Exploring Data Practices of the Earthquake Engineering Community

There is a need to compare and contrast data practices of different disciplines and groups. This study explores data practices in earthquake engineering (EE), an interdisciplinary field with a variety of research activities and dynamic data types and forms. Findings identify the activities of typical EE research projects, the types and forms of data produced and used in those activities, the project roles played by EE researchers in connection with data practices, the tools used to manage data in those activities, the types and sources of data quality problems in EE, and the perceptions of data quality in EE. A strong relation exists among these factors, with a stronger role for test specimens and high quality documentation and more blurring of project roles than in other fields. Suggestions are provided for resolving contradictions impeding EE researchers’ curation and archiving activities and for future research on data practices.