A virtual training game for post-earthquake damage inspection

Abstract: Post-earthquake damage assessment and safety evaluation are urgently required but necessitate proper training to deliver accurate results. Traditional training methods include technical manuals and multimedia films which are passive and time-consuming. Therefore, the contribution of this paper lies in automating the damage inspection training process through game-based learning. More specifically, a serious game was developed that replicates a real-world inspection process and allows players to virtually perform a typical field survey of damages. The gaming tool was tested on several civil engineers who conveyed that inspecting within the virtual world can potentially enhance their performance in a real-world context.