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! Classify the
earthquake-related risks of populations around the world by the construction
class of buildings in which they live and by the seismic intensity possible
in the area. Such classifications will help improve the accuracy of loss
prediction studies before disasters (127). ! Determine the role of
physical elements (e.g., type of building, nonstructural elements) in
producing specific types and severities of earthquake-related injuries.
Currently, data on deaths and injuries and other related data are usually
gathered without being correlated with building design information, the
dynamic characteristics of soil around each building, or the characteristics
of the population at risk in individual buildings. Furthermore, few studies
have looked at exactly what components of a building cause the injuries,
particularly in those situations in which some people are killed and others
are only injured or escape without injury (79). |
