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  • INDONESIA DRR | Global Earthquake Model Foundation

    Projects INDONESIA DRR Seismic Resilience Baseline Analysis and Investment Option Needs in Indonesia Versión en español English version Share Facebook LinkedIn Overview Anchor 6 Background This project, funded by the World Bank's GFDRR, aims to conduct a seismic baseline analysis to support the development of a potential national seismic risk mitigation program in Indonesia. The study focuses on public assets, which include education facilities (primary and secondary schools, universities), health facilities (health clinics, hospitals), commercial facilities (shophouse), emergency services facilities (e.g., ambulance stations, fire stations, early warning service providers), and critical government administration buildings (e.g., local disaster management offices). The project has five main tasks: 1. Inception: literature review on seismic risk in Indonesia, methodology, definition of stakeholder/consultation workshops, preliminary data collection 2. Baseline analysis of Indonesia’s exposure and vulnerabilities to seismic hazards (earthquakes and tsunami) 3. Seismic Risk Assessment and Rapid Prioritization of Potential Investments in Three Selected Districts 4. Development of Baseline Data and Conceptual Framework Design 5. Final Report and Completion Report The GEM Risk Team contributes to all tasks, ranging from support on hazard modelling, development of exposure, selection of vulnerbaility models and the computation of seismic risk using the OpenQuake engine. Duration: 2022-2023 Objectives The methodology, workplan, programme and potential target cities is elaborated together with the World Bank and Indonesian Ministry of Public Works and Housing (MPWH) stakeholders and other relevant agencies such as Ministry of National Development Planning (Bappenas), National Disaster Management Authority (BNPB), Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) and Agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics (BMKG). The objectives include: (a) a rapid baseline analysis of the exposure and vulnerability of the country and three Indonesian districts to earthquakes and tsunami, baseline information/data, and gap analysis, including disaggregated analysis of risk and vulnerability of women and other vulnerable groups; (b) a conceptual framework for improving seismic resilience and recommendations for a national program that aims to reduce the vulnerability of people (with consideration for diverse groups) and assets to earthquakes and tsunami through an integrated package of structural and non-structural investments; and (c) stakeholder consultations to seek inputs on the potential program design, investment funding mechanisms, and institutional set-up options for the national program. Collaborators GEM Foundation, Arup, LAPI-ITB and Kota Kita Funding partner: World Bank GFDRR Locations Three cities in Indonesia: ‣ Kota Bengkulu, Bengkulu province ‣ Kota Cilegon, Banten province ‣ Kota Gorontalo, Gorontalo province Anchor 1 Anchor 5 Anchor 4 Anchor3 Publications

