Beyond Internet Dependency: LoRa for Post- Earthquake Structural Monitoring

Abstract

Acquiring structural response data during and after earthquakes is essential for assessing threats to critical infrastructure; however, conventional transmission systems rely on Internet connectivity that is often disrupted during major seismic events. This study evaluates Long Range (LoRa) radio as a low-power, infrastructure-independent alternative for transmitting building instrumentation data when conventional networks fail. Field experiments were conducted across three New Zealand cities, testing performance under varying radio configurations, elevations, and urban topographies. Results demonstrate reliable urban communication ranges of up to 1.6 km under optimal settings. Elevation was the dominant deployment factor, with packet delivery ratios (PDR) improving from 0–40% at ground level to near-100% at 500 m radial distance when transmitters were positioned on upper floors. Building-to-building links achieved 75–100% PDR with received signal strength values between −55 and −110 dBm, while terrain features such as hills and dense vegetation caused significant attenuation and occasional link failure at shorter distances. These findings confirm the feasibility of LoRa for post-earthquake structural monitoring and provide quantitative guidance for elevation-aware, terrain-conscious deployment in urban environments.