Earthquake reconnaissance plays an invaluable role in earthquake engineering, as it enables the collection of perishable data on building performance that are otherwise unobtainable. This data is then used to prepare damage statistics, calibrate and validate engineering models and, crucially, to decide which design and/or construction deficiencies led to inadequate structural performance. This research is crucial, as it provides the evidence base for the development of new disaster risk reduction (DRR) policies and mitigation practices worldwide.

The aim of this project is to improve the understanding of earthquake impacts, response and recovery through targeted data gathering in earthquake reconnaissance missions and research into better methods to collect, interpret, exploit and disseminate this data. The project is a consortium of Newcastle University, University College of London (UCL) and University of Cambridge and partners from the public and private sector. The partners include governmental institutions, NGOs, risk modellers, engineering consultants, research centres, international Universities and the World Bank (WB).