To demonstrate the TURNkey platform, a total of 158 cost-effective TURNkey multi-sensor units (seismic and GNSS) were deployed in six European testbeds: Bucharest, Romania; Pyrenees, France; Hveragerði and Húsavík, Iceland; Patras and Aegion, Greece; the port of Gioia Tauro, Italy; and Groningen, Netherlands. A new casing for the seismic instruments has been developed, which is an innovative solution for structural health monitoring, and a new double-frequency GNSS sensor was developed. This is suitable both to detect very slow movements of ground or structures and sudden displacements triggered by earthquakes. The deployment partially addresses weaknesses in existing sensor networks and aims at securing and demonstrating the real-time streaming of multidisciplinary data (e.g. seismic, deformation, structural response) adhering to a common format.
Based on state-of-the-art review and feasibility studies for OEF, EEW, and RRE, the project developed improved procedures for each purpose. The advances in OEF include improved time-dependent seismic hazard assessment while a comparative study on the performance of EEW algorithms was carried out to test current and future implementations of EEW systems in Europe. Various aspects of RRE were also addressed, including accounting for constraints from ground-motion recordings and indications of macroseismic intensity from social media posts as well as updating ground-motion models in near-real time. There was a focus on improved communication of OEF, EEW and RRE results and their uncertainties to end-users.
Advances were made in the rapid estimation of damage and losses, right after an earthquake occurrence. A knowledge-based exposure modelling framework was created to evaluate and design vulnerability and fragility models depending on the accuracy and completeness of available data. Regarding the monitoring of exposed structures with seismic sensors, different signal analysis techniques have been developed to assess damage. Other solutions based on citizen observations have been developed and tested, such as the LastQuakers (forum gathering the LastQuake community) and WhatsQuakers (WhatsApp group) tools. Smartphone location data from the Earthquake Network app has also been exploited to assess the population exposure considering population dynamics.
Research was then conducted on the impact the TURNkey platform could have on the earthquake resilience of urban communities. A literature review on the seismic resilience and recovery of modern critical-infrastructure-community systems and a corresponding computational resilience/recovery modelling framework was completed. An agent-based model on post-shock rapid responses was developed and incorporated into the framework. A state-of-the-art engineering-oriented decision-support system (DSS) was proposed for OEF, EEW, and RRE to determine real-time structure-/infrastructure-specific risk-mitigation actions. An analysis of the state-of-the-art protocols for response, emergency management and safety communications was conducted and used to propose improved response protocols for the EEW, OEF, and RRE features of the TURNkey platform.
The knowledge and the various methodologies, and hazard and risk models developed have been compiled and integrated into the scientific engine of the TURNkey platform which also comprises the instrumental network and an end-user interface. Using demonstrators of the TURNkey platform, research was conducted to identify stakeholder requirements, looking at civil protection and first responders as well as critical infrastructure providers and other businesses.
