Real-time seismic monitoring of instrumented hospital buildings

Abstract

seismic monitoring. Installation of seismic monitoring systems in structures is part of the research program conducted under the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) to improve understanding of the seismic loads that structures are likely to experience and help engineers design earthquake-resistant structures. The NSMP works closely with VA to monitor earthquake shaking in more than 70 VA medical centers across the country. This effort not only helps the VA safeguard its building inventory from future earthquake losses but also ensures timely response to damaging earthquakes. Earthquake Risk in the New Madrid Seismic Zone The New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ), which lies mainly in southeastern Missouri and northwestern Arkansas, is the most active seismic zone in the eastern United States. Today, the The 1971 San Fernando, California, earthquake (magnitude 6.7) collapsed four buildings at the San Fernando VA Hospital, killing 49 people. The buildings had been built in 1925, before building codes were in effect. Real-time seismic monitoring of such buildings can provide critical information about their structural integrity and help save lives in future earthquakes. Department of Veterans Affairs Department of Veterans Affairs Map showing earthquakes greater than magnitude 2.5 in the New Madrid Seismic Zone and its surroundings. Red dots are earthquakes that occurred after 1972, blue dots are earthquakes before 1972. Magnitudes of earthquakes are proportional to size of dots-largest dots are magnitude 7-8.

Christchurch Women's Hospital: Analysis of Measured Earthquake Data during the 2011–2012 Christchurch Earthquakes

“…The performance of base-isolated structures in service has been monitored in Japan after the 2011 Great East Japan earthquake (Hijikita et al 2012, Miwada et al 2012). In addition, projects by the U.S. Geological Survey's National Strong Motion Project have instrumented more than 250 structures, including the Memphis, TN, Veterans Affairs Medical Center (Kalkan et al 2012). Such monitoring allows the collection of valuable data to enable the effectiveness of isolation to be studied and to facilitate comparisons with expected structural motions.…”