BRAINS FOR INTELLIGENT BUILDINGS UNDER SEISMIC LOADS

THE PROJECT IS DEVELOPING A MICROPROCESSOR WHICH WILL BECOME THE BRAIN FOR INTELLIGENT BUILDINGS (BIB). THE BRAIN DISCERNS THE STATE OF THE BUILDING BY EVALUATING SIGNALS FROM THE SENSOR NETWORK AND ISSUES APPROPRIATE COMMANDS TO ACTIVE AND PASSIVE CONTROLLERS TO MODERATE THE EFFECTS OF SEISMIC DISTURBANCE. THE BIB WILL MERGE TWO TECHNOLOGIES: (1) ACTIVE PATTERN RECOGNITION AND ANALYSIS, AND (2) ADAPTIVE FUZZY LOGIC CONTROL USING A DYNAMIC KNOWLEDGE BASE. THESE METHODS CAN RESPOND TO THE DUAL NEEDS OF SUCH A PROCESSOR: INFERENCE UNDER UNCERTAINTY AND ADAPTABILITY TO CHANGE. UNCERTAINTY IS THE RESULT OF STOCHASTIC DISTURBANCE, NOISE, INCOMPLETE SENSOR DATA, OR FUZZINESS OF INFORMATION. CHANGE OCCURS DURING EXTREME HAZARDS AND FROM DETERIORATION OF THE BUILDING, ITS SENSOR NETWORK, AND ACTUATION SYSTEMS OVER TIME. VIA ACTIVE PATTERN RECOGNITION PROCESS, BIB INTERACTS WITH THE BUILDING TO PROBE AND MONITOR ITS OPERATING STATE. DYNAMIC, ADAPTIVE CONTROL MODULE HAS TWO SETS OF META RULES THAT ADJUST CONTROL RULES ACCORDING TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS. BY INCORPORATING FUZZY LOGIC, BIB LEVERAGES ANY TOLERANCE FOR IMPRECISION INTO SIMPLICITY IN DESIGN, GAINS IN EFFICIENCY, AND LOWER COSTS. BIB IS BEING EMULATED THROUGH SOFTWARE SIMULATION. THE STUDY FOCUSES ON ITS PERFORMANCE IN EXTREME EVENTS AND ADDRESSES BIB'S RELIABILITY TO DEGRADING SENSORS AND ACTUATORS.