system provides a medium for the first responders to collaboratively respond to disasters. Critical information regarding buildings, such as blueprints, is stored and can be obtained from the BBS in order to facilitate the evaluation of building integrity. RFID tags are used by first responders to store building assessment information. Then, by using a mobile ad-hoc network, the building assessment information is distributed, so that other first responders and decision makers with access to the network will be able to view all the information available on a single electronic space, such as a geographical map. With the building assessment information on the electronic space, responders can perform an optimal resource allocation route analysis using GIS for immediate rescue of trapped victims and reconstruction of the disaster site. In addition, key decision makers at different locations can evaluate the overall system wide condition of the disaster and hold sessions to make integrated critical decisions through the web collaboration software –inMeeting. Prototype system development and testbed simulations of the system have been completed with encouraging results at the Illinois Fire Service Institute in Champaign, Illinois, USA.