Assessing seismic risk across the board for a safer Europe

A multidisciplinary team of internationally recognised experts from Europe, Japan and the United States collaborated to facilitate the management of seismic risk.

Given the need to consider all elements exposed to seismic risk within the particular European context, SYNER-G project members set out to evolve a methodology for vulnerability assessment and loss estimate at system level. Their approach envisioned a homogeneous and coherent means for studying the physical and socioeconomic impacts and losses associated with an earthquake. Packing the various aspects of such a unified tool into a comprehensive simulation framework would assist in the consideration of multiple interdependent systems within the infrastructure.

SYNER-G''s main science and technology objectives involved a systemic approach aimed at bringing together all existing knowledge and know-how on the topic. This included efforts to gather all instances of national-, European- and international-level research focused on vulnerability assessments of individual exposed elements at risk.

Project successes include the development of a general methodology for systemic vulnerability analysis. This includes the ability to characterise uncertainties, define and categorise performance indicators for systemic risk, and define taxonomy/typology for elements at risk within an infrastructure. The SYNER-G team also generated seismic scenarios in line with various practical necessities relevant to multisystem infrastructure risk analyses.

Other project results include the integration of remote sensing and geographical information system (GIS) data for developing building inventories, and development of a fragility function manager tool for buildings. Looking to integrate social vulnerability into the physical systems modelling approaches, partners developed a health-care transportation accessibility model. They also defined socioeconomic fragility and coping capacity indicators, as well as socioeconomic impact models for shelter needs and health impact.

Advances made by the SYNER-G project address the growing complications and difficulties as well as direct and indirect losses that result from seismic activity. Reduced mortality, and economic and social losses, as well as better protection of Europe''s particular heritage are just some of the expected gains from SYNER-G’s efforts.

Related link:
http://cordis.europa.eu