Biennial Contestable Grants Programme

Key Research Themes and Topics

As part of its mission to reduce the impact of future geohazard events EQC funds research to address critical gaps in knowledge about New Zealand’s exposure and vulnerability to geological hazards and options for their cost-effective management.

EQC aligns its research funding criteria and allocation process to achieve the following impacts:

  • support strategic outcomes with relevance to issues of public disaster risk management
  • stimulate the growth of innovative and more adaptive research cultures
  • encourage collaboration across agency and discipline boundaries (including the Natural Hazards Research Platform, the ‘Resilience to Nature’s Challenges’ National Science Challenge, and other relevant research initiatives such as through BRANZ and MBIE)
  • promote consistent involvement of students and early career researchers
  • emphasise the importance of national and international collaboration and peer review

EQC will fund research that contributes to one or more of the following research themes and associated topic areas. The listed themes and topics have been derived from a review of EQC’s historical research investments, consideration of global trends in natural hazard risk research and catastrophe risk financing, and feedback from researchers and end-users attending forums and planning workshops, sponsored by EQC and other funding agencies.

While the listed topics indicate preferred content of a research programme to assist EQC’s strategic aims, this should not be viewed as a rigid prescription for individual projects.

1. Hazard source characterization

Objective: To improve the detection, characterization, and understanding of geological hazards, for accurate assessment of likelihood, magnitude, vulnerabilities and impacts; including such topics as

•Integrated analysis of geological, geodetic and seismological data to improve physical constraints on the modelling of seismic and volcanic interactions

•Remote sensing and advanced computer analysis of geospatial data for forecasting and modelling of hazard impacts

•Accurate recurrence models of slow and fast earthquakes, local and regional tsunamis, volcanic eruptions and landslip hazards

•New techniques for analysis of ground, water and air conditions that influence the local intensity and effect of geological hazards

•Development of accurate, timely assessment of volcanic, landslide or tsunami threats, and reduced risk of missed warnings or costly false warnings.

2. Time varying hazard and risk assessment

Objective: To improve the scientific basis for hazard forecasting and the pricing of New Zealand geohazard risks, by means of the following:

•Improved short and long-term hazard and impact forecast models

•Consistent integration of theoretical, empirical and statistical models

•Evidence-based understanding of hazard event precursors

•New hazard forecast testing methodologies

•Quantifying uncertainties in probabilistic hazard assessment models

•Rigorous testing of time-dependent loss models.

3. Advanced engineering solutions

Objective: Technologies and decision support tools to improve risk performance in the built environment, by means of the following:

•Multiple hazard design and construction solutions for improved new building and infrastructure performance in disasters, including low-damage approaches

•Multiple-hazard retrofit technologies and strategies for improved performance of existing buildings and infrastructure in disasters

•Sustainable infrastructure and urban planning, design and construction practices

•New approaches to evaluate the effectiveness of mitigation efforts in the built environment

•New approaches to structural health monitoring of buildings and infrastructure

4. Disaster resilience, readiness and recovery

Objective: Improved understanding of the socio-economic consequences of hazards, the measures required to reduce the vulnerability of New Zealand communities, and the public processes for establishing resilience goals, by means of the following:

•Robust conceptual models of community recovery processes

•Improved design and engagement processes for public safety/disaster resilience planning

•Effective risk communication

•Evidence-based understanding of risk subsidisation, transfer and adjustment

•Benefit-cost studies of alternative risk adjustment strategies

•Improved understanding of the economic dimensions of disaster risk treatments and trade-offs

•New or improved methods to speed implementation of mitigation tools at the individual and community level.

EQC Research Key Research Topics and Issues Page 1 of 2