“Earthquake
is one of the most deadly natural disasters that may affect the human
environment. Even a relatively moderate earthquake can lead to a very large
number of deaths.”/BUTE9, p. 77/. The author, Prof. Mehedi Ahmed Ansary, a graduate of the Department of Civil
Engineering of the Bangladesh
University of Engineering and Technology (BUET),
describes in few words the problems of such natural disasters, because
Bangladesh with about 140 million inhabitants, and with a Gross National Product
of about 300,- € per person per year, is one of the most critical risk regions
for geological hazards.
“In this paper seismic hazards in Bangladesh have been
evaluated and presented as seismic hazard maps. For this purpose, a simple
model for earthquake occurrence is used. Using this model, the seismic
hazard at 42 points in Bangladesh is estimated. The seismic hazard maps are
presented as contour maps in terms of horizontal Peak Ground Acceleration (PGA)
based on 50, 100, 200 years. … The outcome of this study, coupled with
vulnerability studies, must guide, stimulate and facilitate the efforts of the
respective governments, and the earthquake engineering and the disaster
mitigation planning communities to take specific practical preventive measures
to reduce seismic risk of Bangladesh.” /BUTE9, p.
88/. This is one of the rare publications to use peak measurement for signal
analysis and recognition.
The
Table B.1 (see attachment C.0) presents the deadliest earthquakes experienced on
earth in recent times. However disaster is not only due to the dramatic
geological activity. Human activities, through destruction of the environment
(coral reefs, coastal mangrove trees) as well as reactions of the affected
people, lead to further destruction in many cases.
Within an enlarging Europe, international cooperation
across the world, and in the light of increasing phenomena of natural hazards
such as geo-tectonic activity, earthquakes and tsunami, it is required to
support the activities around the world for monitoring policies.
The lack of efficient monitoring and preservation
strategies often results in great damage.
The project CAEM aims at intensifying a common vision
in monitoring and preventive
practices by unifying a large number of European and international organisations,
academic associations, NGOs, and technologically orientated research teams, in
order to develop and apply risk recognition, evaluation and early warning system
by using innovative Information and Communication Technologies. The project CAEM
seeks to make an important contribution to the solution of the named problems by
R&D activities for the design and demonstration of a prototype of a Computer
Aided early warning system in Earth Management (and we will term this system
CAEMS in contrast to the name of the project, CAEM).
The
current state of the art is represented in the European Conferences on
Earthquake Engineering (EAEE), the Conferences of the International Association
for Earthquake Engineering (IAEE), the World Seismic Safety Initiative (WSSI)
and other international activities /Gerald Duma; Vinay K. Gupta/ and especially
on the web. The Wikipaedia gives detailed information on actual events in this
field, especially on the Tsunami of December 26, 2004 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Indian_Ocean_earthquake).
In a United Nations conference held in January 2005 in Kobe, Japan, it was
decided that, as an initial step towards an International Early Warning
Programme, the UN should establish an Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System. The
design of CAEMS is based on the experience and skills of the Seismological
Communication Processor (SeisComP http://www.gfz-potsdam.de/geofon/new/scp.html)
used and extends the available technologies in this field of work.
Further
EC projects demonstrate the strategy of the EC for the concentration of the
R&D and technological performance to support the recognition and prevention
of geological hazards:
P1:
Big sources of Earthquake and Tsunami in SW Iberia (RCN=2903922):
The
project activities are based on seismic hazard assessment, a systematic
inventory and typology of the elements at risk, and an analysis of their
relative value and vulnerability, in order to identify the weak points of urban
systems. The resulting scenarios furnish concrete figures of direct and indirect
damage of possible earthquakes.
P2:
An advanced approach to earthquake risk scenarios with applications to different
European towns (RISK-UE, RCN=4939039):
The
project RISK-UE has developed a general and modular methodology for creating
earthquake-risk scenarios that concentrates on the distinctive features of
European towns, including both current and historical buildings. The objectives
of the project is based on seismic hazard assessment, a systematic inventory,
and typology of the elements at risk, and an analysis of their relative value
and vulnerability, in order to identify the weak points of urban systems. The
resulting scenarios give concrete figures of direct and indirect damage of
possible earthquakes
P3:
Seismic risk evaluation in central Greece (RCN=317481):
with
the following topics:
-
Seismotectonics
and data collection;
-
Microzonation
studies;
-
Hazard
assessment seismic source delineation;
-
Vulnerability
and risk analysis studies;
-
Earthquake
predictions.
P4:
Computer aided reduction of seismic risk with application in existing cities,
town planning and construction (RCN=3023328):
The
innovation of the Computer Aided Solution was the extensive utilisation,
development and integration of state-of-the-art information processing tools
that yield more reliable and easier to use loss estimates.
P5:
Fault-rupture and strong-shaking effects on the safety of composite foundations
and pipeline systems: quantification and reduction of seismic risk through the
application of advanced geotechnical engineering techniques (QUAKER, RCN=5905906):
The
objectives of the project are the reduction of the human and economic cost of
earthquakes by quantifying and reducing seismic risk through the application of
advanced geotechnical engineering techniques.
P6:
Seismic risk evaluation through integrated use of geographical information
systems and artificial intelligence techniques (RCN=1556280):
The
objectives of the project were an
integrated package of a multiple set of modules that incorporate the expertise
of earthquake and structural engineers, seismologists, geologists and architects
as knowledge bases for site risk evaluation, model selection, vulnerability and
damage assessment.
P7:
Demonstrating the utility of SAR differential interferometry for the assessment
of seismic risk (RCN=3710090):
The
primary objective was the demonstration of the utility of ERS SAR differential
interferometry for the assessment of earthquake risk in Greece. Secondary
objectives were the integration of the information from interferometry with
other new and existing information. This project has demonstrated the importance
of the application of innovative technological developments for the geological
risk assessment especially in the very important European risk region of Greece.
P8:
European network on seismic risk, vulnerability and earthquake scenarios (RCN=2904186):
The
objective of this proposal was the creation of a network of teams of scientists
working on seismic risk with different competences (engineers, seismologists,
geologists, architects, etc.) to encourage the interactions between various
disciplines, to exchange information, databases and technologies, and to
disseminate the results.
P9:
ROBOtic delivery of SENSors in a seismic risk assessment framework (RCN=5410032):
The
project provided proof of the necessity to improve methods for structural risk
assessment. This has enabled operators of large infrastructures to meet new
standards for seismic risk assessment at a lower cost. Important is the strategy
of the project for the evaluation of the costs for the technology in relation to
the risk assessment.
Innovative methods, tools and devices of Information
and Communication Technologies such as the Computer Aided Solution in P4 have
opened new possibilities for the design of a new level of quality in early
warning systems for geo-physical hazards.