Rapid Earthquake Damage Assessment and Education to Improve Earthquake Response Efficiency and Community Resilience

Abstract

Southeastern Europe faces a significant earthquake threat, endangering lives, property, and infrastructure thus jeopardizing sustainable development. The development of a Rapid Earthquake Damage Assessment System (REDAS) designed to deliver crucial earthquake damage information for scenario planning, real-time response, and bolstering public awareness and preparedness is presented. In doing so, REDAS enhances community resilience and safeguards sustainability. REDAS comprises a Rapid Earthquake Damage Assessment platform (REDA.p), a smartphone application, and an Educational Hub (Edu.Hub). REDA.p provides both scenario-based and near real-time seismic damage evaluation of structures, gas pipelines, and geotechnical failures, based on harmonized Ground Motion Prediction Equations and a comprehensive building taxonomy scheme covering the area under investigation. To assess regional landslide hazards, the Infinite Slope Model and a statistics-based model have been implemented, alongside a statistical model for liquefaction probability assessment. Validated against historical data, REDA.p integrates real-time input from key earthquake monitoring networks in the region, covering cross-border areas as well, while in designated urban zones, the system is enhanced by real-time data from a dense earthquake monitoring network deployed in selected school buildings. The smartphone app and Edu.Hub disseminate critical information, guidelines, and tools to improve public prevention, preparedness, and response capacities, thereby enhancing societal resilience.

Rapid Earthquake Damage Assessment System in the Black Sea Basin: Selection/Adoption of Ground Motion Prediction Equations with Emphasis in the Cross-Border Areas

“…All these intensity measures are automatically uploaded to a folder in the "Cloud", which is accessed by the REDAS functionality. The entire procedure is analytically discussed by Papatheodorou et al (2023) [1].…”

“…Τhis could be a never-ending process by adapting suitable GMMs and improving seismic hazard and risk assessment in the Black Sea Basin. The REDAS is a dynamic system (Papatheodorou et al, 2023) [1] that can adopt new information in the future relative to seismic risk management and its mitigation. It must also be stated that additional data to be acquired in the future within the broader cross-border areas of the Black Sea Basin would contribute to defining or/and testing new GMMs compatible with the seismotectonic environment of the examined territory.…”

“…Near-real-time estimation of the ground motion induced by an earthquake (ShakeMap) is based on the combination of recorded ground intensity together with that computed using Ground Motion Prediction Equations (GMPEs). The selection of appropriate GMPEs is an essential step in defining seismic input for the Rapid Earthquake Damage Assessment System (REDAS) (Papatheodorou et al, 2023) [1]. During the past half-century, a plethora of strong motion attenuation relations have been proposed worldwide, known as Ground Motion Prediction Equations (GMPEs) or Ground Motion Predictive Models (GMPMs) (see, among others, Douglas (2021) [2]).…”

Simplified Model Study of Autoclaved Aerated Concrete Masonry Flexible Connection Infilled Frames with Basalt Fiber Grating Strips

“…However, under strong earthquake effects, rigid connections induce detrimental effects on the structure, including amplified seismic responses [7], overall torsion [8], the formation of weak layers [9], and corner shear failures in frame columns [10]. Additionally, it makes the infilled wall experience in-plane shear failure and out-of-plane collapse [11], posing severe threats to life and property safety [12]. To address the issues arising from rigid connections and enable both the frame and the infilled wall to fulfill their respective functions, researchers have introduced flexible connection schemes.…”