  • GFDRR-DFID | Global Earthquake Model Foundation

    Projects GFDRR-DFID GFDRR-DFID Challenge Funds Versión en español English version Share Facebook LinkedIn Overview Anchor 6 Background The Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) and the UK Department for International Development's (DFID) competitive Challenge Fund pilots new and innovative approaches to overcoming technical and technological challenges in order to strengthen disaster and climate risk decision-making in developing countries. To this end, this project is supporting the development of data, products, and approaches to support disaster risk management decision-making and build resilience, including through better information, but also strengthening key steps in moving from information to insight and behaviour change. Each challenge is focusing on the development of a database with hazard footprints, exposure information and vulnerability models. The viability of the databases will be demonstrated using exposure data for Tanzania and another DFID priority country. Objectives The project is divided into three components. The British Geological Survey leads the development of a data schema and data for a multi-hazard database (Challenge 1) while GEM and University College London lead the development of a global exposure database (Challenge 2) and open vulnerability platform for evaluating risk (Challenge 3) respectively. GEM also contributes to Challenge Fund 1 and 3. GEM leads Challenge Fund 2 on the development of a global exposure data framework, which includes the physical vulnerability characteristics and exposure taxonomy. The aim is to identify the most important vulnerability characteristics; ways to account for uncertainties in exposure and vulnerability models; type of assets that should be supported by the vulnerability and exposure database; and the most common and useful intensity measure types. The objective of this project is to develop a Data Exploration Tool to promote the ability of a user to access, understand and use hazard, exposure and vulnerability data stored in a format that follows the data schema developed by the Challenge Fund consortia. British Geological Survey (BGS) leads the development of a data schema and data for a multi-hazard database (Challenge 1) GEM Foundation leads the development of a global exposure database (Challenge 2) University College London (UCL) leads the development of open vulnerability platform for evaluating risk (Challenge 3) Various organizations also participated and contributed to the project such as the Geological Survey of Tanzania; Ardhi University (Tanzania); Dar Es Salaam University (Tanzania); DFID Tanzania; Prime Minister's Office - Disaster Management Department (Tanzania); DoMA (Malawi); INGC (Mozambique); Ministry of Energy & Mineral Development (Uganda); ImageCat (USA); Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT Indonesia); NSET (Nepal); IDF (Switzerland); UA (Netherlands); NGI (Norway); NOC (UK); CIMA (Italy); and UCL-EPI (UK). Locations Tanzania and neighbouring countries Anchor 1 Anchor 5 Anchor 4 The University College London (UCL) EPICentre and CatLin XL hosted the second workshop held on July 27 in London to collect feedback. A consortium led by the GEM Foundation with partners ImageCat Inc. and the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team completed recently an open exposure database for multi-hazard risk assessment... The GFDRR-DFID Challenge Fund projects on the development of exposure, vulnerability and hazard footprints databases kicked off with a 2-day inception workshop. Anchor3 Publications GFDRR-DFID Challenge Funds Round 2 How can innovative approaches make communities more resilient to climate change and natural disasters? GFDRR-UK Aid Challenge Fund: Final Learning Report: Value of Risk Information for Decision Making May 31, 2018 Data schema and data: for multi-hazard database (BGS), for global exposure database (GEM), for a global database of vulnerability functions (UCL) Extensible Data Schemas for Multiple Hazards, Exposure and Vulnerability Data published as part of the UNDRR GAR2019 .

  • CAYMAN ISLANDS PSHA | Global Earthquake Model Foundation

    Projects CAYMAN ISLANDS PSHA Probabilistic seismic hazard assessment of Cayman Islands Versión en español English version Share Facebook LinkedIn Overview Anchor 6 Background Thr project aims to perform a probabilistic seismic hazard assessment for the Cayman Islands, and provide the seismic input necessary for the International Building Code (IBC). The GEM Hazard Team is responsible for the seismotectonic and geodynamic characterisation of the study area, the definition of distributed seismicity and fault sources, and the modelling of the epistemic uncertainties. Duration: 2020 Objectives The main objective is to provide input to the 2016 Cayman Islands Building Code, to support engineers in the seismic design and assessment of structures. Collaborators GEM Foundation, EUCENTRE Foundation Funding partner: Cayman Islands Government Location Cayman Islands Anchor 1 Anchor 5 Anchor 4 Anchor3 Publications

