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Proceedings of the International Conference on
Advances and New Challenges in Earthquake 587
Engineering Research, Hong Kong Volume
REAL-TIME STRUCTURAL MONITORING SYSTEM
A. M. Sereci 1 , D. Radulescu 1 and C. Radulescu 1
^igitexx Data Systems, Inc.
Pasadena, California
ABSTRACT
This paper presents the state-of-the-art technology already implemented in real-time structural
monitoring and initial damage assessment approach. The short history of earthquake data recording is
intended to provide a general view of the main possibilities of different recorders in time. The core of
the paper focuses on how today's modern systems can provide the tools to do much more than simple
event recording. The real examples are provided using already installed systems to show that today's
technical advances combined with powerful data acquisition, analysis and broadcasting software is a
perfect match for real-time structural monitoring studies. Today, affordable fast communication (DSL,
Tl, T3), well established protocols (TCP/IP, UDP, FTP) combined with COTS (Commercially Of The
Shelf) data acquisition hardware, and powerful software packages make this domain accessible.
1. HISTORICAL OVERVIEW
Earthquakes were studied for a long time. Due to their complexity, three major sciences emerged.
Seismology, the science that studies the characteristics of the earthquake as natural phenomena;
Engineering Seismology, the science that studies the wave characteristics at a given site; and
Earthquake Engineering, the science that studies the response of a structure during an earthquake.
Different recording equipment has been developed for each of these sciences to provide accurate data
required as an input for different analysis methods. Sometime, an instrument has been developed to
cover more than one science. The time proved that this approach had a cost/benefit flaw for at least
one science. Also, the location of the instrument requires site selection parameters, which are different
from one science to another. For example, a seismological station requires a quiet site, direct contact
with the bedrock or as close as possible, grid type distribution, high resolution etc. Engineering
Seismology requires grid type installation in high-populated areas combined with geological survey to
describe the near surface stratification, local amplification phenomena, propagation, attenuation and
frequency content at a given site. Finally, the Earthquake Engineering science requires structural