SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE

Natural Hazard Assessment

	Experienced SwRI geoscientists and engineers observed the 1995 volcanic eruption of Cerro Negro, Nicaragua, to monitor the development of the eruption and subsequently evaluate the hazard to and possible effects on nearby populations.

As a leader in developing and applying probabilistic methods, Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) focuses on innovation for understanding complicated natural hazards. SwRI develops hazard assessment technology to:

• Identify forcing functions for natural hazards

• Integrate natural hazard information with potentially affected infrastructure information

• Monitor potential safety-affecting changes in natural systems

Natural Hazard Analysis

For natural hazard assessments, decisions have to be made despite significant uncertainties. SwRI conducts comprehensive assessments of natural hazards that account for these uncertainties.

Qualitative and quantitative hazard analyses rely on site characterization capabilities, remote-sensing techniques, wireless sensor monitoring networks, high-end computer modeling, geological principles, and laboratory studies to evaluate the potential for natural hazards such as:

• Volcanism

• Earthquakes

• Faulting and fracturing

• Landslides

• Floods

• Debris flows

• Tsunami

• Tornadoes

• Ground collapse and subsidence

For more information about our natural hazard assessment capabilities, or how you can contract with SwRI, please contact Dr. David Ferrill at dferrill@swri.org or (210) 522-6082.
 

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Southwest Research Institute^® (SwRI^®), headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, is a multidisciplinary, independent, nonprofit, applied engineering and physical sciences research and development organization with 12 technical divisions.

March 25, 2010