  • AELO | Global Earthquake Model Foundation

    Projects AELO ASCE Earthquake Loads Overseas (AELO) Versión en español English version Share Facebook LinkedIn Overview Anchor 6 Background The project is carried out within a collaboration between GEM and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State (DoS) and the U.S. Department of Defence (DoD). The aim of the project is to provide a web service for computing design ground motions (on rock and soil) that are compliant with the ASCE guidelines (ASCE 7-16, ASCE 41-17, ASCE 7-22, ASCE 41-23) for 500 locations worldwide. In its inaugural year, AELO focuses on rigorously calculating seismic parameters, including Peak Ground Acceleration (PGA), Ss, and S1 design values across 500 diverse global locations, particularly emphasizing rock site conditions. This aims to ensure compliance with ASCE7-16 and ASCE41-17 standards, essential for seismic assessment and design practices. In the following year, the project progresses to establish a secure webservice for computing design ground motions. This password-protected platform will provide access to ASCE7-16 and ASCE41-17 aligned calculations, simplifying access to these critical seismic design parameters. Transitioning into the third year, AELO expands its computational scope to encompass ground motion calculations across various soil conditions worldwide, encompassing 500 locations to adhere to ASCE 7-22 and ASCE 41-23 standards. This phase seeks to enhance the breadth of seismic assessments, offering a comprehensive understanding of seismic hazards on diverse soil types. Finally, in its fourth year, the project concludes with the introduction of a sophisticated, password-protected webservice. This platform offers the capability to compute design ground motions based on the latest ASCE7-22 and ASCE41-23 standards, supporting seismic engineers and researchers globally by providing accurate, standardized, and essential seismic design parameters for diverse geographical locations. Duration: 2022 - 2026 Objectives The primary objective of the project is to create a web service capable of calculating design ground motions, both on rock and soil, in adherence to the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) guidelines. These guidelines include ASCE 7-16, ASCE 41-17, ASCE 7-22, and ASCE 41-23. This web service heavily relies on the hazard models that are part of GEM’s global mosaic and the OpenQuake Engine. Collaborators GEM, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), with support from the U.S. Department of State (DoS) and the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). Location Global (Washington DC, USA) Anchor 1 Anchor 5 Anchor 4 Anchor3 Publications

  • WESTERN BALKANS CCDR | Global Earthquake Model Foundation

    Projects WESTERN BALKANS CCDR Input to World Banks' Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR) for Western Balkans Versión en español English version Share Facebook LinkedIn Overview Anchor 6 Background As part of the World Bank Groups' Country Climate and Development Reports (CCDRs), the GEM Foundation and JBA Risk Management are working together to provide current (2021) and future (2050) earthquake and flood risk assessment for 6 West Balkans countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. The GEM Risk Team is providing the exposure database (property and population data) for both the flood and seismic risk assessment for six Western Balkan countries at the lowest administrative level, using both existing datasets for 2021 and socio-economic projections for forecasted exposure to 2050. Seismic hazard and risk assessment for the current and future exposure is also being undertaken with the OpenQuake engine, leading to average annual losses and losses for specific return periods for each country. Duration: 2023 Objectives The World Bank is preparing the Country Climate and Development Report for the Western Balkans. The CCDR aims to inform policy dialogue and engagement with governments. This provides an opportunity to carry out several analytical pieces, including in the area of Disaster Risk Management, bringing together existing knowledge on the economic and social impacts of disasters and climate change, and delivering new analytical insights to support policy recommendations. Collaborators JBA Risk Management, GEM Foundation Funding partner: World Bank Group Locations Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. Anchor 1 Anchor 5 Anchor 4 Anchor3 Publications

  • READY2RESPOND | Global Earthquake Model Foundation

    Projects READY2RESPOND Rapid Diagnostic in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh Versión en español English version Share Facebook LinkedIn Overview Anchor 6 Background Ready2Respond (R2R) is a rapid diagnostic guide, designed to improve national, sub-national and city resilience mechanisms and to protect development gains through investments in emergency preparedness and response systems. It is informed by the World Bank Group (WBG) City Resilience Program (CRP) and other WBG resilience platforms. In this project R2R is applied to the Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh states in the Himalayan region of India. The GEM Risk Team contributes to the project by providing: Literature review and stakeholder mapping around hazard and risk initiatives, risk data and models for both states Provision of seismic hazard/risk model outputs and related descriptive information for both states (to support diagnostic activities) Review of legal regulation of the built environment and associated initiatives Review of seismic preparedness of the critical infrastructure defined in the project Preparation and remote input into stakeholder workshops Duration: 2023 Objectives This project responds to the need to provide effective and comprehensive diagnosis of the Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh states’ emergency preparedness and response systems in the Himalayan region of India. This enables the World Bank and the government to tailor investments to strengthen institutional capacity and capability, ensure public safety, and limit economic disruption in the face of multiple, and often cascading, geological and hydrometeorological hazards. Collaborators GEM Foundation, JBA Consulting, Geo Climate Risk Solutions (GCRS) Funding partner: World Bank Group Location India Himalayas Anchor 1 Anchor 5 Anchor 4 Anchor3 Publications

