Practical Transceptor System for Detection of Vibration in Buildings

Vibrations are a physical effect to which buildings in cities are continuously subjected, and depending on the vibration frequency, they can be associated with a level of risk. In high-seismic-risk areas, buildings endure continuous vibrations that can produce small fractures in the building's structure and increase material damage from periodic and random seismic events. The early detection of structural damage allows for preventive decisions to minimize the risk of a potential collapse.

To provide a tool that helps detect the vibrations a building is subjected to and assess the associated risk from large vibrations, this work presents the development of a simple and practical system that remotely detects vibrations in a building. The system's development involves using vibration sensors and a signal capture system. Data processing and a simple prognosis are performed to evaluate the risk of possible fractures in the building's structure.

The preliminary results allow us to identify that most of the vibrations a building's structure endures are due to vehicular traffic around it, coupled with vibrations from surrounding constructions. The critical vibrations that increase the risk of fracture are due to natural earthquakes exceeding 3 degrees on the Gutenberg–Richter scale, detected by sensors with frequency and amplitude magnitude components. The implemented system offers a quick and effective alternative for detecting and quantifying vibrations in buildings and serves as an alert system for potential fracture risks in a building's structure.