Alternatives for sustained disaster risk reduction

The daily media is filled with images of catastrophic events which seem increasingly frequent and violent In parallel there are a large range of scientific studies debates in the policy arena, and a growing number of international institutions focused on disaster reduction. But a paradox remains that despite advances in technology, disasters continue to increase, affecting many individuals in rich as well as poor countries

The need for an integrated disaster risk reduction management strategy in North African cities: a case study of urban vulnerability in Algiers (Algeria)

For the North African countries, geological, environmental and technological hazards constitute a constant threat to human life and property, sometimes causing major economic losses and disruption. The rapid urbanization, development of critical engineering works such as dams, decaying building stock, implementation of various industries within and around the main cities, industrialization of cities with modern types of buildings and the large concentration of populations, with a heavy dependency on infrastructure and services, living in large cities and/or settling in hazardous areas, are matters of growing concern, as they contribute to heavier loss of life and seriously increasing the economic losses in future disaster damage. The environmental concerns and an increased official and public awareness of various hazards have, in the last decade, led to a rapid rise of interest in hazard and risk evaluations and thus in disaster risk management

Perception of seismic design by architects in Algeria

The purpose of this article is to analyse the results of a survey towards the architects and engineers of construction in order to estimate the perception of the anti-seismic protection amongst these professionals. It focuses more on the architects who design buildings and, in many cases, monitor their implementation. The main result is the observation of inadequacies and gaps in seismic culture amongst the professionals, especially architects. These difficulties require the reinforcement of earthquake-resistant training. This effort to upgrade skills is as important as other aspects of the preventive management of the seismic risk in Algeria

Dynamic characteristics of common buildings under strong shaking: a statistical study through system identification from CSMIP data

International audienc

Dynamic characteristics of common buildings under strong shaking: a statistical study through system identification from CSMIP data

International audienc

Assessment and Adaptation to Climate Change-Related Floods Risks

The flooding of rivers and coastlines is the most frequent and damaging of all natural hazards. Between 1980 and 2016, total direct damages exceeded $1.6 trillion, and at least 225,000 people lost their lives. Recent events causing major economic losses include the 2011 river flooding in Thailand ($40 billion) and the 2013 coastal floods in the United States caused by Hurricane Sandy (over $50 billion). Flooding also triggers great humanitarian challenges. The 2015 Malawi floods were the worst in the country’s history and were followed by food shortage across large parts of the country. Flood losses are increasing rapidly in some world regions, driven by economic development in floodplains and increases in the frequency of extreme precipitation events and global sea level due to climate change. The largest increase in flood losses is seen in low-income countries, where population growth is rapid and many cities are expanding quickly. At the same time, evidence shows that adaptation to flood risk is already happening, and a large proportion of losses can be contained successfully by effective risk management strategies. Such risk management strategies may include floodplain zoning, construction and maintenance of flood defenses, reforestation of land draining into rivers, and use of early warning systems. To reduce risk effectively, it is important to know the location and impact of potential floods under current and future social and environmental conditions. In a risk assessment, models can be used to map the flow of water over land after an intense rainfall event or storm surge (the hazard). Modeled for many different potential events, this provides estimates of potential inundation depth in flood-prone areas. Such maps can be constructed for various scenarios of climate change based on specific changes in rainfall, temperature, and sea level. To assess the impact of the modeled hazard (e.g., cost of damage or lives lost), the potential exposure (including buildings, population, and infrastructure) must be mapped using land-use and population density data and construction information. Population growth and urban expansion can be simulated by increasing the density or extent of the urban area in the model. The effects of floods on people and different types of buildings and infrastructure are determined using a vulnerability function. This indicates the damage expected to occur to a structure or group of people as a function of flood intensity (e.g., inundation depth and flow velocity). Potential adaptation measures such as land-use change or new flood defenses can be included in the model in order to understand how effective they may be in reducing flood risk. This way, risk assessments can demonstrate the possible approaches available to policymakers to build a less risky future

Realistic modeling of seismic input for megacities and large urban areas: the UNESCO/IUGS/ICTP project 414

Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche - Biblioteca Centrale - P.le Aldo Moro, 7 , Rome / CNR - Consiglio Nazionale delle RichercheSIGLEITItal