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Postgraduate DiplomaCivil, Rail & Smart Cities Applications open

Diploma in Seismic Rehabilitation and Vulnerability

Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in seismic retrofitting and vulnerability. 8 modules covering seismic hazard, behaviour of existing buildings, vulnerability assessment, non-linear analysis, retrofitting techniques, seismic isolation and energy dissipation, and design verification, applying EN 1998-3, NCSE-02 and EN 1998-1 with OpenSees, with an assigned technical tutor.

Duration800 hours · 6–8 months
ModeOnline
LanguageEnglish
Start datesSet by the faculty
AwardSEIUM Institute diploma
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Learning outcomes

What you will be able to do

01

Characterise the seismic action at a site using code-based criteria.

02

Recognise the most vulnerable structural typologies.

03

Apply vulnerability assessment methods at different scales.

04

Perform non-linear static and dynamic analyses.

05

Select appropriate seismic retrofitting techniques.

06

Design seismic isolation and energy dissipation solutions.

07

Develop a complete seismic retrofitting project.

Profile

Who it's for

  • Earthquake engineers working on the assessment of existing buildings.
  • Structural vulnerability analysts building risk models and fragility studies.
  • Refurbishment structural designers who need to plan seismic upgrades.
  • Seismic risk consultants advising insurers, owners and public bodies.
  • Civil protection technicians involved in emergency planning.
  • Engineers working with anti-seismic devices such as isolators and dampers.
  • Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter building refurbishment.
Standards & tools

What you'll work with

  • EN 1998-3 (Eurocode 8 — assessment and retrofitting of buildings)
  • NCSE-02 (Spanish seismic-resistant construction standard)
  • EN 1998-1 (Eurocode 8 — general rules)
  • ASCE/SEI 41-17 (seismic evaluation and retrofit of existing buildings)
  • FEMA P-58 (seismic performance assessment)
  • EN 15129 (anti-seismic devices)
  • NZSEE C5 Assessment Guidelines 2017 (seismic assessment of existing buildings)
  • OpenSees
  • SeismoStruct
  • ETABS
  • 3Muri
  • OpenQuake
Syllabus

8 modules

  1. 1.1Seismicity, faults and earthquake catalogues
  2. 1.2Probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA)
  3. 1.3Hazard maps and basic ground acceleration
  4. 1.4Site effects and ground classification
  5. 1.5Elastic and design response spectra
  6. 1.6Real and artificial accelerograms
  7. 1.7Scaling and spectral matching of records
  8. 1.8Liquefaction and induced effects
  9. 1.9Damage-limitation earthquake versus collapse earthquake
  10. 1.10Practical: design spectrum for a site
  1. 2.1Vulnerable typologies: short columns and soft storeys
  2. 2.2Concrete structures without ductile detailing
  3. 2.3Unreinforced masonry and local mechanisms
  4. 2.4Floors as diaphragms and connections
  5. 2.5Irregularity in plan and elevation
  6. 2.6Damage observed in recent earthquakes
  7. 2.7Non-structural elements and their risk
  8. 2.8Soil-structure interaction in existing buildings
  9. 2.9Pounding between adjacent buildings
  10. 2.10Case study: damage analysis of the Lorca earthquake
  1. 3.1Vulnerability indices and macroseismic scales
  2. 3.2Fragility curves and damage probability matrices
  3. 3.3Rapid visual screening at urban scale
  4. 3.4Knowledge levels and required data
  5. 3.5Limit states and performance objectives
  6. 3.6Urban seismic risk scenarios
  7. 3.7Expected losses and the FEMA P-58 methodology
  8. 3.8Prioritisation of interventions across portfolios
  9. 3.9Use of GIS in seismic risk
  10. 3.10Workshop: vulnerability of a historic neighbourhood
  1. 4.1Lumped and distributed plasticity models
  2. 4.2Constitutive relationships for concrete and steel
  3. 4.3Non-linear static pushover analysis
  4. 4.4N2 method and performance point
  5. 4.5Non-linear dynamic time-history analysis
  6. 4.6Modelling of masonry walls and macro-elements
  7. 4.7Chord rotations and acceptance criteria
  8. 4.8Modelling uncertainties
  9. 4.9Validation of models against tests
  10. 4.10Laboratory: pushover of a concrete frame
  1. 5.1Global and local intervention strategies
  2. 5.2Added shear walls and braced frames
  3. 5.3Column jacketing with concrete, steel or FRP
  4. 5.4Strengthening of joints and floor anchorages
  5. 5.5Tying of masonry walls and through-ties
  6. 5.6Stiffening of diaphragms
  7. 5.7Mass reduction and regularisation
  8. 5.8Intervention in heritage buildings
  9. 5.9Cost and disruption to occupants
  10. 5.10Workshop: comparison of strategies for a school building
  1. 6.1Principles of base isolation
  2. 6.2Elastomeric and friction pendulum isolators
  3. 6.3Viscous and hysteretic dampers
  4. 6.4Buckling-restrained braces (BRB)
  5. 6.5Prototype and production testing
  6. 6.6Design of the isolation interface
  7. 6.7Isolation in hospitals and critical buildings
  8. 6.8Isolation retrofit of existing buildings
  9. 6.9Inspection and maintenance of devices
  10. 6.10Case study: isolation of an existing hospital
  1. 7.1Definition of performance objectives
  2. 7.2Reassessment after the intervention
  3. 7.3Verification of foundations
  4. 7.4Reinforcement and connection details
  5. 7.5Peer review and approval
  6. 7.6Construction planning with the building in use
  7. 7.7Quality control of execution
  8. 7.8Communicating residual risk
  9. 7.9Managing grants and funding
  10. 7.10Case study: retrofitting of a residential building
  1. 8.1Building selection and data collection
  2. 8.2Seismic characterisation of the site
  3. 8.3Current-condition model
  4. 8.4Vulnerability assessment
  5. 8.5Design of the strengthening strategy
  6. 8.6Analysis of the strengthened condition
  7. 8.7Estimate of costs and avoided losses
  8. 8.8Drawings and specifications
  9. 8.9Report and presentation
  10. 8.10Final project: final review with the tutor
Methodology, software & labs

