Earthquake Risk Reduction


Book Description

Encompassing theory and field experience, this book covers all the main subject areas in earthquake risk reduction, ranging from geology, seismology, structural and soil dynamics to hazard and risk assessment, risk management and planning, engineering and the architectural design of new structures and equipment. Earthquake Risk Reduction outlines individual national weaknesses that contribute to earthquake risk to people and property; calculates the seismic response of soils and structures, using the structural continuum 'Subsoil - Substructure - Superstructure - Non-structure'; evaluates the effectiveness of given designs and construction procedures for reducing casualties and financial losses; provides guidance on the key issue of choice of structural form; presents earthquake resistant designs methods for the four main structural materials - steel, concrete, reinforced masonry and timber - as well as for services equipment, plant and non-structural architectural components; contains a chapter devoted to problems involved in improving (retrofitting) the existing built environment. Compiled from the author's extensive professional experience in earthquake engineering, this key text provides an excellent treatment of the complex multidisciplinary process of earthquake risk reduction. This book will prove an invaluable reference and guiding tool to practicing civil and structural engineers and architects, researchers and postgraduate students in seismology, local governments and risk management officials.




Earthquake Risk Reduction


Book Description

Table of contents




Earthquake Hazard and Seismic Risk Reduction


Book Description

In 1998 Armenia was commemorating the tenth anniversary of the catastrophic Spitak earthquake. The Second International Conference on "Earthquake Hazard and Seismic Risk Reduction" sponsored by the Government of the Republic of Armenia and United Nation's International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (UN/IDNDR) was held in dedication to that event between 14-21 September (later referred to as Yerevan Conference). The Yerevan Conference has been organized by the National Survey for Seismic Protection (NSSP) of the Republic of Armenia. All level's decision-makers (from the ministers to the local authorities), politicians, scientists, leaders of the executive and legislative powers, psychologists, leading businessmen, representatives from the private sector and the media as well as from the International Organizations have been invited by the Armenian NSSP to take part in joint discussion of the Seismic Risk Reduction Problem for the first time in the history of such forums. Armenian NSSP's such initiative has been triggered by the experience of the Spitak earthquake and other disasters. They showed that it will be possible to reduce the risks, posed by the natural disaster, only through the common efforts of all the community in co-operation with the International institutions.




National Earthquake Resilience


Book Description

The United States will certainly be subject to damaging earthquakes in the future. Some of these earthquakes will occur in highly populated and vulnerable areas. Coping with moderate earthquakes is not a reliable indicator of preparedness for a major earthquake in a populated area. The recent, disastrous, magnitude-9 earthquake that struck northern Japan demonstrates the threat that earthquakes pose. Moreover, the cascading nature of impacts-the earthquake causing a tsunami, cutting electrical power supplies, and stopping the pumps needed to cool nuclear reactors-demonstrates the potential complexity of an earthquake disaster. Such compound disasters can strike any earthquake-prone populated area. National Earthquake Resilience presents a roadmap for increasing our national resilience to earthquakes. The National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) is the multi-agency program mandated by Congress to undertake activities to reduce the effects of future earthquakes in the United States. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)-the lead NEHRP agency-commissioned the National Research Council (NRC) to develop a roadmap for earthquake hazard and risk reduction in the United States that would be based on the goals and objectives for achieving national earthquake resilience described in the 2008 NEHRP Strategic Plan. National Earthquake Resilience does this by assessing the activities and costs that would be required for the nation to achieve earthquake resilience in 20 years. National Earthquake Resilience interprets resilience broadly to incorporate engineering/science (physical), social/economic (behavioral), and institutional (governing) dimensions. Resilience encompasses both pre-disaster preparedness activities and post-disaster response. In combination, these will enhance the robustness of communities in all earthquake-vulnerable regions of our nation so that they can function adequately following damaging earthquakes. While National Earthquake Resilience is written primarily for the NEHRP, it also speaks to a broader audience of policy makers, earth scientists, and emergency managers.







