Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University/Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology
U.S.-Bangladesh Partnership to Reduce Vulnerability to Seismic Hazards
State:
Virginia
Country:
Bangladesh
Award Date:
2003
Award Amount:
$200,000.00
Cost Share:
$68,076.00
Other Funds:
$180,000.00
Other Partners:
Consortium of Universities for Research in Earthquake Engineering; Earthquake Engineering Research Institute
This partnership is seeking to reduce Bangladesh’s vulnerability to seismic threats by enhancing the teaching, research, and service capacity of the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology in areas related to earthquake safety. The partnership plans to 1) expand undergraduate and graduate offerings in earthquake education; 2) develop case study materials relevant to local conditions; 3) develop and implement pilot training courses for local seismologists, geotechnical engineers, structural engineers, architects, planners, and regulatory officers; 4) develop tools and strategies for national seismic hazard mapping, urban area seismic microzonation, and earthquake vulnerability assessments; and 5) develop a set of seismic vulnerability assessment tools, which will include adapting to Bangladeshi conditions the Federal Emer-gency Management Agency’s earthquake loss estimation methodology. In 2004, the partnership received a donation of 60 strong motion instruments, valued at about $180,000, from the Consortium of Organizations for Strong-Motion Observation Systems, which will significantly bolster Bangladesh’s capacity to collect accurate ground motion data.