  • CAREC | Global Earthquake Model Foundation

    Projects CAREC Developing a Disaster Risk Transfer Facility in the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Region Versión en español English version Share Facebook LinkedIn Overview Outreach Anchor 6 Background Willis Towers Watson, a GEM Advisor Sponsor is leading the consortium of organizations to implement the project, “Developing a Disaster Risk Transfer Facility in the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Region” supported by the Asian Development Bank. The GEM Risk Team is responsible for the exposure and seismic vulnerability components of the project, with the Hazard Team providing support in the preparation of risk profiles for countries in the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Region. Objectives The project has three main components: (i) development of disaster risk assessments and modeling in all CAREC countries; (ii) design of a regional pilot disaster risk transfer facility for at least three CAREC countries; and (iii) capacity building and awareness raising activities to sensitize key public and private stakeholders in all CAREC countries about the benefits of disaster risk reduction, risk retention and risk transfer solutions. Willis Towers Watson, a GEM Advisor Sponsor is leading the consortium of organizations that will implement the project. The Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation, or CAREC Program is a partnership of 11 countries (Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, People's Republic of China, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan), supported by 6 multilateral institutions, working together to promote development through cooperation, leading to accelerated growth and poverty reduction. Location Central Asia Anchor 1 Anchor 5 Anchor 4 About the CAREC program Read more GEM has started a new project with WTW supported by the Asian Development Bank Read more ADB project overview and data sheet Read more Anchor3 Publications

  • BEYOND BUTTON PUSHING | Global Earthquake Model Foundation

    Projects BEYOND BUTTON PUSHING Earthquake Risk Assessment and Sensitivity Analysis for California Versión en español English version Share Facebook LinkedIn Overview Anchor 6 Background The goal of the project was to show how important the quantification of uncertainty is in estimating and understanding California’s earthquake risk using OpenQuake - GEM Foundation’s state-of-the-art open source earthquake hazard and risk assessment software. With OpenQuake’s plug-and-play capabilities, expert users can individually select or substitute every model component, data, and assumption. This feature will help model users and decision makers to: 1) ‘ask the right questions’ when evaluating model results; 2) better interpret risk assessment results and gain trust in model results; and 3) make better risk management decisions. Duration: 2015-2017 Objectives The main objectives of this project are to: Establish representative sets of exposure: ‣ for the San Francisco Bay Area; ‣ for the Southern California region affected by the Shakeout Scenario Choose specific results (risk metrics) to use as a basis for comparison. Produce ‘baseline’ results from OpenQuake, using a ‘control’ set of assumptions. Undertake a thorough sensitivity analysis for the risk estimates for California based on the UCERF3 model by running OpenQuake multiple times, each time varying one assumption or parameter, such as: ‣ earthquake probabilities (controlled by assumptions about fault geometries, slip rates, maximum magnitudes); ‣ ground motion model selection; ‣ vulnerability functions; ‣ site conditions; and ‣ statistical treatment of uncertainty and correlation Beyond the aims stated at the outset of the project as listed above, several additional objectives were achieved during the course of the project, including the following: Implement within OpenQuake the latest seismic hazard model for California based on the recently published Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast version 3 (UCERF3), produced by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Working Group on California Earthquake Probabilities. Calculate the average annual loss estimates for all 8,057 census tracts in California, using the seismic hazard model based on UCERF3. Establish the range (distribution) of scientifically viable results for the chosen risk metrics by accounting for the various uncertainties in the hazard model. Identify the components of the hazard model contributing most to the overall uncertainty in the risk metrics for the different exposure portfolios. Implement a model simplification (‘logic-tree trimming’) software tool to reduce the number of computer runs and greatly speed up the time required for running the risk model for California. Collaborators GEM Foundation Funding partner: Alfred E. Alquist Seismic Safety Commission (SSC) Location California, United States Anchor 1 Anchor 5 Anchor 4 Anchor3 Publications

