Author: QuakeLogic

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QuakeLogic

Curated QuakeLogic articles, application notes, and technical explainers for engineering teams.

Earthquake EngineeringStructural Health MonitoringEarthquake Early WarningSeismic SensorsInfrasound MonitoringShake TablesData Acquisition SystemsInfrastructure Monitoring
Areas of expertiseSeismic monitoring, structural health monitoring, testing systems, data acquisition, and applied engineering education.
QuakeLogic MASW analysis software displaying seismic waveforms and surface-wave dispersion data
Technical Note

Professional MASW Analysis Software

From seismic records to report-ready results. Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW) plays an important role in modern geotechnical investigations. Engineers use this method to evaluate near-surface ground conditions and estimate shear-wave...

Oct 17, 20268 min read

Proper Monitoring Provides Early Damage Detection for Dams

Concrete dam with structural health monitoring sensors for early damage detection

In short: Proper structural health monitoring gives early damage detection for dams by continuously measuring their behavior and flagging changes in integrity before failure. At least 1,680 US dams are rated poor or unsatisfactory and average over 50 years old. QuakeLogic's cloud-based, AI-powered platform fuses accelerometer data with potentiometers, strain gauges, thermocouples, weather stations, piezometers and seepage weirs, and sends post-earthquake notifications on shaking intensity and structural condition.

When disaster strikes, we are all at risk! The unprepared ones will get hit the hardest. Today, at least 1,680 dams across the U.S. rated in poor or unsatisfactory conditions. These dams pose potential risks according to the Associated Press article. Without urgent action, aging dams (dams in the U.S. are on average over 50 years old) may not be able to adequately handle the intense rainfall and floods of a changing climate or imminent earthquakes. Because the housing developments are often located nearby these dams, they may fail to protect people.

The significance of structural health monitoring (SHM) for dam safety is widely acknowledged. There are a number of unfortunate examples of failed dams where early signs of deficiencies might have been monitored and detected if a proper SHM system had been in place. A robust SHM system can provide timely information that is needed for an understanding of the performance of a dam. The SHM system, including instrumentation and data analytics, can provide dam owners with the knowledge that a dam is performing as expected, and the ability to detect a change in its integrity. This knowledge and ability are critical for the dam owners because they are directly responsible for the consequences of failure. Because of these reasons, a robust safety monitoring system should be a fundamental part of every dam owners risk management progra

dam monitoring in for "PROPER MONITORING CAN PROVIDE EARLY DAMAGE DETECTION AND INTERVENTION FOR DAMS"

QuakeLogic provides the most comprehensive structural health monitoring solution for dams. We are the only company with a cloud-based, AI-powered technology platform performing autonomous structural assessments using sensor data. After an earthquake occurs, our platform sends rapid notifications to our users. These notifications include the level of shaking intensity and whether the structural integrity of the dam is compromised. This system not only monitors earthquakes but also utilizes data from various sensors such as potentiometers, strain gauges, thermocouples, weather stations, piezometers and seepage (weirs & flumes).

QuakeLogic’s intelligent structural health monitoring platform generates meaningful and easy-to-understand information. This timely and critical information helps the dam owners to give informed decisions and plan their responses appropriately.

We provide “peace of mind” to dam owners. To learn about our risk management solutions, please contact us at info@quakelogic.net

Key Takeaways

  • At least 1,680 dams across the US are rated in poor or unsatisfactory condition, and US dams average more than 50 years old.
  • Several dam failures showed early signs that a proper SHM system could have detected in time.
  • QuakeLogic's cloud platform performs autonomous, AI-driven structural assessments from sensor data.
  • After an earthquake, owners receive rapid notifications with shaking intensity and whether structural integrity is compromised.
  • Monitored inputs include potentiometers, strain gauges, thermocouples, weather stations, piezometers and seepage weirs and flumes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many US dams are in poor condition?

