EARTHQUAKE DAMAGE ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENTATION STUDY

THE RESEARCH EXAMINES THE DESIGN OF PEAK STRAIN AND DEFLECTION-BASED INSTRUMENTATION SYSTEMS FOR THE POST-EARTHQUAKE HEALTH MONITORING OF BUILDINGS AND OTHER STRUCTURES. THE INSTRUMENTATION SYSTEMS ARE INTENDED TO EVALUATE THE LOCAL MATERIAL DAMAGE AT SPECIFIC POINTS WITHIN A STRUCTURE, AND USED TO ESTIMATE, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE LEVEL OF DAMAGE A STRUCTURE HAS SUFFERED AND ITS CONDITION. THE WORK ENTAILS DESIGNING SEVERAL TYPES OF SENSORS; PERFORMING FULL STATIC AND DYNAMIC TESTS; INVESTIGATING APPROACHES TO DESIGNING A SITE-SPECIFIC SYSTEM; AND INTERPRETATION OF THE SENSOR OUTPUT. THE RESEARCH EVALUATES THE GENERAL DISTRIBUTION OF HIGH STRAINS (OR DAMAGE) INCURRED DURING AN EARTHQUAKE EVENT TO OPTIMIZE THE LOCATION OF THE SENSORS AND THE ACCURACY WITH WHICH THE SYSTEM PREDICTS THE DAMAGE. THE NEW TECHNOLOGY CAN PROVIDE FOR AN ECONOMICAL AND RELIABLE MEANS FOR STRUCTURAL SAFETY ASSESSMENT.