  • PAPERS | Global Earthquake Model Foundation

    Projects PAPERS Piattaforma Analisi Pericolosità E Rischio Sismico Versión en español English version Share Facebook LinkedIn Overview Anchor 6 Background The Global Earthquake Model (GEM) Foundation has launched the PAPERS project (Piattaforma Analisi Pericolosità E Rischio Sismico), an initiative aimed at developing a new WebGIS platform for scenario hazard and risk assessment in Italy. The project has been funded as one of the cascade grants launched by the High-Performance Computing, Big Data e Quantum Computing Research Centre, one of the five National Centres established by the Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), under Spoke 5 - Environment and Natural Disasters . The first training workshop of the project related to the use of the OpenQuake engine was successfully conducted online on April 1st, 2025, marking the first in a series of planned training events. This first workshop also served for exploring potential third-party contributions to models that could be integrated into the platform. Objectives PAPERS will enhance seismic risk assessment in Italy through advanced computational techniques and open-source models and tools. The project is organised into three modules, each focusing on a critical objective. The first module involves building the operational platform, leveraging the OpenQuake (OQ) Engine. The integration of High-Performance Computing (HPC) will facilitate complex analyses, while interoperability with external software will streamline data management. The second module focuses on updating Italy’s national exposure models. This involves compiling databases of buildings, critical infrastructure, and distributed networks at different geographic scales in the country. The project will integrate existing models with newly available datasets. This effort will provide a more comprehensive understanding of the seismic vulnerability of the Italian-built environment. As part of the third module, the platform will feature preloaded models of seismic hazard, exposure, and vulnerability, along with a range of earthquake scenarios, including historical earthquakes and events from a stochastic catalog based on the 2020 European Seismic Hazard Model (ESHM20). Alternative risk mitigation strategies will also be explored through dedicated multi-criteria decision-making approaches. Collaborators Project Coordination: Fondazione GEM (Global Earthquake Model Foundation) Main Collaborating Institution: Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro Funding Agency: The project is funded under the Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), Mission 4, "Education and Research" - Component 2, "From Research to Business" - Investment Line 1.4, supported by NextGenerationEU. Locations Pilot Site for Seismic Risk Analysis: An Italian city to be determined during the project, intended as a demonstration case for urban-scale seismic risk analysis. Testing Locations: The project will involve data collection and analysis on a national scale across Italy. Anchor 1 Anchor 5 Anchor 4 Anchor3 Publications

  • SERA Project | Global Earthquake Model Foundation

    Projects SERA Project Seismology and Earthquake Engineering Research Infrastructure Alliance for Europe (SERA) Versión en español English version Share Facebook LinkedIn Overview Anchor 6 Background The Seismology and Earthquake Engineering Research Infrastructure Alliance for Europe (SERA) aims to reduce the risk posed by natural and anthropogenic earthquakes based on innovative research and development projects. SERA will significantly improve the access to data, services and research infrastructures for scientists and other professionals. GEM's contributions focus on taxonomy and exposure of residential, commercial and industrial buildings in Europe; physical vulnerability assessment for buildings; integrated earthquake risk analysis using the risk assessment framework and OpenQuake software established by the Global Earthquake Model. SERA is a Horizon 2020-supported programme responding to the priorities identified in the topic INFRAIA-01-2016-2017 ‘Integrating Activities for Advanced Communities’. SERA involves 31 partners and 8 linked third parties in Europe. It started in May 2017 and will last for three years. Objectives The EUCENTRE-SERA project is collaborating closely with the GEM Foundation (Global Earthquake Model) to: develop a European Risk Modelling framework that brings together the strengths of previous projects such as SHARE, NERA and fills in the research gaps; integrate knowledge and data from other SERA working packages; and build on the risk assessment framework and software developed by GEM. SERA is engaging 31 partners from 16 European countries. They all have leading expertise in the operation of experimental facilities, monitoring infrastructures, and data repositories in the fields of seismology, anthropogenic hazards or earthquake engineering. (complete list ) Location Europe Anchor 1 Anchor 5 Anchor 4 EM-SERA OpenQuake Training in Istanbul, Turkey SERA European Building Exposure Workshop: From European Hazard to Risk Anchor3 Publications

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