EGMS technology for building condition assessment and disaster prevention

Streszczenie

This study investigates the application of the European Ground Motion Service (EGMS) technology in assessing technical building conditions and preventing structural disasters, focusing on Olsztyn, Poland, from 2019 to 2023. Using EGMS satellite data, the study developed a risk assessment model to identify buildings vulnerable to damage due to structural instability caused by anthropogenic or natural factors; the specific influences were not investigated.
The analysis in Olsztyn, covering 14,383 buildings, reveals significant displacement variations. Damaged buildings exhibit the highest velocity movements, up from –7.3 mm/year to +18 mm/year vertically and from –12.3 mm/year to +21.2 mm/year horizontally. High values indicate a significant influence of factors such as unstable ground, structural damage or environmental impact (e.g., landslides, vibrations), which increases the risk of further damage to these buildings.
In contrast, in-use (98.04% of buildings) and inactive (0.92%) buildings are more stable, with displacements typically within ±3 mm/year. Nine analyzed buildings were classified as high risk and 56 as medium risk. Validation against historical disaster records in Olsztyn during the study period confirms EGMS's effectiveness in improving risk prediction accuracy. The findings underscore EGMS's potential as a vital tool for systematic monitoring, facilitating early hazard detection, and enhancing urban safety and infrastructure resilience through data-driven disaster prevention strategies.