How you'll learn

100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within the intake, making it compatible with work.

Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is OpenSees, SeismoStruct, ETABS, 3Muri and OpenQuake, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied on real procedures such as pushover analysis of a 1960s concrete building, urban vulnerability assessment with GIS and design of FRP column jacketing for seismic upgrading. Assessment is continuous by module plus the final integrating project.

Standards covered: EN 1998-3, NCSE-02, EN 1998-1, ASCE/SEI 41-17, FEMA P-58, EN 15129, NZSEE C5 Assessment Guidelines 2017.

Assigned technical tutor:every module ends with a deliverable that your tutor marks individually.
Standards-based learning:guided reading of EN 1998-3, NCSE-02, EN 1998-1 and ASCE/SEI 41-17 applied to real cases, not as a theoretical annex.
Industry software:OpenSees, SeismoStruct, ETABS, 3Muri and OpenQuake, in free, academic or evaluation versions.
Final project:a complete seismic retrofitting project for a real building, from site characterisation and vulnerability assessment to the strengthening strategy, analysis of the retrofitted state and cost estimate, reviewed by your tutor.
Flexible format:100% online, no fixed timetables, compatible with full-time work.
Capstone project

Build it end to end

Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.

Site design spectrum
Characterise the seismic action at a site and derive its design spectrum.
Vulnerability assessment
Assess the vulnerability of a building using fragility curves and knowledge levels.
Pushover analysis
Run a pushover analysis of a concrete frame and find its performance point.
Retrofit strategy comparison
Compare retrofitting strategies, including isolation, for a school building.
Final project
Deliver a complete seismic retrofitting project with costs and avoided losses, reviewed by your tutor.
Career opportunities

Where this takes you

Earthquake engineerStructural vulnerability analystRefurbishment structural designerSeismic risk consultantCivil protection technicianAnti-seismic devices engineer
Admissions & scholarships

Requirements

  • Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. No university degree is required.
  • Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme software.
  • English sufficient to read technical standards.

Ready to start?

Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

The programme totals 800 hours over 6–8 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.

You work with OpenSees, SeismoStruct, ETABS, 3Muri and OpenQuake, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.

A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.

Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.

Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector (no university degree required), a computer able to run the software, and English sufficient to read technical standards.

Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.

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