Earthquake engineering is an interdisciplinary branch of engineering that designs and analyzes structures, such as buildings and

bridges, with earthquakes in mind. Its overall goal is to make such structures more resistant to earthquakes. An earthquake (or
seismic) engineer aims to construct structures that will not be damaged in minor shaking and will avoid serious damage or collapse
in a major earthquake. Earthquake engineering is the scientific field concerned with protecting society, the natural environment,
and the man-made environment from earthquakes by limiting the seismic risk to socio-economically acceptable
levels.[1] Traditionally, it has been narrowly defined as the study of the behavior of structures and geo-structures subject to seismic
loading; it is considered as a subset of structural engineering, geotechnical engineering, mechanical engineering, chemical
engineering, applied physics, etc. However, the tremendous costs experienced in recent earthquakes have led to an expansion of its
scope to encompass disciplines from the wider field of civil engineering, mechanical engineering and from the social sciences,
especially sociology, political science, economics and finance.

Seismic loading means application of an earthquake-generated excitation on a structure (or geo-structure). It happens at contact
surfaces of a structure either with the ground,[4] with adjacent structures,[5] or with gravity waves from tsunami. The loading that is
expected at a given location on the Earth's surface is estimated by engineering seismology. It is related to the seismic hazard of the
location.

Earthquake or seismic performance defines a structure's ability to sustain its main functions, such as
its safety and serviceability, at and after a particular earthquake exposure. A structure is normally considered safe if it does not
endanger the lives and well-being of those in or around it by partially or completely collapsing. A structure may be
considered serviceable if it is able to fulfill its operational functions for which it was designed.
Basic concepts of the earthquake engineering, implemented in the major building codes, assume that a building should survive a
rare, very severe earthquake by sustaining significant damage but without globally collapsing. [6] On the other hand, it should
remain operational for more frequent, but less severe seismic events.

As a branch of structural engineering, earthquake engineering has the purpose of mitigating the effects of seismic activity by developing
procedures for the planning, analysis, and design of structures and facilities that are capable of resisting, to a preselected extent, the effects
of earthquakes.

In this broad sense, earthquake engineering covers the investigation and solution of the problems created by damaging earthquakes, and
consequently the work involved in the practical application of these solutions, i.e. in planning, designing, constructing and managing
earthquake-resistant structures and facilities.

An earthquake engineer can be defined as a civil engineer specializing in earthquake-resistant design and construction and in the study of the
effects of seismic activity.

One of the main goals in Seismic Design is improving the understanding of earthquakes and their effects.

Because of the complexity, unpredictability, and large magnitude of earthquake forces and the catastrophic consequences of earthquakes,
earthquake engineering is a discipline that has evolved beyond the traditional establishment of principles and procedures for the planning,
analysis, and the design of earthquake-resistant structures and facilities.

what are the main objectives of earthquake engineering?

The main objectives of earthquake engineering are: Foresee the potential consequences of strong
earthquakes on urban areas and civil infrastructure. Design, construct and maintain structures to
perform at earthquake exposure up to the expectations and in compliance with building codes.

Structural engineering is that part of civil engineering in which structural engineers are educated to create the 'bones and muscles'
that create the form and shape of man made structures. Structural engineers need to understand and calculate the stability, strength
and rigidity of built structures for buildings[1] and nonbuilding structures. The structural designs are integrated with those of other
designers such as architects and building services engineer and often supervise the construction of projects by contractors on
site.[2] They can also be involved in the design of machinery, medical equipment, and vehicles where structural integrity affects
functioning and safety. See glossary of structural engineering.
Structural engineering theory is based upon applied physical laws and empirical knowledge of the structural performance of
different materials and geometries. Structural engineering design utilizes a number of relatively simple structural elements to build
complex structural systems. Structural engineers are responsible for making creative and efficient use of funds, structural elements
and materials to achieve these goals.
Seismology ( /saɪzˈmɒlədʒi/; from Ancient Greek σεισμός (seismós) meaning "earthquake" and -λογία (-logía) meaning "study of")
is the scientific study of earthquakes and the propagation of elastic waves through the Earth or through other planet-like bodies.
The field also includes studies of earthquake environmental effects such as tsunamis as well as diverse seismic sources such as
volcanic, tectonic, oceanic, atmospheric, and artificial processes such as explosions. A related field that uses geology to infer
information regarding past earthquakes is paleoseismology. A recording of earth motion as a function of time is called
a seismogram. A seismologist is a scientist who does research in seismology.