The Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) has released three specialized scientific chapters focusing on seismic risks and strategies to improve urban and infrastructural resilience in earthquake-prone regions. The announcement was made on Monday in Kuwait City.
The chapters, authored by Engineer Dana Al-Enezi from KISR’s Environment and Life Sciences Research Center (ELSRC), are included in the scientific volume titled "Resilient Cities and Infrastructure in Earthquake Zones: Sustainable Solutions." The publication aims to consolidate the latest scientific and engineering insights into seismic hazards and sustainable approaches to risk mitigation.
The material covers three key areas. The first chapter, “Seismic Hazards and Historical Earthquakes: A Vision from Global to Local Scales,” traces the evolution of seismic hazard understanding, moving from broad global perspectives to localized analyses relevant to specific regions. The second chapter, “Fundamentals of Soil Liquefaction: A Seismic Hazard Perspective Towards Sustainable Infrastructure,” examines the mechanisms behind soil liquefaction, a phenomenon that can severely compromise the integrity of foundations and infrastructure during earthquakes. The final chapter, “Sustainable Soil Improvement for Resilient Infrastructure: The Application of Sand Compaction Columns in Seismic Zones,” explores practical soil enhancement techniques designed to reduce geotechnical risks, specifically through the use of sand compaction columns.
Together, these chapters provide a comprehensive review of seismic risk factors, the science underpinning earthquake-induced ground failures, and recommended engineering solutions to bolster infrastructural resilience. KISR’s publication underscores the importance of integrating scientific knowledge with sustainable engineering practices to safeguard urban centers against the impact of future seismic events.