Earthquake Risk Assessment and Hazard Mitigation

   

   Seismic risk assessment and hazard mitigation for urban infrastructures

located in seismic regions is a challenge faced by many countries around the

world, especially those with infrastructures known for their variability in

seismic resistance and quality of construction. Two recent major earthquakes

that hit the densely populated urban areas in Northwest Turkey resulted in a

large-scale destruction and loss of life. Scientific studies indicate a high

probability of occurrence of another severe earthquake along the North

Anatolian Fault in this region is quite high in the next thirty years. This

situation presents a serious threat to the large building stock and their

occupants, lifelines, and critical facilities, which are primarily reinforced

concrete structures.    Limited time and funds do not allow for a detailed

evaluation of the entire inventory of structures according to seismic codes.

Thus, there is an urgent need for a systemic strategy that will allow for a

reliable assessment of the seismic hazard risk of existing structures through an

effective and economical methodology. Prioritization of these structures

according to their hazard risk, and implementation of the necessary mitigation

measures are required. In this lecture we present seismic resistance issues

associated with reinforced concrete structures, and the methodologies and

advances in large-scale seismic risk evaluation and hazard reduction are

presented.

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