EARTHQUAKE PROTECTION IN EUROPE:

PRESENTATION AT INFORMATION MEETING, EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

FEB 28th 2007

Robin Spence

Professor, Cambridge University

Vice-President, European Association for Earthquake

Engineering

The European Association for

Earthquake Engineering

Aims

• to promote cooperation and interaction between

earthquake researchers and earthquake engineers

• to support earthquake research and education

• to play an active role in earthquake mitigation in Europe

Founded in 1965

Now 33 member countries

EAEE’s Earthquake Protection Policy

Statement: Summary

1. Potentially destructive earthquakes occur regularly in Europe. 2. Buildings and facilities constructed to today’s codes are

unlikely to be heavily damaged by expected earthquakes. 3. Most of the built environment was created before these

codes were formulated and enforced

4. Many buildings and facilities (which include schools, hospitals,and highway structures) are unsafe by today’s standards.

5. Many historic centres of huge cultural importance are at risk. 6. The technical means to substantially reduce this risk are now

available.7. The EAEE considers it unacceptable that European

citizens are daily exposed to major risks to their life which

are well-understood and avoidable.

8. EAEE calls on the EC and the European Parliament to help

create an earthquake-safe environment for all European

citizens

Potentially destructive earthquakes occur regularly in

Europe

Seismic Hazard Map

Potentially destructive earthquakes occur

regularly in Europe..

• 31.10.02 Italy, San Giuliano di Puglia – collapsed school - 27 deaths

•1.5.03 Turkey, Bingöl - collapsed school - > 100 deaths

•21.5.03 Algeria, Boumerdes - >2200 deaths – collapsed hospital

17.8.1999 Kocaeli, Turkey: 17,000 deaths

Destructive earthquakes in Europe: a comparison of

20th century death rates by country

0.9200017Former Yugoslavia

1.226003Romania

1.2944Cyprus

1.7530022Algeria

3.27800045Former USSR

6.2660050Greece

15.099000111Turkey

22.212800045Italy

Deaths per

year per 2001

million of

population

Total deathsNumber of

fatal events in

20C

Country

• Italy and Turkey remain in the top 10 earthquake risk countries since 1980• Risk of death in Italy is over 10 times that in USA or Japan

• Building types most at risk are: old unreinforced masonry buildings AND reinforced concrete framed buildings built without seismic design requirements• Many public buildings, including schools, hospitals and highwaystructures are built of these materials

Many existing buildings and facilities are unsafe

by today’s standards…

The historic centres of several major European

cities are at risk…

Lisbon Istanbul

Catania

Barcelona

Strengthening techniques are available and

have been tested and applied….

But most strengthening work has occurred immediately after damaging earthquakes, and is limited to the area affected.

For reinforced concrete structures For masonry structures

Evaluation and upgrading action has begun in

some European Countries….

But it is not backed by legislation in any country requiring existing buildings to be strengthened

Greece Romania

Azores, Portugal

Italy

Experience in other earthquake-prone countries

is that only when legislation exists does general

action take place…

New Zealand masonry Mexico City – frame building California hospitals

Conclusions

• There still exists in many parts of Europe a dangerously high level of risk of a high-casualty disaster from earthquakes.

• We know where the risk is highest and which types of buildings are most vulnerable.

• There are national activities and programmes in several Europeancountries directed towards identifying high-risk buildings and reducing their numbers over time

• But the experience of other countries suggests that little will be achieved without legislation; this is an opportunity for the European Parliament.

• The legislation needs to be backed up by technical and financialsupport.

We vote for

Earthquake

Safety

Thank you for your attention and future support….