Six local government units (LGUs) received their Specific Earthquake Response Atlases from the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (DOST-Phivolcs) to be used for decision-making in building safer structures and facilities, and for strengthening the disaster resiliency of their respective communities.
Each atlas is a compilation of maps that provides information on the characteristics of the subsurface soil and rock layers in the study areas or LGUs and the resulting site response to a specific earthquake ground motion. This can serve as a guide in seismic load design to increase the resiliency of buildings and infrastructure in the event of a large earthquake.
These atlases can be a significant reference for LGUs as well as the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to appropriately design earthquake-resilient government infrastructure, residential houses, and medium-to-high rise buildings in Pangasinan, Tarlac, Metro Iloilo-Guimaras, Cauayan City, Butuan City, and Mati City.
“Our country has learned many lessons during large damaging earthquakes,” DOST Sec. Fortunato T. de la Peña said at the launching and turnover ceremony held Oct. 22.
“One is the construction of earthquake-resistant structures. Urban planners should have a wider perspective of the engineering challenges faced by property developers before crafting their comprehensive land-use and development plans.”
He said they approved and funded the proposals of DOST-Phivolcs Senior Science Research Specialist Dr. Rhommel N. Grutas for the team to come up with the necessary surveys and data collection, analyses and interpretation, and mapping of the final results which can be used by engineers to properly design buildings to withstand the effects of ground shaking due to earthquakes.
“Urban communities are prone to ground shaking hazards due to the rapid development of medium to high rise infrastructures proximal to earthquake generators,” said Grutas, who is the Specific Site Response Atlases project leader.
“Seismic micronization maps are useful in the development of comprehensive land use plans for major cities. These allow government agencies to develop better disaster response programs and (to have) more resilient communities and infrastructure,” he added.
The project was funded by the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development, one of the three sectoral councils of the department.
More knowledge products and innovations of DOST-Phivolcs will be featured in the upcoming celebration of 2021 National Science and Technology Week to be held Nov. 22-28 through a virtual platform.
For details, viisit http://nstw.dost.gov.ph/ and Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/nstwdost . (By Allan Mauro V. Marfal, DOST-STII) – jlo
