Structural safety

After 1951, the SLF stepped up its research into avalanche protection. The findings led to a move away from walls, the usual defence mechanism until then, towards the snow bridges and snow nets that remain common today.

To make disaster management in Bangladesh more people-sensitive and responsive, greater emphasis is needed on community-centred and inclusive approaches rather than a predominantly top-down system.

In this article, the authors assess the challenges and opportunities for reducing climate impacts on housing within U.S. coastal communities, based on 64 interviews with experts across housing-relevant public, private, and nonprofit sectors.

The report outlines how the 31‑state Mississippi River Basin is confronting rising risks from flooding, drought, extreme weather, nutrient pollution, and aging water infrastructure.

Philly’s many sinkholes stem from aging, leaking water and sewer pipes that wash away soil. The region’s geology also contributes to land subsidence. Repairs are slow because fixing leaks is complex and the city’s infrastructure is old.

From extreme heat and floods to earthquakes and cyclones, a wealth of examples collected on PreventionWeb offer clear evidence that disaster risk reduction delivers tangible results.

Imagine a material that passively absorbs excess heat during the day and releases it back into the home when temperatures drop at night, with no switches, no electricity and no noise. That's the magic of phase change materials, a type of smart material.

One year on from the fires researchers have focused on understanding the causes and impacts of the fires as well as evaluating vulnerabilities and resilience features that contributed to the patterns of destruction and efficacy of emergency management.