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Global Structural Health Monitoring via MyShake: An Economical and Accessible Smartphone-Based Approach

Description: 

Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) is essential for the safety, reliability, and cost-effectiveness of structures over their lifespan. Traditional SHM methods rely on custom sensor deployments, requiring significant time, manpower, and resources. However, the ubiquity of smartphones with accelerometers presents a unique opportunity for widespread, affordable SHM. We showcase the MyShake smartphone app, developed at UC Berkeley and part of the Early Warning California initiative. This free app, downloaded globally over 2.9 million times, utilizes smartphone accelerometers to monitor civil infrastructure health through waveform recordings during significant shaking events.

MyShake leverages these smartphones to form a rapid-response network for monitoring civil structures. During events such as earthquakes and severe weather, stationary MyShake phones record and transmit seismic data. Since these phones are usually inside buildings, the data can reveal structural behavior. The app's ability to gather data enables us to assess the structural integrity of buildings where users are located.

Our controlled experiments validate this method, resulting in a database of modal frequencies from various buildings. Continuously monitoring these frequencies allows us to detect changes that may signal structural damage. Thus, MyShake offers a scalable, cost-effective solution for global SHM, enhancing civil structure safety and reliability. We also discuss scientific and technical challenges in large-scale operational deployment and suggest potential solutions.

Session: Creating Actionable Earthquake Information Products [Poster Session]

Type: Poster

Date: 5/1/2024

Presentation Time: 08:00 AM (local time)

Presenting Author: Utpal

Student Presenter: No

Invited Presentation: 

Authors