Seismometers and Their Role in Preventing Secondary Earthquake Disasters

Abstract eng:
Immediately following an earthquake, secondary earthquake disasters, such as explosions or fires due to ruptures in gas piping or leakage of electrical wiring, destroy lifelines in the quake-stricken area, causing immeasurable damage to lives and properties. Ubukata Industries Co., Ltd. of Japan has developed a compact seismometer that detects the occurrence of large-scale earthquakes in real-time, thereby actively helping to prevent the destruction of important infrastructures that sustain the lives of many people. This seismometer is characterized by its consumption of no power at normal times in order to respond to user requests for a broader operational temperature range. When an earthquake of the 5th degree on the seismic scale occurs, the seismometer outputs alternating continuous ON and OFF signals that last longer than a set period of time, which is predetermined according to the intensity of the vibrations. The control circuit can detect an earthquake using these easy-to-process digital signals. This seismometer can be surface-mounted onto a substrate and is equipped with an automatic leveling function, which allows for easy installation on devices. Under Japanese law, inexpensive and accurate seismometers of this kind must to be installed in intelligent gas meters.

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