Objective Recent paleoseismic investigations in the Belgian part of the Roer-Lower Rhine graben system provide evidence of surface faulting caused by large earthquakes having occurred during the Holocene (less than 10,000 years ago). These observations raise questions about the classical approach of developing seismic hazard assessment based solely on historical and instrumental seismicity catalogues in regions considered erroneously as tectonically stable and show the importance of paleoseismic studies for estimating the potential of large earthquakes in these regions of Europe. The objectives of the project are: 1) to establish a research method to identify paleoearthquakes in present-day low active seismic zones in Europe. 2) to obtain informations about the mechanical behaviour of seismogenic faults to quantify the return period and the dimensions of highly destructive earthquakes in these zones. 3) to establish a formulation of the results directly available for seismic hazard analysis. To meet these objectives, the project considers regions with different seismotectonics context: The Roer Graben - Lower Rhine Embayment region and the Upper Rhine Graben characterized by extensive continental deformation and the Trentino-Alto Adige (eastern Alps) and the eastern Pyrenees which are regions under compressive tectonic stress field. Description of the research project. In the different test areas, the following tasks will be partly or completely (tasks 1, 3 and 5) realized: 1. Identification of seismogenic active faults by field investigations using new and already existing geologic, geochemical and geomorphological methodologies and data coupled with geophysical prospection (radar, seismic and electric) and remote sensing. 2. Detailed geomorphological analysis to establish a relationship between the age of surface rupturing earthquakes and the degradation of active fault scarps. 3. Excavation of trenches at adequate sites - to identify Late Pleistocene and (or) Holocene coseismic surface faulting. - eventually to identify single earthquakes and to study more than one single seismic cycle. - to study induced deformations in low-consolidated sediments caused by paleoearthquakes. 4. Study of the potential effects of paleoearthquakes on archeological vestiges and speleothems. 5. Evaluation of the uncertainty in the parameters describing the paleoearthquakes as a basis for seismic hazard assessment. Fields of science engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringremote sensingnatural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesgeologyseismologyengineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringinformation engineeringtelecommunicationsradio technologyradarsocial sciencessociologygovernancecrisis managementnatural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesgeologygeomorphologyspeleology Programme(s) FP4-ENV 2C - Specific programme of research and technological development in the field of environment and climate, 1994-1998 Topic(s) 020302 - Seismic risk Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator ROYAL OBSERVATORY OF BELGIUM EU contribution No data Address 3,Avenue Circulaire 3 1180 BRUXELLES Belgium See on map Total cost No data Participants (22) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE France EU contribution No data Address Avenue Clement Ader 1 86961 CHASSENEUIL DU POITOU See on map Total cost No data COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE France EU contribution No data Address Avenue du General Leclerc 60-68 92265 FONTENAY AUX ROSES See on map Total cost No data Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) Italy EU contribution No data Address Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 00133 Roma See on map Total cost No data Faculté Polytechnique de Mons Belgium EU contribution No data Address 9,Rue Houdain 7000 Mons See on map Total cost No data Faculté Polytechnique de Mons Belgium EU contribution No data Address 9,Rue Houdain 7000 Mons See on map Total cost No data GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF BELGIUM Belgium EU contribution No data Address 13,Jennerstraat 13 1040 BRUXELLES See on map Total cost No data GEOLOGIE TECTONIQUE ENVIRONNEMENT ET RISQUES France EU contribution No data Address 3,Rue Jean Monnet 3 34830 CLAPIERS See on map Total cost No data GEOSCIENCES CONSULTANTS SARL France EU contribution No data Address Boulevard Brune 189 75014 PARIS See on map Total cost No data Generalitat de Catalunya Spain EU contribution No data Address Parc de Montjuic 08038 Barcelona See on map Total cost No data Geologisches Landesamt Nordrhein-Westfalen Germany EU contribution No data Address 195,De-Greiff-Strasse 47803 Krefeld See on map Total cost No data KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN Belgium EU contribution No data Address Oude Markt 13 3000 LOUVAIN / LEUVEN See on map Total cost No data MUSEO TRIDENTINO DI SCIENZE NATURALI Italy EU contribution No data Address VIA CALEPINA 14 393 TRENTO See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data NETHERLANDS ORGANISATION FOR APPLIED SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH - TNO Netherlands EU contribution No data Address 97,Terrein University College Utrecht, Gebouw U en W, 3508 TA UTRECHT See on map Total cost No data ROYAL NETHERLANDS METEOROLOGICAL INSTITUTE Netherlands EU contribution No data Address 10,Wilhelminalaan 10 3730 AE DE BILT See on map Total cost No data TARNIUM SARL France EU contribution No data Address Plan de l'Ormeau, 10 34190 GANGES See on map Total cost No data UNIVERSITAT DE BARCELONA Spain EU contribution No data Address GRAN VIA DE LES CORTS CATALANES 585 BARCELONA See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data UNIVERSITE DE LIEGE Belgium EU contribution No data Address Boulevard du Rectorat - Sart Tilman B19 4000 LIEGE See on map Total cost No data UNIVERSITE HENRI POINCARE NANCY 1 France EU contribution No data Address Rue Lionnois 24-30 NANCY See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data UNIVERSITY OF BERGEN Norway EU contribution No data Address 41,Allegatan 41 5007 BERGEN See on map Total cost No data Universität Köln Germany EU contribution No data Address 26,Vinzenz-Pallotti-Str. 51429 Bergisch Gladbach See on map Total cost No data Université de Paris-Sud XI France EU contribution No data Address Avenue Georges Clémenceau 91405 Orsay See on map Total cost No data Université de Strasbourg I (Université Louis Pasteur) France EU contribution No data Address 5 rue René Descartes 67084 Strasbourg See on map Total cost No data