Introduction

Nowadays, decisions makers have the possibility of minimizing the risks of tomorrow by implementing appropriate strategies or policies based on a reliable modelling of the seismic risk. However, the development of a future seismic risk model needs to account for the physical nature of the earthquake (not only from a long term but also from a short-term occurrence assuming foreshocks and aftershocks), the seismic wave propagation and interaction with the media (reflections, diffraction, focusing, resonance) characterized through a detailed microzonation and the exposure and vulnerability of our cities. From the outset, highly priority has to be given to undertake state-of-the-art research on the role of risk assessment in developing meaningful strategies for managing catastrophic risks, mainly due to earthquakes but probably that it could be applied to other extreme events.

The aim of this Workshop is to present the latest advances of theories and methods for providing accurate results to achieve a risk reduction through scientifically informed strategies or policies.

On the one hand, a reliable and low-cost assessment of seismic hazard, earthquake hazards, vulnerability and damage aimed at reducing risk and worldwide applicable is needed. On the other hand, a better assessment of seismic risk and knowledge-oriented application is achieved when there is greater cooperation between the earthquake engineers, engineering seismologists and civil protection managers.

Many uncertainties and difficulties have to be tackled:

1. Earthquake occurrence models and operational earthquake forecasting
2. Modification of seismic waves by sedimentary cover
3. The effect of alluvial valleys or basins and the local topography
4. The spatial correlation of the ground motion
5. The vulnerability of historical heritage and current building stock
6. The use of time-dependent seismic hazard and risk also indirect effects as landslides, tsunamis, etc. for risk reduction.

News

The Chief Editor of our Geohazards and Georisks section (Frontiers in Earth Science) has accepted the Research Topic – Seismic Microzonation and Risk Reduction. Therefore, contributions to the workshop can be submitted to this research topic and published after the review process (publishing fees may be applied)
Authors not interested on the journal will have their papers published in the conference proceedings book after the review process (free of cost).