At least 1,680 dams across the United States are rated in poor or unsatisfactory condition according to an Associated Press review cited in the article. US dams are on average more than 50 years old, and many have housing developments nearby, so aging structures may not withstand intense rainfall, floods or earthquakes without monitoring and intervention.

How does structural health monitoring detect dam damage early?

Structural health monitoring detects dam damage early by continuously recording instrumentation such as accelerometers, potentiometers, strain gauges, thermocouples, piezometers, weather stations and seepage weirs or flumes, then analyzing the data for changes from expected performance. This gives owners evidence that the dam is behaving normally and the ability to spot a change in integrity before it becomes a failure.

What does a dam owner receive after an earthquake from QuakeLogic's platform?

After an earthquake, QuakeLogic's cloud-based, AI-powered platform sends rapid notifications to users that state the level of shaking intensity at the dam and whether its structural integrity appears compromised. The assessment is generated autonomously from sensor data so owners can make informed decisions and plan their response quickly.

Why should SHM be part of a dam owner's risk management program?

Dam owners are directly responsible for the consequences of failure, so a robust safety monitoring system should be a fundamental part of their risk management program. SHM provides timely information on performance, confirms the dam is operating as expected and detects changes in integrity, which is exactly the information missing in past failures where early deficiencies went unnoticed.

Which sensors besides seismic instruments are used in dam monitoring?

Besides seismic accelerometers, dam monitoring uses potentiometers for displacement, strain gauges for structural strain, thermocouples for temperature, weather stations for environmental context, piezometers for pore water pressure and weirs or flumes for seepage flow. QuakeLogic's platform integrates all of these into one assessment.

Need help with a project? QuakeLogic designs and supplies seismic monitoring, earthquake early warning, structural health monitoring, infrasound, and shake table systems. Browse QuakeLogic products or contact our engineering team with your site, structure, or test requirements.

Istanbul Earthquake Scenarios vs the 1999 M7.6 Izmit Quake

Damaged buildings after the 1999 M7.6 Izmit earthquake near Istanbul, Turkey

In short: Six Istanbul earthquake scenarios modeled on ruptures of the Marmara Sea submarine faults show western Istanbul, including Atakoy, Bakirkoy and Avcilar, shaking more than three times harder than in the 1999 M7.6 Izmit earthquake, whose epicenter lay about 70 km away. Soft sediments amplified shaking there in 1999, when 37 seconds of motion killed about 17,000 people and left 250,000 homeless.

In 1999, the magnitude 7.6 quake devastated part of northwest Turkey, not far from Istanbul [~70 km (43 mi) away from the earthquake’s epicenter]. The 37 seconds shaking killed about 17,000 people and left 250,000 homeless. This unfortunate event was a wake-up call for the nation. Twenty years later, northwest Turkey is still under the threat of a major quake. Prof. Polat Gulkan and I studied six plausible earthquake scenarios that may impact Istanbul directly due to the rupturing of Marmara Sea submarine faults. We compared the ground shaking from these scenarios with the actual magnitude 7.6 Izmit event.

Our most frightening finding is that the West of the Istanbul Metropolitan area is expected to be shaken more than three times as it did during the Izmit earthquake. This part of the metropolitan including Atakoy, Bakirkoy and Avcilar districts experienced significant damage mainly due to the strong amplification of ground shaking from underlying soft sediments during the 1999 event.

The elevated earthquake risk for the Istanbul Metropolitan is not different than other big U.S. cities including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland, and Seattle.

izmit earthquake in for "COMPARING EXPECTED EARTHQUAKE SHAKING IN ISTANBUL WITH THE 1999 M7.6 IZMIT EARTHQUAKE"

Because the earthquake’s impact is so sudden, our response should be as quick as possible too. Today, technology reached a tipping point that revolutionary AI, advanced sensor technology and cloud-computing allow us to respond to earthquake disasters rapidly. By instrumenting buildings, bridges, dams and other infrastructure with sensors, and by using real-time data analytics, we can lessen much of the impact and suffer from earthquakes.

