Kaiser effect (material science) Kaiser effect (material science) The Kaiser effect is a phenomenon observed in geology and material science that describes a pattern of acoustic emission or seismicity in a body of rock or other material subjected to repeated cycles of mechanical stress. In material that exhibits an initial seismic response under a certain load, the Kaiser effect describes the absence of acoustic emission or seismic events until that load is exceeded. The Kaiser effect results from discontinuities (fractures) created in material during previous steps that do not move, expand, or propagate until the former stress is exceeded. Induced seismicity associated with fluid
Seismic risk the level of seismic hazard, the damage generally follows established patterns. Seismic risk is often determined using a seismic modeling computer programs which uses the seismic hazard inputs and combines them with the known susceptibilities of structures and facilities, such as buildings, bridges, electrical power switching stations, etc. The result gives probabilities for economic damage or casualties, for example the HAZUS computer program . While the results can be used as a general measure of seismic risk for types of buildings, the actual seismic risk for any individual building may vary considerably and will depend upon its exact configuration and