SYNER-G, a multidisciplinary effort funded by the European Union, allowed the development of an innovative methodological framework for the assessment of physical as well as socio-economic seismic vulnerability and risk at urban and regional level. The results of SYNER-G are presented in two books both published by Springer, the present and a second one, entitled SYNER-G: Typology Definition and Fragility Functions for Physical Elements at Seismic Risk: Buildings, Lifelines, Transportation Networks and Critical Facilities (*), which provides a comprehensive state-of-the-art of the fragility curves, an alternative way to express physical vulnerability of elements at risk.

In this second volume of SYNER-G, the focus has been on presenting a unified holistic methodology for assessing vulnerability at systems level considering interactions between elements at risk (physical and non-physical) and between different systems. The proposed methodology and tool encompasses in an integrated fashion all aspects in the chain, from hazard to the vulnerability assessment of components and systems and to the socio-economic impacts of an earthquake, accounting for most relevant uncertainties within an efficient quantitative simulation scheme. It systematically integrates the most advanced fragility functions to assess the vulnerability of physical assets for buildings, utility systems, transportation networks and complex infrastructures such as harbours and hospitals. The increasing impact due to interactionsbetween different components and systems is treated in a comprehensive way, providing specifications for each network and infrastructure. The proposed socio-economic model integrates social vulnerability into the physical systems modelling approaches providing to decision makers with a dynamic platform to capture post disaster emergency issues like shelter demand and health impact decisions.Application examples at city and regional scale have provided the necessary validation of the methodology and are also included in the book.

The present volume, with its companion volume on fragility functions, represent a significant step forward in the seismic vulnerability and risk assessment of complex interacting urban and regional systems and infrastructures. These volumes are not only of interest to scientists and engineers but also to the insurance industry, decision makers and practitioners in the sector of civil protection and seismic risk management.

(*) Pitilakis K, Crowley E, Kaynia A (eds) (2014) SYNER-G: Typology definition and fragility functions for physical elements at seismic risk, Series: Geotechnical, Geological and Earthquake Engineering 27, ISBN 978-94-007-7872-6, Springer Science+Business Media, Dordrecht.

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One of the main purposes of medical cost-benefit analyses is to define the rational priorities in health care. This book ambitiously undertakes to compare the cost-benefit analyses of three countries: the United States, Germany and Israel. Cardiovascular disease is focused on to provide a model case study, but other areas also provide examples. The contribu- tions consider in particular two recent developments. These are the increase in comprehensive epidemiological data, es- pecially with regards to risk factors, and improved methodo- logy for measuring the quality of life. The contributions stem from clinicians, epidemiologists and health economists who give an overall picture of these complex issues and the prospects for the future.

In-operation vibration monitoring for complex mechanical structures and rotating machines is of key importance in many industrial areas such as aeronautics (wings and other structures subject to strength), automobile (gearbox mounting with a sports car body), rail transportation, power engineering (rotating machines, core and pipes of nuclear power plants), and civil engineering (large buildings subject to hurricanes or earthquakes, bridges, dams, offshore structures). Tools for the detection and the diagnosis of small changes in vibratory characteristics are particularly useful to set up a preventive maintenance policy based on the actual evolution of the state of the monitored machine or structure, as opposed to systematic a priori planning.

Ambient Vibration Monitoring is the backbone of such structural assessment monitoring and control. It provides the possibility to gain useful data under ambient conditions for the assessment of structures and components.

Written by a widely respected authority in this area, "Ambient Vibration Monitoring" describes the current practice of ambient vibration methodologies illustrated by a number of practical examples. Designed to aid the practical engineer with their understanding of the topic, it is the culmination of many years of practical research and includes numerous 'real world' examples. It also provides information on applicable solutions.

This book will enable not only practitioners (in civil, mechanical and aerospace engineering), but also researchers and students, to learn more about the theory and practical applications of this subject.

"Health Monitoring of Bridges" prepares the bridge engineering community for the exciting new technological developments happening in the industry, offering the benefit of much research carried out in the aerospace and other industrial sectors and discussing the latest methodologies available for the management of bridge stock.

"Health Monitoring of Bridges: "

Includes chapters on the hardware used in health monitoring, methodologies, applications of these methodologies (materials, methods, systems and functions), decision support systems, damage detection systems and the rating of bridges and methods of risk assessment.Covers both passive and active monitoring approaches.Offers directly applicable methods and as well as prolific examples, applications and references.Is authored by a world leader in the development of health monitoring systems. Includes free software that can be downloaded from http: //www.samco.org/ and provides the raw data of benchmark projects and the key results achieved.

This book provides a comprehensive guide to all aspects of the structural health monitoring of bridges for engineers involved in all stages from concept design to maintenance. It will also appeal to researchers and academics within the civil engineering and structural health monitoring communities.