Microcontroller based earthquake detection system for spontaneous cut-off of domestic utility lines for safety measures

Abstract

Bangladesh is a country with a high frequency of earthquakes. Since the country lies at the junction of three tectonic plates, the intensity of earthquakes felt in this region is moderate. Surprisingly, the number of deaths and financial loss in this region by earthquakes is not due to building crashes or being crushed under homes. Rather, major reasons of losses are due to indirect phenomena such as induction of fear, as well as fire induced from a cracked gas line or faulty electrical transmission line damaged by earthquakes. As a result, a low cost automated microcontroller based system has been designed and implemented using inexpensive locally sourced electronic components, which senses earthquakes and gas leaks via force sensitive resistors and gas sensors respectively. The microcontroller operates a relay and a motor that cuts off electricity and gas supplies respectively during the event of an earthquake, helping to prevent associated potential disasters.