Biennial Contestable Grants Programme
Key Research Themes and Topics
As part of its mission to reduce the impact of future geohazard events EQC funds research to
address critical gaps in knowledge about New Zealand’s exposure and vulnerability to
geological hazards and options for their cost-effective management.
EQC aligns its research funding criteria and allocation process to achieve the following impacts:
 support strategic outcomes with relevance to issues of public disaster risk management
 stimulate the growth of innovative and more adaptive research cultures
 encourage collaboration across agency and discipline boundaries (including the Natural
Hazards Research Platform, the ‘Resilience to Nature’s Challenges’ National Science
Challenge, and other relevant research initiatives such as through BRANZ and MBIE)
 promote consistent involvement of students and early career researchers
 emphasise the importance of national and international collaboration and peer review
EQC will fund research that contributes to one or more of the following research themes and
associated topic areas. The listed themes and topics have been derived from a review of EQC’s
historical research investments, consideration of global trends in natural hazard risk research
and catastrophe risk financing, and feedback from researchers and end-users attending forums
and planning workshops, sponsored by EQC and other funding agencies.
While the listed topics indicate preferred content of a research programme to assist EQC’s
strategic aims, this should not be viewed as a rigid prescription for individual projects.
1. Hazard source characterization
Objective: To improve the detection, characterization, and understanding of geological hazards,
for accurate assessment of likelihood, magnitude, vulnerabilities and impacts; including such
topics as
• Integrated analysis of geological, geodetic and seismological data to improve physical
constraints on the modelling of seismic and volcanic interactions
• Remote sensing and advanced computer analysis of geospatial data for forecasting
and modelling of hazard impacts
• Accurate recurrence models of slow and fast earthquakes, local and regional
tsunamis, volcanic eruptions and landslip hazards
EQC Research Key Research Topics and IssuesPage 1 of 2
•
•
New techniques for analysis of ground, water and air conditions that influence the
local intensity and effect of geological hazards
Development of accurate, timely assessment of volcanic, landslide or tsunami
threats, and reduced risk of missed warnings or costly false warnings.
2. Time varying hazard and risk assessment
Objective: To improve the scientific basis for hazard forecasting and the pricing of New Zealand
geohazard risks, by means of the following:
• Improved short and long-term hazard and impact forecast models
• Consistent integration of theoretical, empirical and statistical models
• Evidence-based understanding of hazard event precursors
• New hazard forecast testing methodologies
• Quantifying uncertainties in probabilistic hazard assessment models
• Rigorous testing of time-dependent loss models.
3. Advanced engineering solutions
Objective: Technologies and decision support tools to improve risk performance in the built
environment, by means of the following:
• Multiple hazard design and construction solutions for improved new building and
infrastructure performance in disasters, including low-damage approaches
• Multiple-hazard retrofit technologies and strategies for improved performance of
existing buildings and infrastructure in disasters
• Sustainable infrastructure and urban planning, design and construction practices
• New approaches to evaluate the effectiveness of mitigation efforts in the built
environment
• New approaches to structural health monitoring of buildings and infrastructure
4. Disaster resilience, readiness and recovery
Objective: Improved understanding of the socio-economic consequences of hazards, the
measures required to reduce the vulnerability of New Zealand communities, and the public
processes for establishing resilience goals, by means of the following:
• Robust conceptual models of community recovery processes
• Improved design and engagement processes for public safety/disaster resilience
planning
• Effective risk communication
• Evidence-based understanding of risk subsidisation, transfer and adjustment
• Benefit-cost studies of alternative risk adjustment strategies
• Improved understanding of the economic dimensions of disaster risk treatments and
trade-offs
• New or improved methods to speed implementation of mitigation tools at the
individual and community level.
EQC Research Key Research Topics and IssuesPage 2 of 2