The United Nations designated the 1990s as the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR). During this ten-year period, special efforts should be made for reducing catastrophic loss of life, property damage and social and economic disruption due to natural disasters, such as landslides, earthquakes and floods, which threaten many countries in the world. In response to the UN proposal on IDNDR, PIARC organized a Working Group "Natural Disaster Reduction for Roads," in 1990. For the first period (1990-95) the Group conducted various studies, including an international survey on road disasters and issued a "Comprehensive Report on Natural Disaster Reduction for Roads", for the 20th World Road Congress, Montreal, 1995. For the second period (1996-99) of IDNDR, the Group focused on the following four areas: updating the Comprehensive Report; holding international seminars on natural disasters for roads; reviewing codes and guidelines for seismic design of bridges; and studying emergency planning and management. In 1999, the Group issued a final report on Natural Disaster Reduction for Roads. For the covering abstract see ITRD E118727.
Samenvatting