RAPID: Recovery Process and Progress Following the 2009 L'Aquila Earthquake

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This Grant for Rapid Response Research (RAPID) project will investigate recovery progress and process in communities affected by the L'Aquila earthquake, with the goal of identifying and collecting the transient data necessary to analyze and characterize decision-making and progress in recovery and reconstruction. The city of L'Aquila, Italy and surrounding towns were devastated by a magnitude 6.3 earthquake in April, 2009 and recovery and reconstruction are beginning to get underway. To study these processes, we will conduct research activities consisting of observations from community meetings, collection of minutes and documents from these meetings, face-to-face interviews with community leaders, public officials and industry experts, and the collection of longitudinal building-specific data on recovery progress. These activities will be carried out over the next 9 months to document the major rebuilding and recovery decisions, including the critical months in which plans are made and implemented. Analysis of these observations, interviews and document analysis will contribute to knowledge on recovery processes following disaster, including the establishment of priorities, the role of community groups, building industry and local politicians in shaping the agenda, and the incorporation of available information about seismic risk, building standards and mitigation strategies in this process. This research seeks to improve understanding of the multidisciplinary socio-technological aspects of decision-making related to risk mitigation and recovery in the built environment. Lessons learned about the engineering, cultural and political factors affecting recovery and rebuilding decision-making will be used to make recommendations for improved risk mitigation and recovery plans in the U.S., as well as Italy. The project will engage an interdisciplinary cross-cultural collaboration, linking engineering and sociology researchers with their Italian counterparts.