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• The recording and presentations are available at https://www.globalquakemodel.org/vmtk-webinar-2023

Earthquake engineers and vulnerability modellers had the opportunity to explore the innovative capabilities of the Vulnerability Modellers' Toolkit (VMTK) in a joint webinar presented by the EFEHR (European Facility for Earthquake Hazard and Risk) and GEM (Global Earthquake Model) Foundation. The webinar, held on April 20th, aimed to introduce participants to the VMTK software, provide insights into its functionalities, showcase real-life applications, and highlight GEM's future plans for vulnerability modelling.

The VMTK is a suite of open-source tools designed to offer earthquake engineers a comprehensive platform for developing fragility and vulnerability models. It provides flexibility in terms of seismic demand, structural capacity, damage criteria, and damage-to-loss conversion. During the webinar, attendees were given an overview of the VMTK's scope and main features, including its user-friendly graphical user interface (GUI). Additionally, they received guidance on installing the software on both Mac and Windows operating systems.

The webinar was divided into two sessions to cater to participants with different levels of familiarity with the VMTK. The Basic Users Session began with an introduction to GEM's VMTK by Helen Crowley from EUCENTRE. She outlined the scope of the toolkit and its main features, emphasizing its usability for engineers. Following this, Martina Caruso from the GEM Foundation presented an example application of the VMTK, showcasing its practicality and real-life relevance.

The Advanced Users Session, led by Luis Martins from the GEM Foundation, offered a deeper dive into the VMTK's capabilities. Luis took participants on a tour of the VMTK GitHub repository, providing insights into the codebase and addressing questions from the audience.

The webinar concluded with a wrap-up session led by Vitor Silva from the GEM Foundation, where he shared GEM's future plans for vulnerability modelling. Participants had the opportunity to gain valuable insights into the roadmap of this rapidly developing field.

The VMTK webinar proved to be a valuable resource for earthquake engineers and vulnerability modellers, equipping them with knowledge of a versatile open-source toolkit. As the field continues to evolve, the VMTK promises to be an essential asset for professionals involved in assessing and mitigating earthquake risks.

Visit the event page to watch the recording and download the presentations: https://www.globalquakemodel.org/vmtk-webinar-2023