IN THE FOCUS: Activities after earthquake in the City of Zagreb

Experts from the Faculty of Civil Engineering have for many years been a part of many regional and international scientific projects, conferences, and workshops focusing on earthquake-related issues, and authors of many articles published in regional and international academic and scientific journals. After the devastating earthquakes that hit Zagreb on 22 March 2020 and Sisacko-moslavacka County on 28 and 29 December 2020, the Faculty staff took part in all activities aimed at reducing consequences of the earthquake, and at rebuilding and recovering affected area and the society as a whole.

Major activities undertaken by the Faculty of Civil Engineering after the earthquake were:

Organising a system for inspecting damaged buildings, and forming a crisis headquarters for the management of engineers and civil services involved in relief activities
Developing a form for the assessment of damage and building usability, developing a digital platform for managing data on damaged structures, organising on-site education and training of engineers
Developing and defining a structural-damage database for 25000 different buildings that is directly accessible to all interested parties (various city offices, government services and offices)
Developing a system called GISCloud for assessing construction damage using unmanned drones
Designing a platform “Croatian centre for seismologic engineering“ (www.HCPI.hr) where all information and instructions for citizens, city and state officials, services, and engineers, is provided
Publishing an instruction manual “Urgent program of seismic reconstruction“ (UPPO) in collaboration with the Croatian chamber of Civil Engineers
Organising a workgroup consisting of experts from all fields regarding the main points of the
reconstruction plan; resulting with the basis for development of technical laws and regulations.
Participating in damage assessment and estimation of reconstruction expenses for damaged buildings with World Bank in cost estimation for the Croatian Government, “Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment – RDNA
Participating in the workgroup tasked with drafting the Reconstruction Law
Organising a variety of expert meetings and consultations to help all participants included in postearthquake renewal and reconstruction efforts; organising webinars and online consultations on every 22nd day of the month.

Knowledge and experience of experts from the Faculty of Civil Engineering

They are the authors of the Earthquake Risk Assessment for the City of Zagreb and Republic of Croatia
Actively conducting, a project entitled “Study on Seismic Risk Mitigation in the City of Zagreb“
Research grant holders for the research project entitled “New vulnerability models of typical buildings in urban areas: applications in seismic risk assessment and target retrofitting methodology - BESAFE“, the aim of which is to improve methods for comprehensive definition of behaviour of structures under seismic action, and to develop a methodology for targeted retrofitting of critical structures.
Research grant holders for the research project entitled “Assessment and Reconstruction of Existing
Structures - ARES“, focused on lowering the earthquake risk for concrete and wooden structures,
They are a part of the international project “Matilda“ (MultinATIonal moduLe on Damage Assessment and CounTermeasures - Civil Protection Preparatory Action on an EU Rapid Response Capability)
They are implementing new knowledge into Croatian system via a number of civil protection exercises (Istra 2017., Ston 2016., ZG POTRES 2018., Cascade’19).
They are included in MUSAR (Medium Urban Search and Rescue) teams in collaboration with the Civil Protection Directorate of the Ministry of Interior
They are participating in the assessment of damaged structures in Albania after a devastating December 2019 earthquake, as a part of the Croatia Task Team.

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Welcome to Faculty of Civil Engineering University of Zagreb.

Civil engineering studies were initiated with the establishment of the Technical College in Zagreb on 1^st October l9l9. The Civil Engineering Division was situated on the first floor of the converted school building at 6, Roosevelt Square. In l926 the Technical College integrated into the University of Zagreb as the Technical Faculty. In l940 the Faculty moved into a new building at 26, Fra Andrije Kačića-Miošića Street, where civil engineering courses are still being held. In l956 the Technical Faculty branched into several faculties, among which was the Faculty of Architecture-Civil Engineering-Surveying, which in l962 became three separate faculties, and thus the independent Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Zagreb, was established.

In l977 the Faculty of Civil Engineering merged with the Civil Engineering Institute of Croatia. In the same year the two existing colleges of civil engineering joined the Faculty and continued to provide civil engineering courses, thus offering their undergraduates adequate vocational qualifications after 5 semesters. On 1^st July l99l the Faculty of Civil Engineering once again became an independent institution within the University of Zagreb.

In l948 new courses were introduced such as structures, transportation engineering and hydraulic engineering, and in l970 an organisational-technological course. Since 1977 a construction management course has been available, providing the opportunity for students with completed high school vocational qualifications (after 5 semesters) to continue their education at university level. However, in 1988 this was gradually phased out.

The first civil engineering undergraduates took their degrees in l923, since when almost 8 000 have graduated.

Nearly 700 candidates have completed postgraduate studies in civil engineering, which have been held continuously since l963. The first dissertation was defended as early as 1922, since when more than 200 candidates have acquired their doctoral degrees (Ph.D.).