Design of a WSN Platform for the Identification of Civil Structures with Potential Structural Damages after a Seismic Event in Urban Zones

Summary form only given. This proposal describes an innovative approach in the methodologies of post-seismic evaluations of urban zones in Venezuela. It is based on the developing of a platform based on wireless sensor networks, adjusted to the demands of data traffic after an earthquake event, according to the previously identified information needs, assuming that a partial or total collapse of traditional communication services in the disaster area is a real possibility. This work establishes some guidelines for the development of a tool that contributes to the process of identification of potentially affected buildings for an earthquake event. It also describes a proposal for the communication process of the collected data outside the disaster area using the infrastructure of a wireless sensor network and the resources and strengths in telecommunications, available in the Venezuelan Foundation for Seismological Research, without requiring the presence of experts in the event place to perform the first preliminary diagnosis. The proposed system will also help in the decision making process to allocate the available qualified personnel to the structures that really require it for damage evaluation. The incorporation of the wireless sensor technology in the process of post-seismic assessment could be an important management strategy with implications not only in a reduction of the costs associated with the use of equipment and communication technologies, but also in speeding the identification of structures that may be affected by a strong seismic event.