"These two events were seminal for the fields of engineering and infrastructure," said Paolo Bocchini, Director of the Center for Catastrophe Modeling and Resilience at Lehigh University. "Both disasters changed how we look at losses due to infrastructure failures, promoted the adoption of performance-based design, and perhaps most importantly, dramatically increased awareness of the need for catastrophe modeling to ensure we continue improving resilience and readiness."
"Life safety considerations are no longer enough," Bocchini explained. "We want our buildings and bridges to withstand major events and remain functional, or at least be quickly repairable."
The Northridge Earthquake's aftermath highlighted the economic impact of infrastructure loss, costing the Los Angeles area $40 billion during the recovery period. Researchers at Lehigh University have championed the emerging discipline of functional recovery engineering, introducing tools like the "functionality fragility curve" to evaluate post-event structural performance with an emphasis on broader socio-economic implications.
Resilience strategies focus not just on minimizing damage but also on ensuring infrastructure remains usable after disasters. This shift underscores the balance between engineering challenges and community needs. As Bocchini pointed out, "Bunkers are very safe, but nobody wants to live in a bunker."
+ Balance: Horizontal ground movements during earthquakes create forces that destabilize structures, leading to vertical collapses under the influence of gravity.
+ Behavior: Decisions about acceptable damage levels involve complex considerations at the intersection of nature, engineering, and societal values.
+ Benefit: Modern designs increasingly prioritize infrastructure that saves lives and remains functional after seismic events.
Related Links
Lehigh University
Bringing Order To A World Of Disasters
When the Earth Quakes
A world of storm and tempest
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