Earthquake Engineering: Damage Assessment and Evaluation

Earthquake engineering is a specialized field within civil engineering focused on the design and construction of structures to withstand seismic forces. Its primary goal is to minimize the risk of damage and ensure the safety of buildings, bridges, and infrastructure during earthquakes. This discipline involves understanding the behaviour of seismic waves and how they interact with various types of structures and materials. Key components of earthquake engineering include seismic hazard assessment, which evaluates the likelihood and potential severity of earthquakes in a given area, and structural dynamics, which studies how buildings and other structures respond to dynamic loads. Advanced technologies, such as base isolators and energy dissipation devices, are often employed to improve seismic performance. Base isolators allow a building to move independently of ground motion, reducing stress on the structure, while energy dissipation devices absorb and convert seismic energy into heat. Earthquake engineering also involves retrofitting existing structures to improve their seismic resilience. This book is a compilation of chapters that discuss the most vital concepts in the field of earthquake engineering. Such selected concepts that redefine earthquake engineering have been presented in this book. This book will provide comprehensive knowledge to the readers.