A structural earthquake monitoring system developed at Tekirdağ Namık Kemal University is now being used to assess building safety and advance seismic technology research in the region.
The university’s newly established “Structural Earthquake Laboratory,” built on a 4,000-square-meter area, is designed to evaluate the earthquake resistance of buildings and develop advanced structural safety solutions. The facility also includes a dedicated structural health monitoring center that collects and analyzes real-time data from buildings.
Ahmet Bal, a faculty member at Tekirdağ Namık Kemal University, said the system allows continuous monitoring of structural behavior under seismic and environmental loads. He explained that buildings are equipped with sensors that track movement, frequency and vibration patterns, enabling engineers to analyze performance in real time.
“In the world, the most important buildings are subjected to structural monitoring, what we call structural health monitoring, thanks to these devices. We continuously monitor the behavior of these structures during earthquakes or under other loads,” Bal said.
The laboratory works in collaboration with the Tokyo Institute of Technology and Taiwan's National Center for Earthquake Engineering on joint research projects. Bal noted that similar systems are used globally in critical infrastructure, including hospitals, bridges and high-rise buildings.
Bal said the technology is particularly important for Türkiye, where seismic risk remains high and many buildings are not fully earthquake-resistant. The system is being used to monitor key structures, including an oncology hospital project at the university, using advanced damping technologies.
Data collected from sensors is transmitted to a digital platform for real-time analysis and simulation, allowing researchers to model structural responses and improve safety strategies. The system can also be integrated with early warning technologies, potentially detecting seismic activity seconds before shaking begins.
Bal added that the technology is also being applied to industrial facilities in Tekirdağ, Türkiye’s fifth-largest exporting province, to ensure production continuity during earthquakes. He said around 230,000 buildings in the province have been assessed as part of rapid seismic screening efforts aimed at improving regional resilience.
