[S-SS05] Advancements in Regional Seismic Networks: Operations, Applications, and Development

[SSS05-12] Orchestrating Structural Safety with QSIS: Vision for Extensible Building Arrays

*Gauss Te-Chuan Chang^1,2, Wen-Tzong Liang³, Utpal Kumar⁴, Kuo-Fong Ma³, Li-Wei Chen⁵ (1.Department of Physics, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, 2.Department of Civil Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, 3.Institute of Earth Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, 4.Berkeley Seismology Lab, University of California Berkeley, CA, USA, 5.Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, CA, USA)

Keywords:Structural Health Monitoring, Strong Motion Building Arrays, MEMS Accelerometers, Seismic Interferometry, Social Resilience

The Quake Structural Integrity System (QSIS) is an innovative, cost-effective platform for continuous seismic monitoring and post-event structural health evaluations. Leveraging low-cost MEMS accelerometers and cloud-based computing, QSIS captures and processes real-time data via a scalable workflow: local devices record ground motions and building motions, a central server manages data aggregation and preprocessing, and a web-based interface facilitates user-friendly visualization and device management.

We deployed QSIS in a nine-story steel-reinforced concrete (SRC) building at the Research Center for Environmental Changes in Taipei, Taiwan, collecting seismic data from January 2021 to December 2024. Through spectral analysis, cross-correlation of ambient vibrations, and seismic interferometry, we tracked changes in key structural parameters—mode shapes, shear wave propagation speeds, and eigenfrequencies—over daily, weekly, and annual timescales.

Notably, eigenfrequencies declined following major seismic events, potentially reflecting stiffness reductions linked to early-stage damage. Meanwhile, seismic interferometry registered a consistent shear wave velocity (~243m/s) and impulse responses, underscoring the capability of our multi-parameter approach to capture subtle variations that may precede more pronounced structural changes. This integrated method thus offers a promising pathway for the early detection and continuous monitoring of structural health.

These findings demonstrate QSIS’s utility for near-real-time and long-term monitoring, enabling rapid post-event damage assessments and supporting resilient urban development strategies in seismically active regions. The system’s cost-effectiveness and scalability facilitate the deployment of dense building arrays in Taiwan’s densely populated urban centers, providing critical insights into structural integrity before, during, and after major earthquakes.