This study examined some factors to understand earthquake preparedness behavior. The roles of demoghraphic characteristics of the participants, trait anxiety, the severity of exposure of past earthquake experience, outcome efficacy (perceived effectiveness of preparedness), self efficacy (perceived difficulty of preparedness), impact of past experience (avoidance and intrusion symptom levels of impact of event scale), threat perception, locus of control and four factors of coping strategies (problem focused approach, fatalistic coping, helplessness/self blaming approach and seeking social support) in predicting earthquake preparedness behavior were studied. Data was collected by a questionnaire consisting of three parts. The first part was a socio-demographic information form. The second part of the questionnaire included sets of items designed to examine past earthquake experience, the severity of past earthquake experience, estimations of the severity of a possible future earthquake, probability of occurence of a potential future earthquake, reasons to prepare and responsibility related to preparedness. The third part of the questionnaire consisted of four scales. These scales were Ways of Coping Inventory (WCI) to measure coping strategies in stressful situations, Impact of Event Scale (IES) to measure current subjective distress trait part of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) to measure the level of trait anxiety of persons and Revised and Translated Mulilis- Lippa Earthquake Preparedness Scale (MLEPS) to measure the level of earthquake preparedness behavior, perceived difficulty of being prepared and perceived effectiveness of being prepared. Two hundred eighteen adults (120 females and 98 males with an age range of 20 to 67) were participants of the study. There were participants from all 32 districts of istanbul in the sample. Data was collected in two departments of Istanbul Technical University, which were architecture and civil engineering, Psychology Department of Middle East Technical University, High School of KabataS Erkek Lisesi and istanbul Bah&ccedil / elievler Primary School. Participants were parents of students. The regression analysis results revealed that, severity of exposure of past earthquake experience, avoidance, self-efficacy and outcome efficacy were found to be significantly related to earthquake preparedness. Considering significant predictors, the severity of the exposure to past earthquake experience and perceived effectiveness of being prepared increases the level of earthquake preparedness behavior / perceived difficulty of being prepared and avoidance symptom levels of impact of event scale decreases it. As an evidence to Person Relative to Event Model, the results of the current study showed that there is a significant relationship between both perceived effectiveness of being prepared and perceived difficulty of being prepared with the level of earthquake preparedness level. The importance of the results of the current study and their shortcomings were discussed within the earlier findings on disaster preparedness literature.

In this thesis, stochastic methods are utilized to improve a familiar comprehensive probabilistic model to obtain realistic estimates of the earthquake insurance premium rates in different seismic zones of Turkey. The model integrates the information on future earthquake threat with the information on expected earthquake damage to buildings. The quantification of the future earthquake threat is achieved by making use of the seismic hazard analysis techniques. Due to the uncertainties involved, the hazard that may occur at a site during future earthquakes has to be treated in a probabilistic manner. Accessibility of past earthquake data from a number of different data sources, encourages the consideration of every single earthquake report. Seismic zonation of active earthquake generating regions has been improved as recent contributions are made available. Finally, up-to-date data bases have been utilized to establish local attenuation relationships reflecting the expected earthquake wave propagation and its randomness more effectively. The damage that may occur to structures during future earthquakes involves various uncertainties and also has to be treated in a probabilistic manner. For this purpose, damage probability matrices (DPM), expressing what will happen to buildings, designed according to some particular set of requirements, during earthquakes of various intensities, are constructed from observational and estimated data. With the above considerations, in order to demonstrate the application of the improved probabilistic method, earthquake insurance premium rates are computed for reinforced concrete and masonry buildings constructed in different seismic zones of Turkey.

ABSTRACT Many unusual phenomena in nature were recorded from the regions bordering the Mediterranean Sea from the second millennium BC up to AD 600. The ancient sources interpreted these as prodigies, messages from the gods, but rarely discussed their causes. Numerous reports of these portents were viewed as the illusions of eyewitnesses or the fabrications of ancient literary sources. Many modern authors have interpreted these portents as fabulous, or as astronomical or meteorological events. This thesis examines the portents that occur in the atmosphere, biosphere, lithosphere and hydrosphere and proposes that many are geophysical phenomena caused by tectonic activity, in particular earthquakes and volcanoes. Modern research on these incidents is examined to identify characteristics and causes, and texts from ancient philosophers and natural historians are investigated to see whether they were aware of these natural occurrences and if so, how they were produced. Portents that possess the characteristics of seismically-induced lights, cloud, fog, storms, anomalous animal behaviour, noises, and hydrological changes are collated in order to discuss individual events. Where possible, ancient examples are compared with modern well-documented episodes with the same features. In a majority of cases, these events have recurred in the same locations at later times. The proposal that many of these phenomena are caused by seismic activity offers an alternative to the suggestions of many modern scholars, who ascribe many of the luminous events to lightning, meteors or comets and some sonics to exploding meteors or thunderstorms. This reappraisal of the ancient portents vindicates the seemingly fantastic reports that occur in the ancient texts, especially some of the poetic or religious sources, and rehabilitates the reputation of the authors who have documented these events. In the process it also adds to the catalogue of geophysical phenomena caused by earthquakes in the classical world.

Amendments pasted onto front end-cover. / Bibliography: p. 221-240. / xvi, 354 leaves : ill. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Documents the experimental and analytical research undertaken aimed at providing the fundamental tools required to succesfully avoid the identified brittle "weak link" in the design of new and the assessment of existing unreinforced masonary buildings. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2000?

Thesis (M.S.)--Oregon State University, 2004. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 155-158). Also available on the World Wide Web.

Thesis (M. Eng.)--Carleton University, 1993. / Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Carleton University, 2001. / Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--McMaster University, 2004. / Advisor: Ahmed Ghobarah. Includes bibliographical references (p. 341-351). Also available online.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2006. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 355-372).

abstract: Meter-resolution topography gathered by LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) has become an indispensable tool for better understanding of many surface processes including those sculpting landscapes that record information about earthquake hazards for example. For this reason, and because of the spectacular representation of the phenomena that these data provide, it is appropriate to integrate these data into Earth science educational materials. I seek to answer the following research question: "will using the LiDAR topography data instead of, or alongside, traditional visualizations and teaching methods enhance a student's ability to understand geologic concepts such as plate tectonics, the earthquake cycle, strike-slip faults, and geomorphology?" In order to answer this question, a ten-minute introductory video on LiDAR and its uses for the study of earthquakes entitled "LiDAR: Illuminating Earthquake Hazards" was produced. Additionally, LiDAR topography was integrated into the development of an undergraduate-level educational activity, the San Andreas fault (SAF) earthquake cycle activity, designed to teach introductory Earth science students about the earthquake cycle. Both the LiDAR video and the SAF activity were tested in undergraduate classrooms in order to determine their effectiveness. A pretest and posttest were administered to introductory geology lab students. The results of these tests show a notable increase in understanding LiDAR topography and its uses for studying earthquakes from pretest to posttest after watching the video on LiDAR, and a notable increase in understanding the earthquake cycle from pretest to posttest using the San Andreas Fault earthquake cycle exercise. These results suggest that the use of LiDAR topography within these educational tools is beneficial for students when learning about the earthquake cycle and earthquake hazards. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S. Geological Sciences 2011