Earthquake Protection (PDF)

Since the publication of the successful first edition of
Earthquake Protection there have been 110 lethal
earthquakes, killing 130 000 people; there have also been
significant developments in the field of earthquake risk
management, particularly in the modelling and analysis of risk for
insurance and financial services. Furthermore, major earthquake
disasters, such as the 1994 Northridge earthquake in California,
the 1995 Kobe earthquake in Japan and the 1999 Kocaeli earthquake
in Turkey have occurred. The experience and knowledge gained
through these events have improved our understanding of how to
manage, mitigate and work towards the prevention of similar
catastrophes. The 1990s were in fact the costliest decade on record
in terms of disaster management due to such seismic events, placing
unprecedented pressure on the insurance industry in particular, and
changing its view of earthquake protection.

Significantly revised and updated, this second edition continues
to provide a comprehensive overview of how to reduce the impact of
earthquakes on people and property, and implement best practice in
managing the consequences of such disasters. It also includes
significant coverage of the techniques of modelling earthquake
catastrophe. Each chapter deals with a separate aspect of
protection, and covers a wide range of economic and social
conditions, drawing on the authors' considerable personal
experience and with reference to real life examples.

Key features include:

* Recent event coverage

* Modern developments in the theory and practice of planning and
engineering loss estimation techniques, along with new engineering
techniques such as microzonation and hazard-mapping

* Historic buildings experience

* An entirely new chapter on 'Earthquakes and Finance'

This valuable book provides essential reading for earthquake and
structural engineers and geoscientists, as well as insurers and
loss prevention specialists, risk managers and assessors involved
in managing earthquake risk, urban and regional planners, and
emergency management agencies.