The overall objective of SERA (Seismology and Earthquake Engineering Research Infrastructure Alliance for Europe) was to give a significant contribution to improve the access to data, services and research infrastructures, and deliver solutions based on innovative R&D in seismology and earthquake engineering, aiming at reducing the exposure of our society to the risk posed by natural and anthropogenic earthquakes.

To this end, SERA will:

• Gather the communities involved in previous successful projects including NERA and SERIES;
• Offer transnational access to the largest collection of high-class experimental facilities in earthquake engineering;
• Offer virtual access to the main data and products in seismology and anthropogenic seismicity;
• Promote multi-disciplinary science across the domains of seismology, anthropogenic seismicity, near-fault observatories and deep underground laboratories, to achieve an improved understanding of earthquake occurrence;
• Revise the European Seismic Hazard reference model for consideration in the ongoing revision of the Eurocode 8;
• Develop the first comprehensive framework for seismic risk modeling at European scale;
• Develop the new standards for future experimental observations in earthquake engineering and for the design of future instruments and networks for observational seismology;
• Develop reliable methodologies for real-time assessment of shaking and damage;
• Expand access to seismological observations; Network infrastructures and communities in the fields of deep seismic sounding, experimental earthquake engineering and site characterization;
• Provide an important contribution to the construction and validation of EPOS;
• Provide effective communication and outreach to all stakeholders.

The Transnational Access activities, coordinated by the EUCENTRE Foundation, offer a combined and integrated access to the largest collection of high-class experimental facilities for earthquake engineering in Europe – and worldwide – including reaction walls, shake tables, bearing testing facilities and centrifuges, to two facilities for integrated studies on geotechnical site effects and engineering seismology, and to a unique infrastructure in Europe for array seismology.
TA provides to selected talented researchers access to the infrastructures for the design and the implementation of the testing campaign under several points of view.
The services that will be given to the users, starting from the collaboration with national and international experts in the field, include technical assistance in the definition of the specimen, the testing setup and protocol, assistance for the proper instrumentation choice and positioning, data-processing, results interpretations and advanced numerical modeling. In addition, support will be also provided for logistic, meeting and workshop organization.

Transnational Access research infrastructures