Latest seismic risk assessment developments discussed by Imperial College London scientist

An Imperial College London professor will discuss the methodology behind managing earthquake risk - News Release

Imperial College London Media Invitation
Monday 8 October 2007

In the light of recent seismic activity in South East Asia, an Imperial College London professor will discuss the methodology behind managing earthquake risk.

Press are invited to attend this Wednesday (10 October) evening’s inaugural lecture, Earthquakes, Energy and the Estimation of Losses, which will be delivered by Professor Julian Bommer    from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

The lecture will give an overview of field observations of earthquakes, providing an invaluable insight into the relationship between characteristics of ground shaking and the capacity to produce damage.

Professor Bommer will discuss the 1994 Northridge earthquake in California, where an estimated $12.5 billion worth of damage occurred, and explore the 1995 Kobe earthquake, where an estimated 6,434 people died with approximately ten trillion yen or $200 billion US of damage.

Speaking about the important relationship between ground shaking and seismic risk analysis, Professor Bommer said:

“The effect of ground shaking is particularly important for projects related to geothermal and nuclear energy production and I will give a brief overview of some important developments in this area.”

The lecture concludes with some examples of ongoing research into the development of improved methodological approaches for estimating the losses due to future earthquakes.

The Earthquakes, Energy and the Estimation of Losses lecture will be held at the Clore Lecture Theatre, Huxley Building, South Kensington Campus, from 18.00 to 19.00 (10 October 2007).

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Journalists wishing to attend should contact:
Colin Smith
Press Officer
Imperial College London
Email:cd.smith@imperial.ac.uk" 
Tel: +44 (0)207 594 6712
Out of hours duty press officer: +44 (0)7803 886 248

Notes to Editors:

1. Professor Julian Bommer Julian Bommer completed a PhD in Engineering Seismology in 1991 and after a brief post-doc research appointment, spent two years teaching and working in El Salvador, one of the most seismically active countries in the world. He returned to Imperial College in 1994 to take up a post as Lecturer in Engineering Seismology, being promoted to Professor of Earthquake Risk Assessment in 2006. He has undertaken field investigations of earthquakes throughout the world, including Algeria, Armenia, California, Colombia, Greece, Italy, Japan, Mozambique and Peru. Julian has served as a consultant on major engineering projects worldwide, including the Panama Canal, as well as on several nuclear energy projects in the UK, USA, Switzerland and South Africa. He has also worked on seismic risk assessment projects for national authorities, including the compulsory earthquake insurance scheme in Turkey and the evaluation of seismic safety of schools in Italy. Julian has also undertaken extensive work on the development of earthquake loss estimation models for the insurance and reinsurance industries; he is now a member of the Willis Research Network.

2. About Imperial College London Rated as the world's ninth best university in the 2006 Times Higher Education Supplement University Rankings, Imperial College London is a science-based institution with a reputation for excellence in teaching and research that attracts 11,500 students and 6,000 staff of the highest international quality.

Innovative research at the College explores the interface between science, medicine, engineering and management and delivers practical solutions that improve quality of life and the environment - underpinned by a dynamic enterprise culture.

With 66 Fellows of the Royal Society among our current academic staff and distinguished past members of the College including 14 Nobel Laureates and two Fields Medallists, Imperial's contribution to society has been immense.

Inventions and innovations include the discovery of penicillin, the development of holography and the foundations of fibre optics. This commitment to the application of our research for the benefit of all continues today with current focuses including interdisciplinary collaborations to tackle climate change and mathematical modelling to predict and control the spread of infectious diseases.

The College's 100 years of living science will be celebrated throughout 2007 with a range of events to mark the Centenary of the signing of Imperial's founding charter on 8 July 1907.

Website: www.imperial.ac.uk