Earthquake safety risks
Description
In 2015, the Dutch Safety Board (OVV) investigated how the safety of residents in relation to earthquakes was taken into account in decision-making on gas production in Groningen. The OVV wanted to ensure that safety concerns are given adequate consideration in deep subsurface activities now and in the future. Two main recommendations were formulated:
- Reinforce the safety interest in decision-making on activities in the deep subsurface;
- Take as a starting point that complex and uncertain risks are inherent in those activities and communicate about them to citizens.
Recently, there have been several developments in this area. For instance, NPR 9998 for assessing the safety of residential buildings has been developed, the Meijdam Commission has issued advice on safety levels to be used, various initiatives for assessing the chemical industry are underway, the water boards are busy assessing the dykes in terms of water safety and NAM has made various studies available.
The NVRB considers the time ripe to use the OVV advisory report as a basis to hold these studies up to the light from the risk and safety perspective. What target value of safety is acceptable for the inhabitants of the area and what quantifiable quantities can be used to express this? How can these quantities be quantified based on the uncertain processes in the deep subsurface that have an effect on residential buildings, industry and dykes?
During the symposium, several speakers look at earthquake safety risks from their expertise. The programme with an overview of the speakers is attached to this e-mail. We will conclude the plenary part by posing a number of propositions, after which we can chat over drinks.
Speaker(s)
Chairman of the day: Prof. A.W.C.M. (Ton) Vrouwenvelder, TNO, Em. TU Delft
Location
Soesterweg 310F, 3812 BH Amersfoort
Organiser
Construction and Hydraulic Engineering
NVRB
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NVRB, via the e-mail address below
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