Seismic Engineering Center at An-Najah National University

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salsinawi
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Seismic Engineering Center at An-Najah National University

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Seismic Engineering Center at An-Najah National University Nablus- Palestine

Objectives, Activities and Priorities of the Earth Sciences

The Earth Sciences and Seismic Engineering Center (ESSEC) at An -Najah National University has been established since October 1996 in the city of Nablus. It is the only specialist Center in the West Bank and Gaza Stripe, which represents the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) in the local and global conferences and workshops concerned with applied geophysics and seismic engineering fields.

ESSEC Goals and Objectives:

·Formulating a national team to follow up earthquake studies and data analysis to be used in future development studies.
·Joining together specialized Palestinian experts in earthquakes, seismic engineering and to applied earth sciences.
·Exchanging experiences, consultations and information in the field of earth sciences and seismic engineering.
·Making contacts with international organizations to gather data, in order to formulate a national database.
·Making seismic maps and controlling land use policies.
·Achieving coordination and integration with neighboring countries in the field of seismic monitoring networks, and joining monitoring networks together
·Conducting courses to civil and architectural engineers and other related specialist fields.

·A warring people through printed materials and special programs in coordination with the civil defense or any other groups interested in public safety on the occurrence of earthquakes.
·Reviewing organizational regulation in order to make them coherent with the rules of earthquakes-resistant construction.
·Carrying out geological and mineral survey.
·Providing consultation in the design and evaluation of the seismic.
·Resistant of structures, and in the field of applied geophysics.
·Taking cares for engineering geology and dam construction.
·Depending on GIS systems and remote sensing in the different earth sciences application.
·Cooperation with other related governmental institutions in the preparation of seismic code for construction. In order to make them coherent with the rules of earthquakes-resistance construction.

Currently and Ongoing Activities of the ESSEC:

· Conducting training courses for Engineers in the design of earthquake resistant structures.
· Publishing bulletins to civil and architectural engineers about the general recommendations for the design of earthquake resistant buildings.
· Publishing bulletins to the public about the guidelines of safety in case of an earthquake happens.
Participating in national and international conferences, meetings and workshops in the fields of seismic hazard mitigation, Earthquakes, Seismic engineering, applied geophysics, environmental earth sciences and land use policy.
·Offering academic courses for the different faculties of the University in applied geosciences and Earthquake engineering (Seismic Risk Mitigation, Disaster Management and Emergency support, Applied Geophysics, Earthquake Engineering, Disaster Management and Emergency support, and environmental geology).
· Consulting developing projects for the Palestinian community (such as solving the land-sliding problem that happened near Nablus City and rehabilitating a tourist area in Al-Bathan falts etc...).

· Publishing awareness materials through national journals and conducting Radio and TV interviews in the regard of public awarness programs.
·Conducting geophysical experiments as site investigation studies for seismic engineering designing structures and environmental engineering geophysics which are very essential for seismic risk mitigation; the seismic refraction technique and the geoelectrical methods are used in the ESSEC to achieve the following:

- Site effect investigations
-Landfill investigations
-Velocity as a guide to rock strength and assessment for rock quality
-Delineation of bedrock
-Delineation of potential collapse features
-Delineation of shallow faults and cavities
-Groundwater exploration and water quality
-Delineation of aquifer boundaries in sedimentary layers
-Mapping boundaries of saline groundwater
-Mapping of chemical pollution
-Delineation of water-saturated zones in landslide bodies
-Seepages flow in dams and reservoir floors


ESSEC Main Priorities:
The main priorities of the ESSEC are:

·Establishing a seismic network that will be connected with the neighboring nets.
· Establishing seismic maps and codes for the design of structures.
·Carrying out joint research projects with the regional countries.
·Controlling land use policies and producing risk maps for land-use planner.
·Carrying out different geophysical studies (seismic, electric, gravity, etc….. ).
·Increasing public awareness of earthquake hazard and preparedness by communication with the general public through the mass media.
·Enhancing disaster management and emergency response program.
·Establishing structural dynamic laboratories.
·Estimating the vulnerability assessment of existing structures.
·Helding workshops, seminar, conferences and training programs.
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Earth Sciences & Seismic Engineering Center
An- Najah National University
P.O. Box 7
Nablus
The Palestinian Authority
Fax: 9729-238-7982
Tel: 972-2383121
E-mail: seiscen@najah.edu
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