Scientific agreement between Italy and Uzbekistan for the study of earthquakes and risk mitigation

The bilateral program is developed around the need to share the respective assets of data and methodologies to address seismic danger in territories historically exposed to strong tectonic stresses. The activities envisaged by the agreement will focus primarily oncartographic identification and geophysical characterization of active and potentially seismogenic faultskey elements for risk mapping. A second line of investigation will concern the study of the local seismic responsea critical parameter for the urban planning of large metropolitan areas and for securing strategic industrial and transport infrastructures. Furthermore, a specific section of the agreement was explicitly addressed to protection of the artistic and architectural heritagean area in which the Italian experience in diagnostics and structural restoration will integrate with the needs of safeguarding Uzbek historical complexes.

The framework agreement is not limited to the coordination of laboratory activities, but outlines an operational model based on the exchange of human capital and technical skills. In fact, the protocol provides for the activation of joint research projects supported by international mobility programs for male and female researchers, encouraging technological transfer and advanced training of technical staff. Through this institutional synergy, INGV and IS-ASRU aim to standardize good practices in assessing the hazard and reducing the vulnerability of buildings, transforming theoretical models of geophysical analysis into concrete civil protection tools for the benefit of both countries.