Projects

Currently we are working on many diverse single and collaborative projects.

Active joint projects:

QUEST (QUantitative estimation of Earth's seismic sources and STructure). Initial Training Network in Computational Seismology, funded by the European Union and involving a number of excellence institutions all over Europe ( link ).

COGEAR (COupled seismogenic GEohazards in Alpine Regions). Interdisciplinary natural hazard project for investigating the hazard chain induced by earthquakes in Valais, Switzerland ( link ).

The SCEC/USGS Spontaneous Rupture Code Verification Project. International project to provide verification and comparison of numerical codes ( link ).

NERA (Network of European Research Infrastructures for Earthquake Risk Assessment and Mitigation). Our group is leading the submodule WP13 (JRA3) "Coherence of near-fault ground motion spatial distribution and ground strain”.  Here we will develop intensive earthquake numerical simulations to adequately assess the level and variability of near-source ground and to supplement the lack of data near the fault. This aims to improve current ground motion prediction equations (GMPE), incorporating both source- and propagation-dominated ground motion phenomena identified by numerical models.

Active PhD projects

PhD students are working on exciting projects funded by different funds.

“Genesis of mega-thrust earthquakes events at convergent plate boundaries: 3Dmodelling of seismic coupling combining geodynamic and earthquake-faulting model”. Funded by SNF. Description. (PhD student: Ylona van Dinther)

“Development of kinematic and dynamic rupture models, in an elastic medium, equivalent to a dynamic rupture model with off-fault plastic yielding”. Industry-funded through Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PGEC), Norman Abrahamson. Description. (PhD student: Alice-Agnes Gabriel)

“High-performance computing in global and earthquake seismology: linking innovative Earth tomography to earthquake physics and seismic hazard”. Funded by ETH. Description. (PhD student: Walter Imperatori)

“Development of earthquake source physics models for the seismological assessment of future earthquakes and ground motion prediction in Alpine regions”. Part of COGEAR. Description. (PhD student: Cyrill Baumann)

"Numerical Methods for 3-D Rupture Dynamics". Part of QUEST. Description. (PhD student: Percy Galvez)

Past projects:

“Physics-based near-source ground motion prediction for structural engineering and geotechnical applications”. PhD project funded by SNF. Description. (Dr. Banu Mena Cabrera)

High Impact Project at CSCS (granted 1.8 millions of CPU hrs, from October 1st to December 30th, 2009). Report.