To learn about our AI-powered earthquake risk management solutions, please contact us at info@quakelogic.net

Key Takeaways

  • The 1999 M7.6 Izmit earthquake struck about 70 km from Istanbul, shook for 37 seconds, killed about 17,000 and left 250,000 homeless.
  • Six rupture scenarios on Marmara Sea submarine faults were compared with recorded Izmit ground shaking.
  • Western Istanbul (Atakoy, Bakirkoy, Avcilar) is expected to shake more than three times harder than in 1999.
  • Soft underlying sediments amplified shaking in those districts during the Izmit event.
  • Istanbul's elevated risk is comparable to San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland and Seattle.

Frequently Asked Questions

How strong will the expected Istanbul earthquake be compared with the 1999 Izmit earthquake?

The scenario study by Prof. Polat Gulkan and the author compared six plausible Marmara Sea fault ruptures with the recorded 1999 M7.6 Izmit shaking. The most alarming result is that the western Istanbul metropolitan area is expected to be shaken more than three times as strongly as it was in 1999. Because the Izmit epicenter was about 70 km away, a rupture directly beneath the Marmara Sea brings the source much closer to the city.

Why is western Istanbul expected to shake more than other districts?

Districts such as Atakoy, Bakirkoy and Avcilar sit on soft sediments that strongly amplify ground shaking. That amplification already caused significant damage there in 1999, even though the Izmit epicenter was roughly 70 km away. In the modeled Marmara Sea scenarios, the rupture is closer to western Istanbul, and the same soft-soil amplification acts on stronger input motion, producing shaking more than three times the Izmit level.

How far was the 1999 Izmit earthquake epicenter from Istanbul?

The epicenter of the 17 August 1999 M7.6 Izmit earthquake was about 70 km (43 miles) from Istanbul, in northwest Turkey. Despite that distance, roughly 37 seconds of strong shaking killed about 17,000 people and left 250,000 homeless, and parts of western Istanbul suffered significant damage from soil amplification. The event became a national wake-up call about the seismic threat to the region.

Which faults threaten Istanbul with a major earthquake?

The main threat comes from the submarine segments of the North Anatolian Fault beneath the Marmara Sea, directly south of Istanbul. The scenario study modeled six plausible ruptures of these Marmara Sea faults and compared the resulting ground shaking with the 1999 Izmit earthquake. The elevated risk is comparable to that facing large U.S. cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland and Seattle.

How can sensors and real-time analytics reduce earthquake impact in Istanbul?

Because earthquake damage happens within seconds, the response must be equally fast. Instrumenting buildings, bridges, dams and other infrastructure with sensors and feeding the data into real-time, AI-based analytics with cloud computing lets operators know immediately which structures were shaken hardest and which may be unsafe. That shortens inspection and emergency response, directs resources to the most affected districts and reduces loss of life and prolonged disruption.

Need help with a project? QuakeLogic designs and supplies seismic monitoring, earthquake early warning, structural health monitoring, infrasound, and shake table systems. Browse QuakeLogic products or contact our engineering team with your site, structure, or test requirements.

Evacuate or Not: How AI Helps Hospitals After an Earthquake

Hospital building after an earthquake facing the decision to evacuate or keep operating

In short: Hospital evacuation after earthquake should be decided from measured structural data rather than guesswork. Unnecessary evacuation stresses patients and halts revenue-generating care, while staying in a damaged building risks lives and liability. QuakeLogic's cloud-based AI platform uses sensors on the building to run an autonomous structural assessment in real time and notifies management of shaking intensity and whether structural integrity is compromised, speeding both the decision and post-earthquake inspection.

After a strong shaking, hospitals may face pressing challenges including whether to utilize or evacuate structures, restore interrupted operations and repair damaged facilities or equipment. Accurate information is immediately needed to make rapid and informed decisions to make staff, patients and their structure safer. 

