Research Needs for Engineering Aspects of Natural Disasters

Engineering research needs related to the second national assessment of future directions of research and applications for more sustainable natural disaster management are presented. The evolution of codes and practice in engineering in general and the development of these practices within the context of hazards management is described. Next, an overview of the state of the art in current engineering practice is presented by type of hazard and by type of infrastructure. The bases for engineering design in terms of reducing loss of life and economic damages are described along with a framework for using this information as a basis for engineering design. Engineering research needs for promoting more sustainable hazards management are enumerated.