Seismic Risks and Earthquake Impacts

Paul Burton describes and explains the underlying physical principles that dominate earthquake occurrence and associated geological faulting in the natural environment, but in especially in relation to humans and their environment. Having established the principles, he shows how they can be applied and earthquake impact quantified,and so vulnerability becomes a central consideration. The seismological, tectonic, vulnerability and management issues raised by earthquakes and their associated phenomena are described in detail. The multidisciplinary knowledge required for the understanding and evaluation of these hazards is a major point of focus. Examples will be provided from earthquakes old and new in central Asia and China, Europe including the UK, India, the USA and South America, Australia and elsewhere. Hazard case studies for both conventional and special facilities, including nuclear, are introduced, and damage vulnerabilities of traditional and modern engineered dwellings are contrasted. The author also explains urban risk and earthquake scenario analysis for understanding and management using GIS environments, as well as the use of satellites to investigate the diverse problems of crustal deformation, quantification of urban stock, and damage following earthquake.