A team of students from İskenderun Technical University (İSTE) in Turkey, who were personally affected by the February 2023 earthquake, has successfully developed an ambitious technical project named "AURACORE". This innovation aims to use artificial intelligence to monitor the structural safety of building columns, contributing to predicting collapse risks and reducing human losses in cases of natural disasters.
How the AURACORE Device Works
The device relies on a set of advanced sensors and artificial intelligence algorithms to analyze the health status of concrete structures. The system performs the following technical tasks:
- Measuring physical variables: monitoring humidity levels, stress, bending, and the degree of concrete stiffness within the columns.
- Analyzing corrosion and stress: monitoring corrosion and structural fatigue processes that may result from environmental factors such as rain and high humidity.
- Intelligent calculations: using artificial intelligence to calculate the instantaneous "stress coefficient" or "deformation coefficient," providing an accurate picture of the building's current state.
What Does This Innovation Change in Practice?
This development represents a shift from the traditional assessment method that relies on periodic manual inspection to a system of continuous and active monitoring. Instead of waiting for an earthquake to occur to assess damage, the device can automatically detect slight changes in load-bearing columns and send immediate warnings based on the detected level of danger. This allows decision-makers and competent authorities (such as AFAD) to take proactive measures, such as evacuating buildings or starting restoration operations before a disaster occurs.
Achievements and Future Aspirations
The AURACORE project achieved remarkable success by winning second place in the "Smart Cities and Transportation" category during the TEKNOFEST festival held in the city of Şanlıurfa. The team is currently continuing to develop the device within the university's "Teknopark," focusing on integrating this technology into the infrastructure of smart cities to enhance their resilience to earthquakes.