Lecture:

Navigating the Challenge of Sequential Hazards: Evolving Building Design for Earthquakes and Tsunami

Speaker: Tiziana Rossetto, University College London (UCL)

Professor Tiziana Rossetto is a distinguished professor of earthquake engineering at University College London (UCL), a Fellow of the UK’s Royal Academy of Engineering, and the founding director of EPICentre (Earthquake and People Interaction Centre, www.ucl.ac.uk/epicentre). Her pioneering research centers on evaluating the resilience of buildings and critical infrastructure against natural disasters, with particular expertise in structural performance under combined earthquake and tsunami events. Her findings have notably influenced global approaches to earthquake engineering and tsunami mitigation.

This session will examine the complexities involved in building design for sequential hazards—specifically earthquakes followed by tsunamis—and propose solutions to mitigate their devastating effects. The magnitude 9.1 earthquake at the Sunda Trench on December 26, 2004, unleashed the catastrophic Indian Ocean Tsunami, affecting twelve countries and claiming over 225,000 lives. Further seismic events, such as Chile’s magnitude 8.8 Maule Earthquake in 2010 and Japan’s devastating magnitude 9.1 Tohoku Earthquake in 2011, have highlighted the vulnerability of coastal buildings and infrastructure to such sequential disasters. Despite stringent earthquake-resistant construction standards, there remains significant uncertainty regarding the capacity of current building practices to withstand tsunami impacts effectively.

This lecture will reflect upon two decades of research since the devastating Indian Ocean Tsunami (IOT), focusing particularly on tsunami inundation dynamics and their complex interactions with buildings. It will critically evaluate current capabilities in structural design and assessment for tsunami impacts, highlighting existing limitations. Furthermore, the discussion will address potential conflicts between seismic design and tsunami resistance. It will also explore tensions between seismic and tsunami-resistant design and outline design strategies for buildings facing both earthquakes and tsunamis.

Lecture Timing:

Beijing (CST): April 9, 20:00

UK (BST): April 9, 13:00

You are warmly invited to participate in this stimulating exchange of ideas!

Registration Link:

https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/9ee8cbb9-74eb-4de9-954d-1ed119dfa668@cf264fc0-aeb8-449f-9054-82ce4454084b