Assessing global earthquake risks: the Global Earthquake Model (GEM) initiative - Seismic Risk Analysis and Management of Civil Infrastructure Systems - page 814

Integrated Seismic Risk

Physical Seismic Risk
Probability of damage and loss to
people and structures due to
earthquakes

Socio-Economic
Vulnerability and Resilience
Vulnerability of society and economy
and their capacity to cope with
earthquake events

Seismic Hazard
Probability of ground
shaking due to
earthquakes

Exposure
Elements at risk

Physical Vulnerability
Vulnerability of structures
and their occupants to
seismic hazard

30.2 Scientifi c modules of GEM.

30.1.3 Collaborative development

GEM believes that global risk assessment can only be carried out in coop-
eration with the community and be readily adopted because the community
believes in it. Experts and professionals worldwide working on issues
related to seismic hazard assessment, risk assessment and risk management
form the core of GEM's 'community'.
Development of the datasets, models and tools is for a great part carried
out by the community, both on global and regional scales. Hundreds of
institutions and professionals in the relevant disciplines carry out research
and develop methods, tools and discuss standards. Developments at the
forefront of scientifi c and engineering knowledge as well as IT processes
and infrastructure are being integrated into the model, also thanks to the
bottom-up and collaborative approach of development.
The GEM initiative is advancing by means of various 'building blocks'.
The fi rst building block was the GEM1 pilot project, which ended in
March 2010 and delivered a proof-of-concept in terms of preliminary global
hazard and risk calculations and an initial model-building infrastructure.
Currently, development within GEM is based upon the core efforts of
the Global Components, Regional Programmes and the Model Facility (see
Fig. 30.3).