The Link between Resilience to Climate Change and Earthquake Preparedness

Synopsis

Average global temperatures have already risen by at least 1°C, a change which is causing increasingly frequent and severe climate and weather impacts. Even with the most ambitious climate deal, historic and ‘locked-in’ carbon emissions will see average temperatures rise further, exacerbating the effects on the climate and increasing the losses to our asset base. This presentation will explore the interactions between climate change and seismic preparedness.

Is the threat of climate change exacerbating earthquake events? How will the seismic isolators behave in increasing water table? Are we expecting more slope failures? It will be demonstrated in this lecture that asset managers in earthquake-prone regions must consider the increased severity and frequency of climate hazards, integrate resilience measures for climate change and seismic resilience and consider climate change associated influence on seismic resilience. An example case study of San Francisco will be presented in the lecture. The research work indicates that long term asset management strategies must be developed in seismic regions.

About the speakers

Dr Barnali Ghosh is a Senior Principal Engineer at Mott MacDonald (London). She is a chartered civil engineer with specialization in earthquake geotechnical engineering. She has acted as a seismic reviewer for numerous high profile projects all around the world. Her practical experience comes from working in the industry for 15 years in various capacities. Her research interests range from developing innovative methods to deal with dynamic soil structure interaction and developing resilience in assets affected by earthquake hazard. She has acted as a reviewer for numerous projects all around the world. She spent approximately one week collecting damage data resulting following the Mw 7.8, Gorkha, Nepal earthquake. As part of this mission she reviewed the damage due to landslides and rockfalls in the remote mountainous communities and damages due to liquefaction and lateral spreading. She contributes to national seismic codes and is a committee member of the Society for Earthquake and Civil Engineering Dynamics (SECED) in UK. She was an honorary lecturer of University College London.

Dr David Viner works as principal advisor for climate change at Mott MacDonald. He is an internationally recognized climate change expert working in a cross-divisional capacity. He has over 20 years’ experience working globally and contributing to some of the major international climate change projects and assessments undertaken to date. David has extensive expertise in many sectors (e.g., water resources, agriculture, environmental systems, marine, tourism, finance, insurance, lakes etc.) with a demonstrable publication record. David has provided strategic advice and leadership to governmental, commercial and not-for-profit organisations.  He has also worked globally in 53 Countries.

Further information

This evening meeting is organised by SECED and chaired by Prof. Tiziana Rossetto (UCL). Non-members of the society are welcome to attend. Attendance at this meeting is free. Seats are allocated on a first come, first served basis. Tea and biscuits will be served from 5.30pm - 6pm. For further information, please contact Brendan van Rooyen (tel. 020 7665 2229).