The World Conference of Earthquake Engineering (WCEE) is a prestigious event, held every four years, where experts and researchers from around the globe gather to share knowledge and innovations in the field of earthquake engineering. This year saw the 18th WCEE take place in Milan, Italy, during the first week of July. From technical sessions covering Artificial Intelligence applications in earthquake engineering to practical demonstrations of Structural Engineering innovations, the conference featured a wide range of topics. UPRI was proud to contribute to technical sessions, presenting their latest work on earthquake data centers by Engr. Christopher Jeff Sanchez and Engr. John Christian Cabang, under the guidance of Dr. Alfredo Mahar Lagmay.
The paper presented by UPRI, titled “Design and Implementation of the Philippine Public Seismic Network for Research and Education,” highlighted the development of the earthquake detection network managed by UPRI. Contrary to traditional seismic networks that rely on costly, specialized equipment, UPRI’s network utilizes affordable, off-the-shelf seismic sensors operated by citizen-scientists. This approach transforms earthquake detection into a nationwide crowd-sourcing effort, enabling the detection of vital ground-motion data. In line with this collaborative spirit, all outputs of the earthquake network — including the source code and data archive — are openly accessible to the public via our web platform at earthquake.science.upd.edu.ph and our code repositories at github.com/UPRI-earthquake.
The project presentation took place on the second-to-last day of the conference, in one of the technical session rooms. The audience consisted of at least 40 participants, primarily from Europe and East Asia, with some supportive colleagues from the Philippines in attendance as well. At least 5 participants raised questions after the presentation, in addition to several companies who expressed interest in potential collaborations. A researcher from Europe inquired about accessing our documentation, which we provided through upri-earthquake.github.io. Another question came from a Japanese company interested in our use of MongoDB in the system architecture. They shared how they also had experience with using MongoDB for actual sensor-data storage.
Beyond the presentations and technical sessions, the conference also featured exhibitors and sponsors showcasing their latest technologies and engaging in one-on-one discussions with attendees.
Of particular interest to UPRI were the various companies specializing in structural health monitoring (SHM) and seismic sensors. In our discussions with companies such as Kinemetrics, Sara Electronics Instruments, and iSHM SDA-Solutions, among others, we noted that there is an emerging market for low-cost MEMS-based seismometers, and that many international companies are competing to lead in SHM solutions. When asked what sets them apart from competitors, these companies shared their insights and future plans, including incorporating more edge-computing, enhancing real-time monitoring speeds, and offering unique end-to-end services. For instance, one company offers subscriptions that include system administrators in addition to SHM software. Given the potential to apply our seismic network to SHM and our use of consumer-friendly seismometers, these insights are particularly valuable to UPRI.
We also took a keen interest in the various shake tables exhibited at the conference. The range of shake tables on display included motor-powered, hydraulic-powered, and spring-loaded models, with majority designed for small-scale demonstrations. However, one organization, Eucentre, showcased a large-scale earthquake “Seismulator” shake table capable of accommodating groups of people, allowing them to experience what specific historical earthquakes might have felt like.
We participated in a simulation of the 1999 Taiwan Earthquake (Magnitude 7.3), which included three distinct experiences: first, an omnidirectional ground-floor simulation; next, a focused simulation of the 5th floor of a building during the quake; and finally, how it would feel on the 5th floor with the building equipped with the latest base isolation technologies. With UPRI currently working on developing cost-effective shake tables for educational use, the ideas and insights gained from these experiences will be invaluable to our efforts.
The conference also featured a number of open-source and community-driven organizations. Among them was the Global Earthquake Model (GEM) Foundation, renowned for its OpenQuake Engine, an open-source software for earthquake hazard and risk modeling. The OpenQuake Engine is specifically designed to calculate human and economic losses for a collection of assets caused by a given seismic event. Additionally, GEM’s Global Active Faults project is compiling a comprehensive global dataset of active faults for seismic hazard assessment and research purposes.
Another noteworthy initiative is the European Archive of Historical Earthquake Data (AHEAD), managed by INGV (National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology). AHEAD is a distributed archive dedicated to preserving, inventorying, and making accessible historical data on European earthquakes, including macroseismic intensity data and parametric catalogues. These open-access projects are highly relevant to UPRI’s current work and could serve as inspiration for similar initiatives tailored to the Philippines.
The conference provided an excellent opportunity for the UPRI representatives to connect and engage with both Filipino and international colleagues that are affiliated with various agencies and academic institutions worldwide. Among the individuals we interacted with were Seismology & Strong Motion Specialists at GNS Science, PhD students from ETH Zurich, and researchers from UP Diliman. The diversity in backgrounds and the expertise of those with whom we exchanged ideas was truly inspiring and further fueled our passion and interest in earthquake engineering.
The WCEE conference proved to be an incredibly valuable experience for UPRI, both in terms of learning and networking. The trip to Milan was truly unique, from presenting to a room full of researchers from diverse backgrounds, to playing foosball with newfound friends, and even engaging in discussions on probabilistic seismic hazard analysis over a bucket of Chickenjoy. Each moment contributed to an enriching and memorable experience. We extend our gratitude to the WCEE organizers, the UPRI administrative staff, and GEOS Inc., for their guidance in the publication process, travel arrangements, and overall support of this endeavor. This trip has sparked new ideas and directions for future research and projects. Now that we’re back, it’s time to turn those ideas into reality.