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|Background, Motivation and Aim|Registration|Accommodation|Maps|
Earthquake related research has been an area of high focus for the engineering profession during the last 40-50 years. During especially the last 10 years societal focus has been directed toward the enhancement of societal decision making concerning risk management and this has initiated several major interdisciplinary research projects of which some are presently ongoing and others still in the conceptual phases.
It is clear that the international research community and society in general could benefit from an exchange of ideas, engineering models, data and general know-how between these projects.
Management of risks due to earthquake hazards involves a broad range of disciplines from the field of civil engineering, earth sciences and social and human sciences. Understanding the physics of the mechanisms triggering earthquakes at different locations, and being able to model the characteristics of these constitutes one of the first prerequisites in the assessment of risk. The modelling of the wave propagation through the soil plays a key role in the assessment of the excitation of structures such as housing, infrastructure and lifeline facilities. Having modelled the structural excitation the assessment of structural damages necessitates a detailed understanding and modelling of the structural response which also involves the collection of various types of data such as facilitated by modern techniques of photogrammetry and remote sensing. This then forms the basis for assessing the direct consequences of earthquakes in terms of loss of lives, material damages, rescue and cleanup costs and rehabilitation. However, in the consequence assessment it is important also to consider indirect costs such as long term socio-economical effects, morbidity and possible damages to the environment.
The problem complex is rather involving and an additional complicating factor is the fact that all the models involved in the assessments are subject to significant uncertainties. Furthermore, the data which are normally required to substantiate and calibrate the models are scarce or in some cases not available. For this reason most earthquake risk assessments are based on a probabilistic modelling of all relevant uncertainties and consequences are assessed as expected values.
The various research projects initiated and planned in the area of management of risks due to earthquake hazards typically set out within the framework outlined in the above. Often for the purpose of achieving a reasonable balance between quality and relevance, however, only limited parts or specific aspects are considered.
The potential for synergy between the present research initiatives by exchange of research ideas, results, data and tools is tremendous and could significantly improve future developments in the area. However, a prerequisite for this is that a certain common basis for the underlying modelling is established and that the communication between the involved research groups is strengthened. The planned workshop aims to establish a long term platform for achieving and maintaining this basis and thereby enhance the targeted research in the area in the future.
The workshop will focus on earthquake engineering applications for risk management. Contributions to this topic may come from areas such as:
Researchers and practitioners from all relevant fields of earth sciences, civil engineering and social and human sciences, involved in interdisciplinary projects on management of earthquake risks.
|Background, Motivation and Aim|Registration|Accommodation|Maps|