Advances in Earthquake Engineering for Urban Risk Reduction


Book Description

Earthquakes affecting urban areas can lead to catastrophic situations and hazard mitigation requires preparatory measures at all levels. Structural assessment is the diagnosis of the seismic health of buildings. Assessment is the prelude to decisions about rehabilitation or even demolition. The scale of the problem in dense urban settings brings about a need for macro seismic appraisal procedures because large numbers of existing buildings do not conform to the increased requirements of new earthquake codes and specifications or have other deficiencies. It is the vulnerable buildings - liable to cause damage and loss of life - that need immediate attention and urgent appraisal in order to decide if structural rehabilitation and upgrading are feasible. Current economic, efficient and occupant-friendly rehabilitation techniques vary widely and include the application either of precast concrete panels or layers, strips and patches of fiber reinforced polymers (FRP) in strategic locations. The papers in this book, many by renowned authorities in earthquake engineering, chart new and vital directions of research and application in the assessment and rehabilitation of buildings in seismic regions. While several papers discuss the probabilistic prediction and quantification of structural damage, others present approaches related with the in-situ and occupant friendly upgrading of buildings and propose both economical and practical techniques to address the problem.




Earthquake Resistant Design and Risk Reduction


Book Description

Earthquake Resistant Design and Risk Reduction, 2nd edition is based upon global research and development work over the last 50 years or more, and follows the author’s series of three books Earthquake Resistant Design, 1st and 2nd editions (1977 and 1987), and Earthquake Risk Reduction (2003). Many advances have been made since the 2003 edition of Earthquake Risk Reduction, and there is every sign that this rate of progress will continue apace in the years to come. Compiled from the author’s wide design and research experience in earthquake engineering and engineering seismology, this key text provides an excellent treatment of the complex multidisciplinary process of earthquake resistant design and risk reduction. New topics include the creation of low-damage structures and the spatial distribution of ground shaking near large fault ruptures. Sections on guidance for developing countries, response of buildings to differential settlement in liquefaction, performance-based and displacement-based design and the architectural aspects of earthquake resistant design are heavily revised. This book: Outlines individual national weaknesses that contribute to earthquake risk to people and property Calculates the seismic response of soils and structures, using the structural continuum “Subsoil – Substructure – Superstructure – Non–structure” Evaluates the effectiveness of given design and construction procedures for reducing casualties and financial losses Provides guidance on the key issue of choice of structural form Presents earthquake resistant design methods for the main four structural materials – steel, concrete, reinforced masonry and timber – as well as for services equipment, plant and non-structural architectural components Contains a chapter devoted to problems involved in improving (retrofitting) the existing built environment This book is an invaluable reference and guiding tool to practising civil and structural engineers and architects, researchers and postgraduate students in earthquake engineering and engineering seismology, local governments and risk management officials.




A Safer Future


Book Description

Initial priorities for U.S. participation in the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction, declared by the United Nations, are contained in this volume. It focuses on seven issues: hazard and risk assessment; awareness and education; mitigation; preparedness for emergency response; recovery and reconstruction; prediction and warning; learning from disasters; and U.S. participation internationally. The committee presents its philosophy of calls for broad public and private participation to reduce the toll of disasters.




Extreme Natural Hazards, Disaster Risks and Societal Implications


Book Description

A unique interdisciplinary approach to disaster risk research, including global hazards and case-studies, for researchers, graduate students and professionals.




Earthquake Hazard, Risk and Disasters


Book Description

Earthquake Hazard, Risk, and Disasters presents the latest scientific developments and reviews of research addressing seismic hazard and seismic risk, including causality rates, impacts on society, preparedness, insurance and mitigation. The current controversies in seismic hazard assessment and earthquake prediction are addressed from different points of view. Basic tools for understanding the seismic risk and to reduce it, like paleoseismology, remote sensing, and engineering are discussed.