Final Report Summary - I-SAMCO (International Structural Assessment Monitoring and Control)
The I-SAMCO project was successfully launched in 2001. Its objective was to create knowledge communities within the field of structural assessment monitoring and control. Major activities included the development of collaborative technologies and methodologies for extended services and product development approaches in the field. The network covers the whole of Europe and has generated a strong participation rate from partners in the candidate countries.
The achievements of the I-SAMCO project resulting out of its activities can be summarised as follows:
1.) International collaboration has been achieved and fertilised through collaboration agreements with the United States (US), Canada, Japan and China.
2.) The dissemination of European knowledge has been done through dissemination events and the appointment of European representatives in the most important global activities.
3.) The access to knowledge from overseas has been achieved through collaboration agreements and the participation to overseas projects.
4.) Standardisation has been supported by drafting respective recommendations and participation in global standardisation activities particular on data formats and meta data protocols.
5.) Training and education has been given through the numerous events.
it is noted that considerable efforts at a European level are recommended to avoid Europe falling back. This can actively be studied in the field of earthquake engineering, where despite a higher demand in Europe, there is a dramatic lack in funding.
The aim to offer a searchable, extendable, online database in the frame of the existing SAMCO database was fulfilled by extending the SAMCO database during I-SAMCO events and new contacts in the New Member States. In later years, the number of organisations active in the area of structural assessment, monitoring and control, including those from the New EU Member States, has constantly increased. Those key players in nine nations (Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta and Cyprus) were captured in the SAMCO database. A search engine was established for an easy and quick search. The existing SAMCO database was used as backbone to minimise implementation efforts. Organisations involved in the area of structural assessment, monitoring and control can be queried here: http://samco.jrc.it/page.gx?_app.page=/search/search_organization.htm
The project clearly shows the fragmentation of the European research environment. Through international collaboration the necessity for a higher level of coordination and integration is became apparent and is regarded as compulsory so as not to lose ground against other regions of the world. Europe is still characterised by the brains but lacks the means.
The achievements of the I-SAMCO project resulting out of its activities can be summarised as follows:
1.) International collaboration has been achieved and fertilised through collaboration agreements with the United States (US), Canada, Japan and China.
2.) The dissemination of European knowledge has been done through dissemination events and the appointment of European representatives in the most important global activities.
3.) The access to knowledge from overseas has been achieved through collaboration agreements and the participation to overseas projects.
4.) Standardisation has been supported by drafting respective recommendations and participation in global standardisation activities particular on data formats and meta data protocols.
5.) Training and education has been given through the numerous events.
it is noted that considerable efforts at a European level are recommended to avoid Europe falling back. This can actively be studied in the field of earthquake engineering, where despite a higher demand in Europe, there is a dramatic lack in funding.
The aim to offer a searchable, extendable, online database in the frame of the existing SAMCO database was fulfilled by extending the SAMCO database during I-SAMCO events and new contacts in the New Member States. In later years, the number of organisations active in the area of structural assessment, monitoring and control, including those from the New EU Member States, has constantly increased. Those key players in nine nations (Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta and Cyprus) were captured in the SAMCO database. A search engine was established for an easy and quick search. The existing SAMCO database was used as backbone to minimise implementation efforts. Organisations involved in the area of structural assessment, monitoring and control can be queried here: http://samco.jrc.it/page.gx?_app.page=/search/search_organization.htm
The project clearly shows the fragmentation of the European research environment. Through international collaboration the necessity for a higher level of coordination and integration is became apparent and is regarded as compulsory so as not to lose ground against other regions of the world. Europe is still characterised by the brains but lacks the means.
