Simulating building collapse in VR

The focus will be on developing realistic virtual reality simulations of collapsing masonry structures, such as buildings in the Old Port neighborhood of Montreal. The project will use real-time physics engines and virtual reality technology to simulate the realistic collapse of building facades due to seismic vibrations, i.e. earthquakes. The physical behavior of the simulations will be validated against high-fidelity discrete element models for complex contact mechanics. Where simulation-to-reality gaps exist, new models will be developed to better approximate real-world behavior of masonry structure collapse with the goal being that the approximations are suitable for interactive computer graphics applications.