Course in Seismic Risk in Urban Areas
Online course of 300 h in seismic risk in urban areas. 6 modules covering NCSE-02 Seismic Construction Standard (RD 997/2002), UNE-EN 1998-1 Eurocode 8: design of earthquake-resistant structures and OpenQuake Engine. Assigned tutor and open enrolment.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Understand the origin and characterisation of ground seismic motion.
Calculate probabilistic seismic hazard and site effects.
Assess the vulnerability of the built stock using recognised methods.
Build damage scenarios and estimate human and economic losses.
Apply NCSE-02 and Eurocode 8 to design and retrofitting.
Design prioritised mitigation measures based on cost-benefit criteria.
Integrate seismic risk into municipal civil protection plans.
Who it's for
- Seismic risk engineer who wants to specialise in Seismic Risk in Urban Areas.
- Civil protection technician who wants to specialise in Seismic Risk in Urban Areas.
- Consultant in structural vulnerability who wants to specialise in Seismic Risk in Urban Areas.
- Catastrophic risk analyst who wants to specialise in Seismic Risk in Urban Areas.
- Urban planner specialising in natural hazards who wants to specialise in Seismic Risk in Urban Areas.
- Post-earthquake inspection technician who wants to specialise in Seismic Risk in Urban Areas.
- Graduates in engineering or sciences seeking to enter local and regional government administration.
What you'll work with
- NCSE-02 Seismic Construction Standard (RD 997/2002)
- UNE-EN 1998-1 Eurocode 8: design of earthquake-resistant structures
- Basic Guideline for Civil Protection Planning for Seismic Risk (1995)
- UNE-EN 1998-3 Eurocode 8: assessment and retrofitting of buildings
- NCSP-07 Seismic Construction Standard: bridges
- Law 17/2015 on the National Civil Protection System
- Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030
- FEMA P-58 Seismic Performance Assessment of Buildings
6 modules · 300 h
1.1Plate tectonics and active faults1.2P, S and surface seismic waves1.3Moment magnitude and EMS-98 intensity1.4Seismic catalogues and Gutenberg-Richter laws1.5Ground motion attenuation laws1.6Elastic response spectra1.7Historical seismicity of the Iberian Peninsula1.8IGN seismic hazard maps1.9Basic acceleration and contribution coefficient1.10Practical: reading accelerograms from a real earthquake
2.1Probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA)2.2Logic trees and treatment of uncertainties2.3Hazard disaggregation by magnitude and distance2.4Local amplification and soil classification2.5Vs30 velocity and geophysical methods2.6Liquefaction of saturated granular soils2.7Earthquake-induced landslides2.8Seismic microzonation of a city2.9Topographic and sedimentary basin effects2.10Laboratory: PSHA calculation with OpenQuake for a municipality
3.1Urban construction typologies and their behaviour3.2EMS-98 and Risk-UE vulnerability scales3.3Benedetti-Petrini vulnerability index3.4Capacity curves and the spectrum method3.5Fragility curves by typology3.6Building inventory using cadastre and GIS3.7Essential buildings: hospitals, schools, fire stations3.8Vulnerability of water and gas networks3.9Urban bridges and viaducts under seismic action3.10Case study: vulnerability inventory of a neighbourhood
4.1Building deterministic seismic scenarios4.2Damage states and probability matrices4.3Estimating casualties and homelessness4.4Direct and indirect economic losses4.5Interdependencies between urban services after an earthquake4.6HAZUS methodology adapted to the European context4.7Lessons from Lorca 2011 and L'Aquila 20094.8Cartographic representation of risk4.9Communicating scenarios to public officials4.10Workshop: damage scenario with QGIS and fragility functions
5.1Earthquake-Resistant Design Under NCSE-025.2Principles of Eurocode 8 in Building Design5.3Assessment and retrofitting of existing buildings5.4Retrofitting Techniques: Jacking, Dampers, Isolation5.5Special Civil Protection Plans for Earthquakes5.6Spatial Planning and Land Use5.7Prioritising Investment Through Cost-Benefit Analysis5.8Insurance and the Insurance Compensation Consortium5.9Rapid Post-Earthquake Building Inspection5.10Case Study: Retrofitting Plan for Essential Buildings
6.1Selecting the urban study area6.2Compiling geotechnical and seismic data6.3Characterising local hazard6.4Building stock inventory and classification6.5Calculating the damage scenario6.6Estimating human and economic losses6.7Proposing prioritised mitigation measures6.8Final risk mapping6.9Report and presentation6.10Final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100 % online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetables: students progress at their own pace within the intake, which makes it possible to combine study with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is OpenQuake Engine, QGIS, SeismoStruct, SAP2000, HAZUS-MH, in free, academic or evaluation versions. The workshops cover real procedures: seismic vulnerability assessment of a historic neighbourhood, preparation of a damage scenario for a municipal emergency plan, and prioritisation of the reinforcement of essential buildings. Assessment is continuous across modules, plus the final integrative project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Understand the origin and characterisation of ground seismic motion.
Calculate probabilistic seismic hazard and site effects.
Assess the vulnerability of the built stock using recognised methods.
Build damage scenarios and estimate human and economic losses.
Apply NCSE-02 and Eurocode 8 to design and retrofitting.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior qualification is required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient level of Spanish to follow technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 300 hours, spread over 3 to 5 months. That is an average of 10 to 15 hours per week, which is compatible with a full-time job.
You will work with OpenQuake Engine, QGIS, SeismoStruct, SAP2000, HAZUS-MH. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor will indicate the free alternative where one exists.
A SEIUM own diploma upon passing the continuous assessment and the final integrative project. It is in-house training, not an official qualification from the Ministry.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area can be credited towards the higher programme. Check the recognition policy when you enrol.
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