NAGIARS - New developments in geophysics and engineering applied to seismic risk assessment

The aim of NAGIARS is the development and application of a new strategy in geophysics and engineering for seismic risk assessment purposes, introducing a new probabilistic approach including the use of a novel technique: the radar interferometry. The expected benefits point towards the development of studies aimed at improving the assessment of seismic risk, especially in the fields of hazard and seismic response of buildings. NAGIARS proposes important goals in subjects related to architecture and civil engineering, with special emphasis towards  the diagnosis of the state of conservation of existing buildings of special interest, including those of Cultural Heritage. The role of CTTC is to supports the characterization of the dynamic response of buildings through a set of experimental data collection carried out with an interferometric real aperture radar. To this end, selected building types are modeled and studied by means of numerical structural static and dynamic analyses. The main innovation and relevance of NAGIARS  is the  adoption of a probabilistic approach and the validation of models based on the use of  traditional vibration point-wise measurements, applied to experimental modal analysis, and integrated with radar observations. CTTC is responsible for the analysis and validation of the use of new radar technologies. The radar sensor available for this project is able to monitor time displacements or deformations with a sampling frequency adequate to detect the vibration modal frequencies of conventional buildings and large structures in civil engineering. This can be made totally from remote, without any contacts with the investigated structure. The use of this technology, permits expecting significant benefits, all of them having a huge short-term and mid-term transfer power in the architecture and civil engineering sectors.