Radio Propagation Measurements Before, During, and After the Collapse of Three Large Building Structures

Published

August 7, 2008

Author(s)

Christopher L. Holloway, Galen H. Koepke, Dennis G. Camell, Catherine A. Remley

Abstract

We are investigating various schemes for detecting first responders and civilians with portable radios or cell phones who are trapped in voids in a collapsed or partially collapsed building. The first part of this effort is to understand propagation in collapse structures. Buildings scheduled for implosion provide the ideal research environment for investigating radio-wave propagation issues in fully or partially collapsed structures. The experiments reported here were performed before, during and after the implosion of three large building structures and are essentially measurements of the attenuation of radio signals caused by the building materials and structures. Measurements were performed at various frequencies of interest to first responders, frequencies near public safety and cell phone bands (approximately 50 MHz, 150 MHz, 225 MHz, 450 MHz, 900 MHz, and 1.8 GHz).

Proceedings Title

XXIX General Assembly of the International Union of Radio Science

Conference Dates

August 7-16, 2008

Conference Location

Chicago, IL

Pub Type

Conferences

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Keywords

collapsed buildings, communications, first responders, radio propagation

Citation

Holloway, C. , Koepke, G. , Camell, D. and Remley, C. (2008), Radio Propagation Measurements Before, During, and After the Collapse of Three Large Building Structures, XXIX General Assembly of the International Union of Radio Science, Chicago, IL, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=32926 (Accessed October 9, 2025)