Advanced techniques for SEismic RISK reduction in Mediterranean Archipelago Regions
In the last years there has been a growing concern in the scientific community working on seismic hazard regarding the need for widening the scope of hazard studies, in order to achieve a better understanding not only of the physical direct damage due to earthquakes, but also of the comprehensive response of a geosystem at different scales. Another important issue should be to improve the communication between the scientific community and the end-users: i.e., public administrations and decision makers. Decision makers in earthquake-prone cities and prefectures need concrete figures of the possible impact of seismic events. The project SE-RISK will develop a general and modular methodology for creating earthquake-hazard scenarios that concentrates on the distinctive features of Mediterranean Archipelago towns and sub-regions, including examples from current and/or historical buildings. It will be based on seismic hazard assessment, a systematic study of the elements at hazard and a preliminary analysis of their vulnerability of some particular elements. The resulting seismic hazard will give concrete figures of possible direct and indirect damage of earthquakes. With the participation of urban council representatives, the methodology will then be applied as an example to selected part of cities from the Mediterranean Archipelago for its adaptation and validation. Where the methodology for seismic hazard assessment will be implemented a GIS based prototype will be developed. An important feature of this prototype will be the guidance of decision makers in making hazard assessment at local and sub-regional geographical scales, where different goals are pursued at each scale, and different information is also needed. A Mediterranean Archipelago network for the study of seismic hazard will be created during a final conference.