Overview
ISO 37174:2024 - Smart community infrastructures: Disaster risk reduction - Guidance for implementing seismometer systems provides practical guidance for developing, implementing and maintaining seismometer systems as part of smart community infrastructure. The standard focuses on using seismometers for observation of seismic activity (earthquakes, micro‑seismic motion, volcanic tremors) to support disaster risk reduction and community resilience. It is intended for planners, developers and community operators and explicitly excludes drop‑ball and pendulum seismometers, bespoke system design (e.g., rail‑installed devices) and landslide vibration measurement.
Key topics and technical requirements
- System purpose and structure: Define objectives (hazard assessment, early warning, evacuation alerts, system control) and select seismometer types accordingly.
- Data specifications: Seismometer data are time‑series vibrations. Required specifications include variables (acceleration, velocity, displacement), accuracy of location and time, real‑time acquisition capability and data format.
- System components: Guidance covers sensors, data acquisition, processing components, communications, power and mounting/fixings.
- Functions and use cases: Describes functions such as early detection, emergency stoppage, structural damage monitoring and micro‑seismic monitoring.
- Data availability & interoperability: Recommendations to ensure data accessibility, standard formats and interoperability across networks and stakeholders.
- Lifecycle use: Utilization of data before, during and after events - for planning, operational response and recovery.
- Supporting material: Informative annexes provide a selection flowchart, recommended data tables by category and mapping to disaster‑management processes and ISO 37123 indicators.
Practical applications and target users
ISO 37174 helps organizations integrate seismic monitoring into smart city and resilience strategies. Typical users include:
- Local and national governments - for hazard mapping, early warning networks and emergency planning.
- Urban planners and infrastructure developers - to inform land‑use control and seismic‑aware design.
- Community operators and utilities - to enable automated shutdowns, continuity planning and rapid response.
- Emergency managers and first responders - to improve situational awareness during events.
- Researchers and engineers - for improved seismic modelling, structural response studies and standards alignment.
Practical benefits include faster, better‑informed emergency responses, improved seismic design inputs, reduced economic loss and enhanced community resilience.
Related standards
- ISO 37123 (indicators for resilient cities) - referenced for mapping indicators.
- ISO/TR 6030 - smart community infrastructures context.
- ISO 22300, ISO 19901‑10 - referenced terminology and related concepts.
Keywords: ISO 37174:2024, seismometer systems, seismic monitoring, disaster risk reduction, smart community infrastructures, earthquake early warning, seismometer data, interoperability.