Seismic Microzonation and Estimation of Earthquake Loss Scenarios: Integrated Risk Mitigation Project of Bogotá,Colombia

The Universidad de los Andes and the National Institute of Geosciences INGEOMINAS, with the financial support of the national and the municipal governments, have been executing studies to evaluate the seismic hazard and the urban seismic risk for three hypothetical earthquakes that could strike Bogotá, the capital city of Colombia. After having obtained results related to soil amplification using soil dynamic lab studies, analysis of strong-motion records of recent earthquakes and microtremor measurements in a wide area of Bogotá, the study of different scenarios of losses were estimated for different types of buildings and lifelines systems. These earthquake loss estimations have been used by national and local disaster preparedness authorities to design emergency response plans for public information and for educational activities. New requirements are being studied for urban planning, updating the earthquake resistance construction code and for the reinforcement of the seismic rehabilitation of key buildings.