Author : S. M. Muddassir

Due to rapid urbanization particularly in developing country like India, the formal growth of proper housing and commercial infrastructure development fails to cater to this requirement resulting in informal growth of non-engineered housing and commercial construction, inadequately designed multistory buildings and poorly planned street system. It is also observed that there is a total absence of health and social infrastructure including medical and emergency services in such unplanned urbanization. In the event of any major natural seismic activity, like an earthquake, huge damages to the manmade properties and human casualties and injuries may occur in such informal human settlements. Therefore, there is a need to conduct seismic risk assessment to estimate the probable damages and losses that may be caused due to these seismic activities which may then be utilized in formulation of disaster mitigation strategies.

Keywords: Urbanization, Seismic Activity, Losses, Fatalities, Injuries, Informal Human Settlement

Article published in International Journal of Current Engineering and Technology, Vol.7, No.4 (Aug-2017)