International Workshop on Earthquake Mitigation in Iraq: EMS-98 Adopted Vulnerability Assessment of Existing Buildings

International Workshop on Earthquake Mitigation in Iraq: EMS-98 Adopted Vulnerability Assessment of Existing Buildings

The Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering at Tishk International University (TIU), in collaboration with Bauhaus University Weimar and the University of Sulaimani, successfully conducted an international workshop titled ‘Towards Earthquake Mitigation in Iraq: EMS-98 Adopted Vulnerability Assessment of Existing Buildings.’ The event took place at the University of Sulaimani on October 7th, 2024.

The workshop commenced with an opening speech from Dr. Sirwan Khurshid, establishing the foundation for a sequence of enlightening presentations and discussions. Jun.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Lars Abrahamczyk of Bauhaus University Weimar imparted significant insights from previous projects, succeeded by an informative presentation by M.Sc. Peshawa Luqman Hasan on seismic hazards, risk assessment, and empirical strategies for earthquake mitigation.

Dr. Brwa Hamah Saeed subsequently conducted a session on constructing stock surveys, elucidating methodologies for the vulnerability assessment of existing structures, which constituted a crucial component of the project. Participants were afforded the opportunity to partake in a practical exercise conducted by M.Sc. Peshawa Luqman Hasan and Dr. Brwa Hamah Saeed.

Fourth-grade students from the Civil Engineering Department at TIU engaged online, acquiring practical knowledge regarding the project’s aims and survey techniques. This year’s building stock survey will concentrate on the rural areas of the region, building upon a comparable survey conducted two years prior for Erbil city in partnership with Bauhaus University Weimar and supported by DAAD.

This collaborative workshop demonstrates the robust partnership among TIU, Bauhaus University Weimar, and the University of Sulaimani, with the objective of enhancing earthquake mitigation initiatives in Iraq. The event demonstrated the dedication of all three institutions to enhancing the resilience of structures in at-risk areas through comprehensive research and practical evaluations.

Keywords: Engineering Education, Higher Education, Collaboration, Partnerships, Earthquake, Sustainability