In the aftermath of an earthquake, one of the most challenging decisions for hospitals to make is whether to evacuate patients and staff or stay in operation and admit injured people. This decision-making process is of paramount importance because damaged structures may endanger the lives of patients and staff, and liabilities may occur due to the wrong decision to utilize the hospital. Conversely, unnecessary evacuation due to the uninformed decision may create significant stress by putting patients and staff at risk. The loss of revenue arises by stopping or interrupting medical operations and services. 

Post-earthquake inspection of hospital buildings is also a time-consuming process due to the architectural and structural complexity of hospital buildings. 

In recent years, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a hot and frontier research direction in numerous fields in science and engineering. The development of machine learning algorithms and big data has brought revolutionary changes in our lives. QuakeLogic is the only company providing cloud-based AI-powered disaster risk management solutions to prevent and reduce human and economic losses risen during and after earthquakes

dilemma hospital 1 for "EVACUATE OR NOT—A DILEMMA OF HOSPITALS AFTER AN EARTHQUAKE AND HOW CAN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Our cutting-edge technology platform performs real-time autonomous structural assessments using sensor data and sends rapid notifications after an event with the level of shaking intensity and whether structural integrity is compromised. For instance, for hospitals, we provide meaningful and easy-to-understand information immediately after an earthquake. This timely and critical information helps the hospital’s management to plan their role in making the staff, patients and their structure safer. This information also expedites post-earthquake inspections for the rapid recovery of medical operations and services.

Our mission is to ensure peace of mind for people in health care who dedicated to saving lives after disasters.

Key Takeaways

  • After strong shaking, hospitals must choose between evacuating and continuing to admit injured patients, with life-safety and liability consequences either way.
  • Manual post-earthquake inspection of hospitals is slow because of their architectural and structural complexity.
  • QuakeLogic's AI platform performs real-time autonomous structural assessment from building sensor data.
  • Notifications after an event report the level of shaking intensity and whether structural integrity is compromised.
  • Timely assessment expedites inspections and restores medical operations faster, limiting lost revenue.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should a hospital evacuate after an earthquake?

A hospital should evacuate after an earthquake only if structural integrity is compromised; otherwise it should remain operational to treat the injured. The decision is difficult because damaged buildings endanger patients and staff and create liability, while unnecessary evacuation stresses patients, interrupts services and loses revenue. Sensor-based structural assessment gives management objective information on shaking intensity and damage within minutes to support that decision.

How does AI help assess hospital buildings after an earthquake?

AI-driven structural assessment uses accelerometer and other sensor data from the building to evaluate how the structure responded to the shaking. QuakeLogic's cloud platform runs this autonomously in real time, then sends management an easy-to-understand notification with the level of shaking intensity and whether structural integrity is compromised. This replaces hours of manual inspection with immediate, data-based guidance on whether to utilize or evacuate the hospital.

Why is post-earthquake inspection of hospitals so slow?

Post-earthquake inspection of hospitals is slow because of their architectural and structural complexity: multiple wings, heavy mechanical systems, extensive non-structural components and areas that cannot be cleared of patients. Inspectors must cover all of it before declaring the building safe, which can take days. Continuous building monitoring narrows the search by showing which parts of the structure experienced the strongest response.

What are the costs of unnecessarily evacuating a hospital?

Unnecessary evacuation puts patients at risk during transfer, especially those in intensive care or surgery, creates significant stress for staff and patients, and interrupts medical operations and services, which stops revenue. It also removes the hospital from the emergency response at the moment injured people need it most. Objective structural data prevents these losses when the building is actually safe to occupy.

What information does a hospital receive from QuakeLogic after an earthquake?

Immediately after an earthquake, QuakeLogic's platform sends the hospital's management a rapid notification containing the level of shaking intensity measured at the building and an assessment of whether structural integrity is compromised. The information is presented in meaningful, easy-to-understand form so non-engineers can act on it, plan staff and patient safety, and expedite the formal post-earthquake inspection for faster recovery of medical services.

Need help with a project? QuakeLogic designs and supplies seismic monitoring, earthquake early warning, structural health monitoring, infrasound, and shake table systems. Browse QuakeLogic products or contact our engineering team with your site, structure, or test requirements.