at the Department of Mathematics and Geosciences (DMG) at the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP/ESP section) - have developed over the last decade a comprehensive and unique study about macroseismic data of the Vrancea region in Romania. The strongest earthquakes occurring in the region since 1940 have been examined and mapped.
The study provides main information on seismic hazard related with Vrancea earthquakes and the enhancement of preventive capabilities in the related region: it also focused on the possible consequences of earthquakes which may affect infrastructures and lifelines. The obtained macroseismic data, in fact, can be used not only for the formal comparison of the observed and theoretical isoseismals, but also for the retrieval of earthquake source properties and the assessment of local site responses.
The study is aimed at contributing to a sound estimate of seismic hazard, thereby reducing sismic risk in the region through the utilisation of advanced assessment methods, developed, not only, within CEI activities. In fact, it has been proven that standard probabilistic seismic hazard maps lead to a severe underestimation of consequential risk. The numbers of fatalities in recent disastrous earthquakes were underestimated by the world seismic hazard maps by approximately two to three orders of magnitude. Thus, seismic hazard maps based on the standard method cannot be used to estimate the risk to which the population is exposed in large earthquakes. See related Journal on Natural Hazards.
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The CEI has supported these activities through the University Network, the Science and Technology Network and the Cooperation Fund.
For more information:
Giuliano F. Panza
Professor of Seismology
Department of Mathematics and Geosciences (DMG) Via Weiss, 4 and the Abdus Salam ICTP/ESP section, Head of SAND Group
E-mail: panza@units.it