Earthquakes pose serious threats to human life and societal infrastructure. High-precision simulations can reduce the damage caused by natural disasters, and are needed in fields such as emergency response training and education.
However, current methods of simulating these natural disasters require heavy computing resources, and rarely operate in real-time. They also frequently fall short in their efficiency, interactivity, and visual fidelity.
This project team’s previous research merged scientific physical simulation engines with game engines to test whether a combination of the two technologies could be used to create an improved earthquake simulation. These tests proved successful, with the resulting simulation delivering real-time performance alongside greater visual fidelity and interactivity.
With support from XR Network+, the team will expand on their work by building an enhanced Unreal Engine-based earthquake simulation for virtual production. This simulation will use pre-existing Unreal Engine materials to allow the user to more easily incorporate the relevant terrains and buildings for their individual simulation – adding detail to the simulation while improving its user-friendliness.
