STRONG MOTION LABORATORY

The Strong Motion Laboratory of IZIIS was established  in 1972 when the installation of the Yugoslav Strong Motion Network started within the frames of the project financed and supported by USAID, the National Science Foundation of the USA, the Macedonian Council for Science, the Federal Office for International Cultural-Educational, Scientific and Technical Cooperation as well as the Office for Technical Cooperation of the Republic of Macedonia.  During the period of two decades of operation of the Yugoslav Strong Motion Network (100 accelerometers and 150 seismoscopes), IZIIS collected more than 1400 records of strong earthquakes throughout the entire territory of former Yugoslavia.

Since 1972, the IZIIS’ Strong Motion Laboratory has continuously monitored and updated  data on the strong seismic activity in the territory of N. Macedonia and the bordering region.  The capacity of the IZIIS’ strong motion network   was considerably increased in the period 2007-2015 with 17 new digital accelerometer stations provided within the frames of two NATO SfP projects for harmonization of seismic hazard maps of the Western Balkan countries (NATO SfP-983054 and NATO SfP-984374).

At the moment, the strong motion network consists of 126 active accelerometers, namely: 12 digital stations (with 12 accelerometers on bedrock and characteristic soil), 21 analog stations (with 28 accelerometers on bedrock, characteristic soil and structures), special 3D network in Ohrid (with 16 accelerometers on characteristic soil, structures and in boreholes) and seismic monitoring of dams (with 32 digital and 38 analog accelerometers on bedrock, characteristic soil and dam structures).

At the moment, the following equipment is available at this laboratory: