2nd Croatian Conference on Earthquake Engineering 2CroCEE

Large earthquakes are expected to cause structural damage even in modern buildings in full compliance with current design codes. While presumably safe, these and the much more frequent moderately sized earthquakes, can still negatively affect critical structures’ function. For example, hospitals, by distressing staff and patients as well as supporting systems such as critical utilities, medical gases, and surrounding infrastructure (e.g. roads/bridges). Energy producing facilities, may overact shutting down plant functions or initiating evacuations which potentially costs millions of dollars in business interruption.

Today most earthquake instrumented structures focused their purpose on recording structural responses to damaging and potentially damaging earthquakes. This recorded data is then used to further understanding of actual building dynamic behavior, ultimately leading to advancements in research (e.g., damage detection) and building codes e.g., improved empirical relations, Goel RK and Chopra AK (1997.) Over time, owners, residents, and operators indirectly benefit from this work by owning, residing, operating safer structures. However, there is opportunity for them to benefit directly from structural monitoring technology. Advances in technology and client-based information-driven services have led to proven applications of structural monitoring in support of operational/business continuity ultimately contributing to resilience.

Although this concept of using earthquake recorded data to the benefit of building owners has been considered in the past, Celebi M et al. (2004), there has only been a few implementation cases as a holistic, commercially viable solution for operational/business continuity, as a result of strategic industry partnerships (e.g., technology provider, engineering consultant, etc.), academia, and a growing knowledge and experience on the topic; mostly in the Middle East, Skolnik DA et al. (2017).

This paper will present commercially available structural monitoring technology platforms comprised of advanced sensing, performance-based engineering, centralized command console tied to mobile check-in, standard-based safety inspection tools, as well as training and certification. Implementation is illustrated with deployments at Hospitals and Energy producing facilities around the world.