Researchers in UW’s Department of Human Centered Design and Engineering and Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering are applying and developing simulation models to better understand community recovery from earthquakes in Pacific County, WA. The project is funded by Washington Sea Grant and aims to build understanding of the possible long-term trends on the Washington coast after a major earthquake. The researchers are building new computer models to compare different earthquake and recovery scenarios. Earthquake scenarios include different magnitude Cascadia events, as well as possible impacts to the outer coast from a Seattle fault earthquake. Recovery trends relate to housing impacts and relocation decisions in Pacific County, as well as damage and reconstruction scenarios for the local transportation network. Project outcomes will be used to facilitate conversations in Pacific County about possible issues to consider for pre-event long-term recovery planning.

For more information, contact Scott Miles