A virtualized laboratory for earthquake engineering education

Physical laboratory-based experiments have been established as a fundamental learning tool in many areas of science and engineering education. They have particularly enriched engineering education by supporting different learning styles. However, the type of physical experiments is generally governed by the available infrastructure and resources, frequently limiting the exposure to valuable educational material to a relatively small audience. With the creation of "Virtualized Laboratories'' this problem can be addressed in the form of realistic, multi-dimensional digital records, capturing the essential characteristics of a physical experiment. To this end, in this paper we present a virtualized laboratory for earthquake engineering education that utilizes virtual reality technology to capture and disseminate the results of shake table experiments. (c) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.