Earthquake detection is being considered for inclusion for the construction project at Wellington Secondary School by Nanaimo school district staff.
The high school’s seismic upgrade includes construction of a new wing and structural enhancements to protect against seismic activity and the district is examining both early warning and heavy-motion systems.
According to Pete Sabo, school district director of planning and operations, the district was approached by Phillip Chambers, director responsible for the Seismic Mitigation Program, who is working with the University of B.C. regarding installation of systems at schools receiving seismic upgrades.
“The advance notice detection system is via two sensors in the ground and it apparently detects [seismic waves] in advance. This can allow, say, 15 seconds advance notice of an earthquake and it also allows for consideration of a future provincial network, where they would then be able to provide advance notice of an earthquake,” said Sabo.
“The heavy motion detection system is a number of sensors on the structure itself and which would allow engineers to determine how much movement happened during the earthquake and assist in determining how the building performed and whether or not the building is re-inhabitable and how quickly it might be re-inhabitable,” he said.
Sabo said the ministry has asked the school district to consider installing the systems at Wellington. If an agreement is reached between the three on the scope and cost of the system, the ministry would support installation out of the project budget, he said.
The systems are a current priority but there isn’t a schedule for approval, according to Sabo. The project’s total budget is approximately $24.5 million and all work is estimated to be completed by January, according to Emil Bock, school district acting manager of energy and capital.