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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